Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[MsChickenMomma]

I ordered my girls more for eggs and pets than quality, so I'm very happy with mine. Though I could see why someone who is interested in breeding wouldn't want to order from hatchery stock. You never really know if they are pure until they are adults.

All of my girls seem to be pure except one of my EE's. She has white earlobes, a weird looking comb (not sure what to even call it), and she doesn't have a beard. The rest of my girls seem to be what they should be.

 

[chickadee5002]

I love my girls they are all hatchery birds from Meyer. I wouldn't trade them for the world! I agree about hatchery birds they are my pets and my food producers! I live so close to Meyer I'm there all the time and they are so great there. I would recommend them to anyone even though other people have not had a good experience with them but I have had no problems and love them!

 

[NanaLynn]

It is 4deg out right now and snowing steadily here. We have about 3-4 inches already. I'm glad I covered the smaller enclosure for the chickens (we have 3 progressively larger areas they can go in ending with the whole backyard). They aren't venturing past that snow free zone today. Even our husky mix who loves the cold is staying inside this morning. lol

brr! Glad I don't have anywhere to be today! I feel sorry for DH who works partially outside. Good thing it's his Friday because tomorrow is supposed to be colder tomorrow

Oh wow, that's cold. In NC we've had a warm spell, but I think the cold weather will be back on Sunday. It doesn't get too cold here though.

I just want to stay inside on cold days too.

So excited I changed my order from Meyer so that I could get the Olive Eggers! I am absolutely loving those olive colored eggs!

Yay, the EE's are a lot of fun!

She does not lay particularly dark eggs, so don't hold your breath for that if you go for a splash Marans. I don't know if it's just her or if they're all like that, though, because Frou-Frou has probably only laid about 30-40 eggs since she began laying at the beginning of this year and they've all been about the same size as my little Sebright bantam hens' eggs, as seen above. In other words, Frou-Frou is strange.

Her personality makes up for her lack of egg laying, though, so if you're looking for a pet hen, I would recommend a splash Marans.

I finally got my Dorking added to my Meyer order! I had ordered a Dorking with this year's chicks, but they had a poor hatch or something and I didn't get it after all, so I'm really hoping I can get my Dorking next year!

So my order for next spring is a Welsummer, two Black Copper Marans, and a Silver Gray Dorking, coming May 19!!

I can't wait!

I've always enjoyed hearing about Frou Frou on here, she is a very interesting chicken. Dorkings are pretty chickens and from what I just read, very sweet too. May 19th will be here before you know it!

Here's our homemade incubator in progress. Eventually I want a cream legbar but I really need to keep myself to bantams for our last 3 spots. Our coop just can't hold more than that. But they are definitely on my list when we get land! I am so happy I found a local source for silkies in the colors we want and bantam cochins. Next is bantam easter eggers!

Nice job on the incubator. How many times have you used it? Do you get good hatch rates from it? Just curious. In the future I want to hatch chicks too, but I think I'd probably do it on a smaller scale.

Those of you that hatch, I am envious. I can also see why someone would want breeder quality chicks too. Especially if you hatch your own. I'm fine with the Meyer's ones I have now.

Speaking of my Meyer's chickens. My Golden Campine keeps flying out of the garden area into the yard. We have our dog in the yard, thank goodness she has not come near her yet. I'm not sure if she would hurt a chicken or not, but I'm afraid she would. Today when I checked on the chickens, Campi had flown on top of the roof of the run. I looked around and our neighbors dog had gotten out again and was near the coop and run. I either need to clip her wings or put up more bird netting to stop her from flying out.

My Blue Andulasions both got out today too, plus my BA and Welsummer flew out yesterday. My other chickens from the previous hatches never flew out of their area as much. I need to figure out something to contain these young chickens, I am tired of herding and catching them several times a day. Plus, I am so scared the neighbor's dog or our dog might hurt or kill them. It's just frustrating, I keep calling animal control on the neighbors dog, but he keeps letting him lose still. We do have a leash law and they should be fining him each time. This is the first time the dog has shown interest in the chickens too, so that worries me a lot. I will be so glad when we get a proper fence. Sorry, just venting.

 

[chickadee5002]

You can always vent with us! I was going to clip my girls wings to be on the safe side but decided against it only because if their wings ARE clipped they wouldn't be able to get away from predators as well. That's my opinion but mine free range so it's hard for me to say anything about chickens that are in runs. I guess it wouldn't be bad for them to get clipped if they don't free range. If that was my neighbor I would be calling the dog warden on him till they do something about it. I love my dogs but if they were in someone else's yard and possibly could hurt someone else's pets I would keep them on a leash. Some people have no respect for others animals. Others have said to me before "well they are just chickens". Just chickens! I don't think so! And then I precede to tell them no more eggs and they change their tune! Lol

 

[trsturself]

Oh wow, that's cold. In NC we've had a warm spell, but I think the cold weather will be back on Sunday. It doesn't get too cold here though.

I just want to stay inside on cold days too.


I've always enjoyed hearing about Frou Frou on here, she is a very interesting chicken. Dorkings are pretty chickens and from what I just read, very sweet too. May 19th will be here before you know it!

Nice job on the incubator. How many times have you used it? Do you get good hatch rates from it? Just curious. In the future I want to hatch chicks too, but I think I'd probably do it on a smaller scale.

We topped out at 6deg. It's currently 2deg. I went out and checked on them around 4 and the Marble, Sky, and Sterling (BR, BA, and Cochin) were walking around their little area fine but the rest were hiding under the coop. Flower (D'Uccle) had one foot up and was shivering! I went and got my husband's work light which gets pretty hot out there for them. I'm just worried since it gets really hot. It has a little cage around it but it still worries me. I went to put them away around 5:15 and everyone was active and looked much better so it definitely helped. I put them to bed and moved the light closer to the coop (about 2 1/2 ft away) and shined it onto the wall hoping that will give them some radiant heat through the night.

I love hearing about Frou Frou too!

Our girls all fly over our garden fence all the time. I don't mind anymore because at least they get to forage in the yard but have a safety spot away from the dogs if they start getting a little too playful. I have found our GLP on the roof of the coop a couple times lately. And we have bird netting up! She finds the smallest holes in the netting to fly through. I worry that she'll fly over the neighbor's fence right there and I'm positive the dogs would kill her in an instant. I might have to clip her wings. I would worry about your neighbor's dog too! I can't believe he still lets it run loose!

The incubator is still getting made. The thermostat should arrive from meyer tomorrow. Then I just have to finish the window in the lid (I broke the glass trying to install it the first time). We plan to try our first hatch late Jan. I'll keep you all posted!

While browsing Meyer I found a solution to our cracked eggs in the nest box... http://meyerhatchery.com/productinf...&grd_prodone_filter=PRODUCT_ID = 'NP'&aid=127

 

[trsturself]

Got the incubator done today. Just getting the temp/humidity dialed in.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

I have some Marans eggs in the fridge that give me the stink eye every time open the door but I'm not going to mess with chicks until early spring :/

 

[trsturself]

I have some Marans eggs in the fridge that give me the stink eye every time open the door but I'm not going to mess with chicks until early spring :/

Ooh, I would love some marans eggs! No! I can only do bantams right now. lol! It's so hard to resist!
I won't be hatching anything until late Jan but I wanted to make sure everything was working. It held a temp of 100 all night then I was cleaning all the mess I made out of the cooler and accidentally spun the thermostat. Argh! So now it's adjusting again.

 

[chickadee5002]

Ooh, I would love some marans eggs! No! I can only do bantams right now. lol! It's so hard to resist!
I won't be hatching anything until late Jan but I wanted to make sure everything was working. It held a temp of 100 all night then I was cleaning all the mess I made out of the cooler and accidentally spun the thermostat. Argh! So now it's adjusting again. 

I hope you can get if working good for you. It looks awesome!

 

[StewedMammal]

Here are a few pics of my Meyer birds I got back in April. I am really happy with the quality of them all and will order from them again. The barred rocks in the last photo are not from Meyer.