Meyer Hatchery? Also breed advice?

[the.whole.crew]

I posted a thread yesterday asking for suggestions for getting chicks in New Jersey. Someone suggested ordering from Meyer Hatchery, so I was curious about people’s experience with them.

Is their sexing normally accurate? Are the chicks healthy? Also, they’re a day old when shipped, correct?

And sorry to keep asking questions, but I was wondering how Easter Eggers and Speckled Sussexes are as a family bird. I heard they’re sweet and friendly, but I would like feedback from actual people with experience. If you’re not a fan of those breeds, any other suggestions for blue egg laying birds?

Thank you!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Almost all major hatcheries birds do well and sex accurately (except bantams which are difficult to sex).

 

[Bamabexchicks]

I posted a thread yesterday asking for suggestions for getting chicks in New Jersey. Someone suggested ordering from Meyer Hatchery, so I was curious about people’s experience with them.

Is their sexing normally accurate? Are the chicks healthy? Also, they’re a day old when shipped, correct?

And sorry to keep asking questions, but I was wondering how Easter Eggers and Speckled Sussexes are as a family bird. I heard they’re sweet and friendly, but I would like feedback from actual people with experience. If you’re not a fan of those breeds, any other suggestions for blue egg laying birds?

Thank you!

It was me that suggested Meyer Hatchery, and sent links for them and for Cackle. Open the links and read the descriptions and reviews on breeds you're interested in. Read the hatchery guarantee policy and decide what you want to do based on your research. Imo people have different experiences with different breeds: also, there's no such thing as predictable personalities. It's kind of like saying all pitbulls bite...some breeds are more docile, but the hatchery description of each breed will at least give you an idea of what to expect.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

And sorry to keep asking questions, but I was wondering how Easter Eggers and Speckled Sussexes are as a family bird. I heard they’re sweet and friendly, but I would like feedback from actual people with experience. If you’re not a fan of those breeds, any other suggestions for blue egg laying birds?

Thank you!

The USPS requires that all chicks shipped be under 24 hours old for their survivability.
Most EEs don't lay blue eggs.
True Araucanas and Crested Cream Legbars are the only reliably blue shelled birds I'm aware of and not all of them do.
One would be extremely fortunate to get an EE that lays blue eggs.

 

[MagpieDucks]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/meyer-hatchery-chicken-pics-anyone.738837/

 

[MadisonOde]

I don’t know much about Meyer, but we got birds from Cackle, and they’re pretty good quality birds, surprisingly. They all took first and one of the shows we went to.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I posted a thread yesterday asking for suggestions for getting chicks in New Jersey. Someone suggested ordering from Meyer Hatchery, so I was curious about people’s experience with them.

Is their sexing normally accurate? Are the chicks healthy? Also, they’re a day old when shipped, correct?

And sorry to keep asking questions, but I was wondering how Easter Eggers and Speckled Sussexes are as a family bird. I heard they’re sweet and friendly, but I would like feedback from actual people with experience. If you’re not a fan of those breeds, any other suggestions for blue egg laying birds?

Thank you!

That’s where I ordered my chicks from last year. They send them with a heating pad in the box and usually they arrive the next day, within 24 hrs of hatch. I think the heating pad in the first box did not work because the box did not feel warm and within a day 5 of my 8 chicks died. I was heartbroken and I did not want any more mail order chicks, so I found one Buff Orpington to replace my dead one, but in the meantime a Meyer representative told me that, that rarely happens, so I agreed to let them send me 4 chicks since I had already bought one. They are really good to work with and the next box of chicks which hatched the following week arrived in a warm box and were healthy! I am really happy with all my chicks that I got from Meyer hatchery and they are great to work with! All mine were sexed correctly.

 

[Melky]

Mine came from Meyer Hatchery all came healthy. I vaccinated for Mareks and would recommend so. I love my Barred Rock, SS, and Golden Buffs. All lay large brown eggs of slightly different color. Love them all.

 

[CannedMonster]

I ordered from Meyer in July of 2018.
13 sexed pullets.
One chick passed at two weeks but I believe it had something wrong internally.
Out of the 13, one Australorp turned out to be a cockerel.
He is actually fantastic. Very non-aggressive and even has a quieter sort of crow.
He’s very good at watching over the girls.
I’m pretty pleased with all the birds I got.
I did lose a 2nd partridge Rock at 8 months. I think she may have been egg bound or something.
My Speckled Sussex and Silver Penciled Rocks are extremely friendly!
I’m pleased with Meyer Hatchery.

 

[julskinka]

Where are you in NJ? We got our first batch of chicks from Jersey Chickens (https://www.jerseychickens.com/) in Jackson. It included an "Ameraucana" that laid very blue eggs. IIRC they also had cream legbars and maybe some other kind of blue egg layer. There are also the various Tractor Supplies and feed stores.

If you're not looking for anything for about four week, I *may* end up with some surplus easter eggers or cream legbar pullets I could sell you.