Meyers: Positives and Negitives--what's your experience?

[Chilebound]

I am new to chickens and have only pruchased day olds from MPC (last year), and from Meyer. I am pleased with Meyer; My first order of mixed egg-layers with them are now four months old, and they look like quality birds. (they are just starting to lay--first egg last week-- a BR) I am already planning to order more next spring (I have chicken fever) and wondered how more experienced chickeners thought of Meyer Hatchery and their stock/service etc

 

[VictoryChickens]

We got some three weeks ago and all 26 are doing great, so we got 26 more wed. And they are also all alive and doing great! I did get a vitamin pack with first order and it seem to do well. It also looks like a good mix of breeds I will post pics tomorrow

 

[CityChicker]

AFAIK, Meyer supplies the birds for MPC as well. I have ordered from them a couple times and been pleased. I just got another fairly large order from them about 6 weeks ago. They included several extra birds and all have been healthy (outside of 2 lost the first day, but it was 100 degree heat they shipped in). From what little experience I have with them so far, I am about as impressed as I could expect to be from a hatchery. They are not great quality overall, but for a hatchery, they are great quality. They certainly all at least look like the breeds they are supposed to look like (and that is a big step over some hatcheries). Of course, they are nothing more than production quality, but for the price and for being a hatchery, I am happy with them. I would order from them again when I just want more new birds to use in my mixed flock of layers, but I certainly wouldn't ever breed from any of them.

 

[Thundrr-Chicken]

we bought chicks from a local farm here... she told us that she gets them from meyer... we bought 4 buff orpingtons and 4 black australorps from them.... absolutely love the buffs... they have gotten huge and i think they're gorgeous... but im no chicken expert... and the australorps are coming along well too....

 

[Chilebound]

Thanks for your comments! I have a further question for "City Chicker": If I would like to learn how to know better than Hatchery quality birds when I see one, how could I learn? AND if I wanted good quality --at least breedable if not show quality--how/where could one obtain them? (right now from the ones I got from Meyers I am most interested in Wyendottes, EE'ers, SS, and Welsummers) Is it possible to get an odd 'high quality' bird from say Meyer?

 

[Cindy in PA]

Ordered 26 Chicks from Meyer for the first time in April. 18 Columbian Wyandotte, 4 GLW & 4 RIR. Lost 3 the first day (1 RIR 2 Columbian). All chicks except one were lively when they arrived. Did not get an extra chick (4% extra they claim they ship) and about 1/3 of the CWs were small including one really tiny that was almost bantam sized. Could have been the breed. On the positive side, all the remaining 23 are doing well except 1 CW was really slow to feather. Most have reached a decent size, some are huge at 15 weeks. Only1 roo snuck in. I would buy from them again.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
A few years ago we had some barred rocks and dominiques from Meyer and yes, there was a difference between the breeds and not just comb shape! The doms were smaller with a jauntier tail angle and a little more upright than the rocks which were taller, longer and more horizontal than the doms. Again, not breeding or show quality but down the road I may use some birds from them to introduce some outside blood

 

[CityChicker]

Quote:
Is is certainly *possible* to get an odd high quality bird from a hatchery. It is not nearly as likely as it would be if you were buying from breeders that breed to the standard. I would recommend researching each breed you are interested in and finding breeders that breed to the standard of perfection (the "SOP", basically the book that contains all the official written descriptions of all of the approved breeds/varieties). They don't necessarily have to show their birds and a lot of excellent breeders don't, but a lot do show their birds as well. Look into the various breed clubs, poultry associations, purchase an SOP, talk to other breeders on the individual breed threads here, etc... Subscribe to the Poultry Press if you can and you will also find other breeders that are breeding generally higher quality than hatcheries.

 

[KyBlue]

I purchased the Rainbow layers pullet special from Meyer back in June. This was the first time I bought chicks from them. I decided to give them a try because they are fairly close (one state over) and because they have a good selection of breeds. Their customer service was excellent and I was very pleased with the variety of chicks when they arrived. But now I don't think I will be purchasing from them again. Out of the chicks I received I have 3 with cross beaks and 3 others that are definite roos.

I am going to look through them again today to see if I have anymore cross beaks that I haven't noticed. So I have at least 6 out of the 26 that will be culled today and I am suspicious that a couple more might be roos. I know sexing is not 100% accurate and accept that, but I think receiving so many cross beaks in one small order is a deal-breaker for me.

 

[grandfatherjwv]

I ordered 50 of their rainbow pullets in June also, lost one or two, but am very pleased with the chicks.
They have another rainbow pullet sale going on now, I am going buy 50 more if I get my check in time!