Meyer hatchery?

[MrsChickens]

sorry for the bad experience you do not say where you are that can make a issue
not the most common outcome from any of the hatcheries mostly used

I've ordered from hatcheries over the years and have NEVER experienced a die off like this!

 

[MrsChickens]

We ordered 26 chicks - all arrived dead. Likely USPS fault, but will never know. When they arrived after spending 31 hours in some transport truck - without any scanned updates, they arrived at my PO, dead. I live only 3 hours from Meyer in a larger town, so the USPS transport was pathetically long. I think the chicks died very soon after leaving the hatchery as there was little evidence of poop, the strawlike material was basically undisturbed, and the chicks were beginning to smell. Here is a link to my post about the experience: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ordered-chicks-assortment-surprise.1216721/

It is possible I would order from Meyer again. The chicks certainly looked like a wide variety. Also, Meyer did refund my cost of the chicks. When I called they indicated it was pretty unusual for someone in Ohio to not receive their orders the day after shipment, so I find it interesting when various BYC posters indicate that they received chicks from one hatchery or another that is many states away, the next day - perhaps my strategy should be to order from a farther hatchery and the birds might arrive sooner! LOL.

All ended well - we ordered from a closer hatchery and picked up chicks in person. I figure we should get out chicken adventures started on a good note and then we can consider our next order once we are ready for more.

Meyer did nothing more than industry standard to cover the DOA birds. Again, you've got to ask how were those birds packed? 25 birds, maybe in a box to small? too big? Single warm pack for 25 birds?

 

[MrsChickens]

What is a meal maker? Is it like it sounds? Chickens meant for eating?

The Meal Maker Meyer shipped with my diseased order was a tiny Bantam! Laughable.

 

[MrsChickens]

Well, they judge it based on your order. If you buy meat birds, they send a Cornish x. If you buy egg birds, they send another egg layer, I got a leghorn, which are known for their high egg production.

I bought exotics and they sent a tiny Bantam...

 

[MrsChickens]

I've read some comments in which people said they didn't order the meal maker, but got an extra anyway. I wonder if they are so used to people taking the free chick, they don't always look very closely. I haven't personally read or heard of anyone getting more than the free meal maker on a small order. I'd be curious to know if it happens.

I did not order a meal maker with the 15 birds I ordered but a tiny Bantam was thrown in. It made no sense given the birds I ordered.

 

[PotatoChicks]

Our chicks from last year are doing well. We only lost a couple shortly after picking up our chicks from the post office, and we're refunded quickly. The only problem I've had with them was the quality of the silver laced wyandottes we got. They looked awful. Their feather pattern was plain, and they weren't poofy at all. And seemed small compared to my breeder bought blrw. Other than that, I've been happy with my 2 orders from them.

 

[MrsChickens]

Our chicks from last year are doing well. We only lost a couple shortly after picking up our chicks from the post office, and we're refunded quickly. The only problem I've had with them was the quality of the silver laced wyandottes we got. They looked awful. Their feather pattern was plain, and they weren't poofy at all. And seemed small compared to my breeder bought blrw. Other than that, I've been happy with my 2 orders from them.

Glad you're happy, this wasn't my experience with Meyer.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Our chicks from last year are doing well. We only lost a couple shortly after picking up our chicks from the post office, and we're refunded quickly. The only problem I've had with them was the quality of the silver laced wyandottes we got. They looked awful. Their feather pattern was plain, and they weren't poofy at all. And seemed small compared to my breeder bought blrw. Other than that, I've been happy with my 2 orders from them.

That's the same for me. I ordered 5 and got 6 (leghorn meal maker) last year, everybody arrived healthy and are now almost a year old. Mine are also probably smaller and in other ways not up to SOP for their breeds, but they're still laying well and happy and healthy.

 

[Chickencrazy2018]

I have never ordered Chicks from a Hatchery before but I do hope my information helps.
I have never heard of Murey before but I do have 2 different Hatchery books here at my home that I "Dream Over" to say the least. Lol
The one I LOVE the most is Murray McMurray Hatchery. They seem very reasonable but I have not ordered.
Another is Stromburgs. Again, I have not ordered from them but their prices are high and it seems, from the book anyway, they are for bigger places. Minimum orders are 25 chicks. Cannot mix I believe it's one breed all 25.

 

[Chickencrazy2018]

They both have free magazines if you would like to request once, I got mine within 2 weeks. Just visit their site.