Meyer Hatchery - 4 of 15 chicks dead

[ciana]

The local chicken shop that I got my babies from ordered their chicks from Meyer. They ordered a lot, and monitored the delivery so it wasn't a question of too few chicks or too slow of a delivery. All of the blue Marans died and so did a few partridges. I think Meyer is the issue!

 

[BarredRockGirls]

THANK YOU!!! EXACTLY my point! its craziness. i also wanted my chicks in January. so they would be laying by May ... did i get them then NOOOOOO . i placed the order then tho and set the arrival date for March. but alas u still can't control everything . when those birds hatch theres no telling how thier tiny bodies will react . for bigger shippments that go to stores to be sold theres still variables. the care they receive there... the handling, water ,lights , temp. what if all the birds -being that there are so many- didnt get cared for properly right away ... then they died.??

how is that Meyers fault?? but even w all that Meyers will stand by their promise to you... i think thats pretty cool .

 

[Bellatrixed]

The local chicken shop that I got my babies from ordered their chicks from Meyer. They ordered a lot, and monitored the delivery so it wasn't a question of too few chicks or too slow of a delivery. All of the blue Marans died and so did a few partridges. I think Meyer is the issue!

I assume you mean the package was monitored through tracking info. Just because it was a short trip and they know there were no delays doesn't mean it wasn't incredibly cold or the package wasn't mishandled either intentionally or unintentionally.

No hatchery in existence has 100% survival rates, and considering they send out thousands (millions?) of chicks a year, it would be literally impossible for them to. Sadly, it's also a survival of the fittest thing. Not every chicken lives to maturity even when raised in the most ideal setting possible.

Like I said, I have no opinion of Meyer one way or another, but people always blame the hatchery for losses. Why would a hatchery intentionally send out weak/sick/diseased chicks?

 

[kdwag]

THANK YOU!!! EXACTLY my point! its craziness. i also wanted my chicks in January. so they would be laying by May ... did i get them then NOOOOOO . i placed the order then tho and set the arrival date for March. but alas u still can't control everything . when those birds hatch theres no telling how thier tiny bodies will react . for bigger shippments that go to stores to be sold theres still variables. the care they receive there... the handling, water ,lights , temp. what if all the birds -being that there are so many- didnt get cared for properly right away ... then they died.??

how is that Meyers fault?? but even w all that Meyers will stand by their promise to you... i think thats pretty cool .

hey barred rock girls, I live near Elmore and drove to Meyer to get my babies last fall. Next time you order from there, you should make the drive and check it out. It's a neat place and they have a good sized store with supplies, etc. I also heard that they will give you a tour; I found that out after I came back. My girls are now 6 months and laying just fine. One of my barred rocks, however, has turned extremely aggressive towards the other barred rock. I isolated her etc. but if she doesn't change her attitude, she's gotta go.

 

[BarredRockGirls]

hey barred rock girls, I live near Elmore and drove to Meyer to get my babies last fall. Next time you order from there, you should make the drive and check it out. It's a neat place and they have a good sized store with supplies, etc. I also heard that they will give you a tour; I found that out after I came back. My girls are now 6 months and laying just fine. One of my barred rocks, however, has turned extremely aggressive towards the other barred rock. I isolated her etc. but if she doesn't change her attitude, she's gotta go.

a tour! if i had known that i def would have drove lol my boys - ages 5 & 4 would have LOVED THAT! i just might make that trip next time! thanks for the tip!. sorry about your one Rock i hope she shapes up instead of shipping out good luck !!

 

[gimmie birdies]

3 zipping 3 in air cell.

 

[TheCrazyChick]

Well, I have been a big fan of Meyers Hatchery and have numerous times given them a big thumbs up when someone asks about them. Today, however, I am a bit miffed. I live in Toledo and drove 2 hours to pick my chicks up yesterday. I was specifically told their hours of operation, but when I was 5 minutes from arriving (around 10:45am) they called to tell me that my order would be ready after 2pm. Unfortunately, I could not wait 4 hours in their parking lot for that timeframe, so had to leave with only 3 of my 4 chicks. This was due to the marek's vaccinations not going to be administered until 2pm. They were not happy with me that I would not take the chick that had not yet been vaccinated, but did not charge me for it. I was disappointed that I did not get to take the 4th chick home, but I was very happy to be able to get the 3 others, which included a Blue Ameracauna that I had been searching for. (What confused me about all this, though, was when I picked up an order in December, I was told I needed to wait a few minutes, as they were administering the vaccinations. This was around 10:30 in the morning.)

The White Sultan from this order was definitely the runt of the litter and very wobbly, but they added in a heat pack, just in case, and off I went for the drive home. She never gained strength and by this morning had died. I used gro gel, made egg yolk, hand fed water since she could not lift up her head or walk, everything that can be done, to no avail. I was upset, but do understand that these things happen. I was not upset with the hatchery at all, especially since they have a 48 hour guarantee. WRONG!

FYI - their 48 hour guarantee ONLY applies to SHIPPED birds, (and I quote) "since you can see if the birds are healthy when you pick them up, we do not guarantee birds that are picked up. Did you even look at them to make sure they were healthy?"

I kid you not. Seriously?

Consequently I can no longer give an unconditional thumbs up to Meyer Hatchery.

I will however be picking up an order on March 18th and April 1st, as well as 2 started pullets on April 27th. I will most definitely NOT be taking home any runts this time, though. Not when they are not guaranteed.

 

[RyanFunFarm]

So sad abt the losses :-(

my feb shipment of only 3 chicks from cackle are all doing grt. It cant just be small shipments in the early season

 

[gimmie birdies]

Crazy chick girl, You did everything right I got a shipment in July hatched on mon. Delivered to my house by Thur. I live in wa state. I ordered 6 chicks. and one had really skinny legs legs and feet. I turned it over to see if it had a pooh butt because I felt some thing crusty and it was its belly button crusted on his belly. I think they broke it out of the egg to have enough for my order and the navel didn't heal. any way same thing tried to feed it yolk and heat pack, but 3 days is too long to save them some times. and it died about 50 hrs after I received it. I didn't make a stink because I did get a meal maker- which is no longer a meal maker. And I was willing to still shop there but now I don't know....

 

[TheCrazyChick]

Crazy chick girl, You did everything right I got a shipment in July hatched on mon. Delivered to my house by Thur. I live in wa state. I ordered 6 chicks. and one had really skinny legs legs and feet. I turned it over to see if it had a pooh butt because I felt some thing crusty and it was its belly button crusted on his belly. I think they broke it out of the egg to have enough for my order and the navel didn't heal. any way same thing tried to feed it yolk and heat pack, but 3 days is too long to save them some times. and it died about 50 hrs after I received it. I didn't make a stink because I did get a meal maker- which is no longer a meal maker. And I was willing to still shop there but now I don't know....

gimmie birdies - interesting, as this one also had the umbilical still hanging. Dried, etc, but still attached and very noticeable. Never had one like that before. I understand that sometimes no matter what you lose a few. I'm just a bit not happy that their guarantee is only for shipped chicks. That makes no sense.