Meyer Hatchery Video - Worth Watching :)

[PurpleChicken]

http://www.meyerhatchery.com/page_223

We got our first order of chicks through the mail from Meyers a few years back. Since then I've ordered more pullets, fryers, meaties, and turkeys from them. This just came through on their email and I found it to be a nice little video.

 

[3goodeggs]

I enjoyed that.

I wonder if they have to wear ear plugs. That's a lot of cheeping.

 

[chicks4kids]

That is a real nice video. Makes me wanna buy chicks...all the peeping!!

 

[PurpleChicken]

Yeah, I'm having a strange desire to order some chicks right now.

 

[canada-goose]

So cute! That fast part was a bit weird though!

 

[chicks4kids]

I had to watch the video again to see the baby chicks!!

They said it takes roughly 6,000 hens a day to lay their eggs...I'd like to see that. And also, when they pulled the hatched chicks out on day 21, I noticed when they're sorting them that there are still unhatched eggs...I wonder if they put them back in to see if more hatch, or are those eggs just scrapped you think??

 

[Illia]

Well I loved seeing how hatchery processes work and what often looks like in there, but. . . What about the hens who give them the eggs? How crowded are these 6,000 hens? That's my true concern. Of course care is put into chicks and eggs - Its a product. But, the hens who lay those eggs. . Is what they don't show.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Meyers is a hatchery and most likely does not own the hens that lay the eggs. They only buy the eggs. I'd hate to even guess on the treatment of the breeder hens but I'd assume it's better than the average layer gets.

As for unhatched eggs I assume they throw them into the compost/waste piles, along with the remains of many roo chicks. It's a sad fact but the hatcheries destroy a high percentage of roos almost immediately. There just is no demand and nothing to do with them. I've bought 100 roos from them before for $.40 a chick to use as fryers. They were maybe 3 pounds by 16 weeks. Never again...

 

[Marlinchaser]

I have read where it is recommended to discard eggs that do not hatch on the 21st day, so hatching will remain constant, not slowly creep up to 22 or down to 20.

 

[alicefelldown]

would have liked to see the laying hens - more interesting than people shoving chicks into boxes.