Meyer Hatchery - 4 of 15 chicks dead

[NotableNancy]

I know... Just hang in there the end is in sight
From what I hear we're getting your winds and cold weather tomorrow. Thanks!!

 

[KBHatchery]

I picked my chicks up from the post office today and i was very pleased to find all of the silkies , white leghorns , and rhode island reds had survived the trip. i ordered 26 of each breed from Murray McMurray Hatchery, tho this still if their first night here so i may loose one or two. silkies are in their own brooder and the reds and whites are in a brooder together.

 

[mimi14]

I think because they are ordering in huge quantity they will stay warm from the body heat rather than me ordering only 15 they could get quite cold. Also, I'm sure they order extra so if some die they dispose of them and and it doesn't impact the buyer. If 5 of my 15 die I will know because they're mine and now I will only have 10. And I can't imagine the TSC purposely leaves dead chicks laying all over the brooder. But I'm doing what you are doing - ordering and hoping for the best.  3 weeks from today mine arrive (hopefully).   Good luck to you and your chicks. Let us know how it goes!

 

[mimi14]

Sorry if you thought I meant that they purposely left dead chicks in the brooder, I would never think that they did that. I just have seen dead one in the brooder that have died and they have not got them out yet. I have ordered 25 splitting the order with a friend so I am hoping they keep each other warm. I was just surprised that they picked them up just like I do. Now my fear is that they will come in at the same time and the PO will give them mine if they get there first, LOL. (I have a new fear daily!) By the way I have ordered several different breeds and the farm stores don't always get a lot of different breeds to choose from. I got RIR, SLW,GLW, Columbian W, Silkies, Bantam Brahma, Light Brahma, Cochin, Welsummer, EE, Maran, and a BO! I can not wait! I will let you know how it goes!

 

[TheCrazyChick]

I have always LOVED winter and snow. Having a fire roaring in the wood stove looking outside at the snow coming down. So picturesque. I wanted to to last forever... until now. I want it over and warm for my new babies!!!

My sentiments exactly! I always loved winter. Beautiful white snow, flurries, love to be cooped in during near blizzard conditions. The quietness when there is several feet of newly fallen snow. Love it. Until now. As a new chicken mama I am simply freaking out every time we get more snow, like TODAY. I want to be outside working on the chicken area. I don't care if it's COLD, but the non-stop hurricane style winds this winter is too much for me to handle outside. The wind chill factor is killing me. Coop is done and they are outside in it, and I managed to hardwire cloth under the coop and put a pop door in the coop floor for them to get to it, but I simply am chomping at the bit to get the REAL run put up! And of course start building ANOTHER COOP for more chickens. Chicken Math has struck and it is a seriously bad thing. Seriously.

 

[SMA]

Just visiting this thread again and skimming through replies. For those who asked, we got a full refund from Meyer including shipping.

We decided to go the Tractor Supply route. We are fortunate (maybe not in some minds) to have 5 TSC stores within half hour, so we called around to find some breeds we liked. Our local TSC stores get chicks from Mt. Healthy, so I am told.

It was my thought that the chicks should have never been sent to a sorting facility 100 miles south of us when there is a larger one 25 miles north of us. Whether it was a mistake, and whose it was is a mystery. If we mail order again I will probably wait until it is warmer, and have them sent to my office address which is within sight of the sorting facility.

 

[Glen30458]

I received my shipment of 27 chicks from Meyer's hatchery yesterday. There was one doa and I lost 2 more in the first 8 hours. There are still two others that don't seem to be doing well but the rest are fine so far. I'm hoping my total loss on the shipment will stay at 3 or hopefully no more than 5. I'm waiting the 48 hours before reporting my loss's to the hatchery. They did ship one free chick (4% extra on your order is standard policy there) and they also shipped one other extra chick they call a meyer meal maker that they will give you if you agree to donate the eggs and the meat from that one bird to charity. Although a little sad at the loss of even one bird I do not fault the hatchery for the loss and I am thankful they seem willing to cover any loss even though it was through no fault of their own. I will update my experience as changes occur.

 

[Nigellas]

It's not the Hatchery, it's the shipping. I actually drove to Meyer Hatchery yesterday to pick up my chicks and they are all very healthy and happy.

 

[MsChickenMomma]

Ordering from a Hatchery that is only 4 hours from me was a good idea. I don't trust postal carriers, so I ordered from the closest hatchery I could find. (once I did research on the place of course)
My chicks should arrive the day after they ship them in May.

 

[Twig Worley]

As soon as I get them, I will let you know how they turn out.