Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[Iain Utah]

Question for those who have gotten chicks from Meyer. My chicks are being shipped via priority mail, which I assume will take 2 days. But Meyer's website says they could arrive the next day. How long did it take for your chicks to arrive?

 

[ShrekDawg]

My experience with Dottie is that she was only mean to the new hens, and that tapers off slowly until eventually newbies are part of her group, even if they are at the bottom of the pecking order. I find Dottie to be a fair and strong leader of her group and have no regrets about getting her.  And yes... she is definitely very friendly with people. 

That's good to know! Thanks! And glad she's friendly.

 

[Amy King Hanson]

Thank you both for the input!! It's definitely helpful.

So it seems to me like your birds are only aggressive when adding new additions? I know Amy you got rid of your two SLWs but were they, and yours too Iain, mean or bullies at all before adding the new chicks? Or just top hen?

Thankfully after these 5 I don't really plan to add any more chicks, especially since 8 was supposed to be my limit LOL, so it seems to me like they may not necessarily be mean to flockmates they were raised with? Just new ones?

Although chickens can live a while and maybe in a few years I might get more chickens. But hopefully by then they will have calmed down and/or I'll have more hens to outnumber the mean ones and/or hopefully I'll have moved and will be able to have a rooster. Do you think if I had a good rooster and/or a broody they would put unruly bully hens in their place? I can't have one here but maybe by the time I'm ready to add even more chickens.

It seems to me like they are friendly with people? Which is good because I want pets, although I don't spend much time with my current flock right now. Working on it though.

We got an incubator for Christmas and I knew that we'd be constantly adding new chicks. In the coop we have a 2 by 3 foot spot where the little ones can escape but the top SLW hen was so bad and figured out ways to get them. When I added a sweet Cream Legbar to the group I couldn't stand the stress of it any more. So my brother in law was looking and I told him he could have them. I don't mind the constant 'Pecking Order' antics. And my sweet Cream Legbar is happy.

 

[Amy King Hanson]

In my experience roosters don't mess with the top hen. And a healthy pecking order, in my opinion, teaches young roosters manners.

 

[ShrekDawg]

We got an incubator for Christmas and I knew that we'd be constantly adding new chicks. In the coop we have a 2 by 3 foot spot where the little ones can escape but the top SLW hen was so bad and figured out ways to get them. When I added a sweet Cream Legbar to the group I couldn't stand the stress of it any more. So my brother in law was looking and I told him he could have them. I don't mind the constant 'Pecking Order' antics. And my sweet Cream Legbar is happy.

In my experience roosters don't mess with the top hen. And a healthy pecking order, in my opinion, teaches young roosters manners.

That definitely sounds like a good decision, thinking of what's best for the flock too and not what human wants. I think if my flock gets stressed out I'll consider rehoming even though they're gorgeous birds.

And that makes sense, thank you. I thought that I had heard some say that their roos are protective of their chicks or that the roosters intervene when the hens fight too much but maybe not or maybe it depends. I was thinking not so much normal top hen pecking order stuff but more extreme/relentless bullying and chasing but maybe even then they wouldn't intervene. I thought some kept the peace but maybe there is a line drawn where they don't intervene. But yes, a young roo learning manners is definitely important.

 

[Amy King Hanson]

Since I'm on here, I'll add some updated pictures of my April Meyer order. Here is Copper, a Blue Copper Marans. My daughter fell in love with the rooster in the catalog and thus started our addiction. Right now he greats us but keeps his distance (respect)

Sandy, a Black Copper Marans. She hasn't laid an egg yet. I'll update when she does.

Knight, an Australorp rooster. He's top rooster now. He greats us and is willing to be with you but still shys away if you reach for him.

Princess, an australorp hen. She's super close to laying.

My blue Cochin rooster King. So far he's skittish but has tweeked me a couple times. He part of the Meyer Adopt Me order.

Here are a Jubilee Orpington pair that were a surprise in the Adopt Me order. Funny thing is because I didn't know what they were when I got them, I sold them to my brother in law. I'm begging him now to let me hatch out chicks, lol!

There are more but we'll start with these.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Since I'm on here, I'll add some updated pictures of my April Meyer order. Here is Copper, a Blue Copper Marans. My daughter fell in love with the rooster in the catalog and thus started our addiction. Right now he greats us but keeps his distance (respect)

Sandy, a Black Copper Marans. She hasn't laid an egg yet. I'll update when she does.

Knight, an Australorp rooster. He's top rooster now. He greats us and is willing to be with you but still shys away if you reach for him.

Princess, an australorp hen. She's super close to laying.

My blue Cochin rooster King. So far he's skittish but has tweeked me a couple times. He part of the Meyer Adopt Me order.

Here are a Jubilee Orpington pair that were a surprise in the Adopt Me order. Funny thing is because I didn't know what they were when I got them, I sold them to my brother in law. I'm begging him now to let me hatch out chicks, lol!

There are more but we'll start with these.

Wow, funny they included Jubilees for the adopt me! They're expensive! Got lucky with that lol and the cochin is gorgeous!

But wow, lots of roosters! Were they accidents or did you order them?

They're all gorgeous

 

[Amy King Hanson]

I ordered Copper and Knight. Then I ordered 10 Adopt Me's. I got 2 Dominique roosters, 2 Dominique hens, the Jubilee pair, a Golden Buff hen, a Barred Rock rooster, and 2 Cochin roosters (blue and white). I hadn't planned on keeping the cochins but my family fell in love with the fluffiness. Now I ordered another white and a Partridge Cochin hens for them. (Hand snacks forehead) But I plan on hatching and selling as top notch broodies.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I ordered Copper and Knight. Then I ordered 10 Adopt Me's. I got 2 Dominique roosters, 2 Dominique hens, the Jubilee pair, a Golden Buff hen, a Barred Rock rooster, and 2 Cochin roosters (blue and white). I hadn't planned on keeping the cochins but my family fell in love with the fluffiness. Now I ordered another white and a Partridge Cochin hens for them. (Hand snacks forehead) But I plan on hatching and selling as top notch broodies.

Wow you got a lot of roosters! But I guess that's the risk of the Adopt Me's and roosters probably don't always sell as well.

That sounds like a great plan!

 

[CuzChickens]

LOL that makes more sense

Those are all gorgeous birds

I want all the chickens too lol so hard having so many gorgeous breeds and varieties and only so much space and money and restrictions lol

The 4th is Silver Penciled!!! Meyer has it but only 1 per order, it was 3 last year. They're gorgeous. I think there might be more rock varieties but mostly projects, Meyer only has those 4.

I have 2 Black Australorp girls and I love them. They were a little mean at first and still have a harder peck than my others but they've calmed down and they're very sweet.

That must be why availability opened up and I was able to order mine lol hey, I've waited all year and since i got my first to order more so you can have self control

That's great to know! I'm glad! Thanks so much

I mostly wanted the Specked Sussex so glad they're good haha

Aww that stinks

hopefully the sav a chick helps and maybe see if they have nutridrench. Hope she recovers

Umm i think spinach might be high in iron but I'm not sure, I might have to Google it.

I soooo hear you on space and money and restrictions!!!!! So true. I was sooo drawing a mind blank when I asked what the 4th rock was! I so knew that! I was laying in bed last night drifting off to sleep and thinking about chickens (because that is how everybody falls asleep

) and I suddenly remembered. Yeah, I even have the Silver Penciled on my wish list.

I will do my best to wait until next summer. BUT THAT IS A WHOLE YEAR!!!!!

The feed store was closed when I was in town, so I still have not gotten the stuff for Rey, but I am going in a few minutes and the feed store will still be open. I need to get some pine shavings for bedding and some feed any way, so I will be killing 3 birds with one stone. Dandelion greens are probably high in iron. I could scramble up a pullet egg because my older hens just started laying and Rey will probably not eat a whole adult egg anyway and I will chop up some Dandelion for her.