my pet chicken reviews

[Kalani]

I'm very excited about my order with MPC! We decided Easter Eggers would be a good start for chickens (and we have a small city limit until we can move in a few years) so we're getting four that hatch tomorrow!

I'm nervous at the same time though, my first time raising chicks (and chickens!)...

 

[Didi2016]

Having and raising chicks and chickens has been one of the best experiences of my life! So much fun! be sure to handle the chicks as they grow and they will be very friendly and sweet. Enjoy!

 

[littlerae11]

So I called the post office at 3:30 today because I was nearby to see if they were there or not yet. My tracking number said they'd be here today by 3:00 garaunteed. So I called and they said yes they just got there, so I went to pick them up got to see one and pet it and then realized it wasn't my name or address on the package.. They confused me for someone else and they weren't my chicks
and she said if they were supposed to be there by 3:00 then they would've come in with that order. And that package was from Meyer hatchery so it seems like mine would have been with it... So that means my package is stuck somewhere and won't be here until at least tomorrow.. This is what I was afraid of. I hope those poor babies make it... I'm so upset. It was such a cruel joke to be able to see and touch them then realize they weren't even mine

 

[Blooie]

You can't go by the tracking number, unfortunately, and that's out of MPC's control. The first year I ordered chicks I followed the tracking closely. They were shipped on Monday, and the Post Office tracking said they were DELIVERED on Wednesday. But they weren't. In fact, when I went to our local post office our postmistress, Jan, who knew for days that I would be expecting them, called the main sorting office in Casper. Yep, there they were, still sitting in the loading facility in Casper, Wyoming, and the temperature was 17 BELOW zero!!! Jan left orders with Casper that when those chicks were going to be loaded for transport to here (a 6 hour drive, mind you) they were to be placed in the cab with the truck driver.

Those chicks arrived on Thursday, one full day after the US Postal Service said they had already been delivered!! How can that happen? Well, as our postmistress investigated and told me, they (PO) can sometimes consider the final "sorting facility" as the "destination" because after that it's a matter of narrowing down from there. Yeah. Stinks, especially after we are told we have no choice when ordering chicks but to order "express shipping" because they are live animals. MPC has a disclaimer on their site that explains that the usual express shipping "guarantees" don't apply, and again, that's the PO's call, not MPC.

The next year when I ordered chicks from MPC, I was prepared for this. Sure enough, shipped on Monday, delivered (on paper) on Wednesday, actually received at our local post office on Thursday.

And by the way, chicks received from Meyer have nothing to do with My Pet Chicken chicks. Alex (@MyPetChickens on this site) has explained the misunderstood "middleman" theory. It is explained on this page of this thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/667507/my-pet-chicken-reviews/430#post_16518999

I hope this information eases your mind a little bit, although I know that until you open that box you are going to be on pins and needles. While I did lose a couple of chicks in that first shipment which was stuck in Casper in subzero weather, I didn't lose single one out of the shipment the following year - with the shipment date requested for later in the season. I think the difference is curbing our enthusiasm and ordering for delivery at a more sensible time of year than I did the first time! No more February chicks for me!!!

 

[littlerae11]

Oh I'm not upset with MPC at all! I know it's not their fault. I'm upset with the post office for making me think my chicks were there all safe and sound and then getting there and the chicks not even being mine. I told them my name so I have no idea how they got confused, but it was very disappointing. It's a good thing that I noticed the different name on the box or else we would've had an even bigger problem!!
I tried ordering at a sensible time of year and still got very unlucky with the weather. I just hope the chicks are ok.
I still can't believe that the post office can't get chicks here in one day when I'm only 5 hours away from the shipping point. Seems crazy to me.

 

[Blooie]

I know......stinks! At least the Post Office had the excuse of me living in a rural area of Wyoming....a lot further than 5 hours away like you are! Let us know when they arrive. I'll be thinking of you and your little ones.

 

[littlerae11]

Yes, it just doesn't seem right.
Thank you! Will post when they arrive.

 

[Shezadandy]

Yes, it just doesn't seem right.
Thank you! Will post when they arrive.

@littlerae11 , Try not to worry too much. I went through the same thing in October with my first batch of chicks and by this time that Tuesday I was near frantic! Our tracking number hadn't updated since the chicks departed Ohio, the people at our local distribution center didn't have any more information than I did and I'll be honest, I was in tears.

I recommend calling the destination USPS distribution center and get hold of a supervisor. Ours was willing to take my name and number and I left word to call me any time of the day or night ... and they did!! The minute they came in at 4am Wednesday they called me, told me the secret back door to locate and I picked them up. Meanwhile, it wasn't until several HOURS later that I got an email from USPS saying "delivered" with all the missing stops along the way. The heating elements and packaging My Pet Chicken uses are great. They were snug and cozy though there were only 10 in there.

The second batch, by the way, which got here this morning- unfortunately I didn't get a shipping notification so this morning I did the chat thing with MPC to find out they'd been sent yesterday and got the tracking #... and the post office called 10 minutes later-- so one time it took 2 nights and the other time they showed up at 10am Tuesday.

Hang in there! Soon your brooder will look like this:

 

[javaferret]

I just got back from the post office a couple hours ago, MPC order came today, though tracking said tomorrow at 3pm, so yes I have to agree you can not go by tracking numbers....but I was so happy to get the call! Kind of amazed that they made it from Ohio to Oregon in one day, said they shipped out Monday at 11am, and they got to my post office for pick up at 11:20ish!

MPC did a wonderful job packing my chicks, there were two warm packs on the bottom of the box under the straw nest material. They look great! I am totally going to order from them again!


3 blue ameraucanas, 2 super blue egg layers, 1 white silkie, 1 dark cornish, 1 egyptian Fayoumi (she is hiding under the super blue egg layer) all pullets cept the 1 blue ameraucana. Can kinda tell which one is the boy already, (ha watch I am wrong) but one is much bigger, bolder, and biggest feet, and wings hang just a lil different. Oops the black one is a black copper marans, even has bit of feathers on legs already...soooo cute!

 

[Bridebeliever]

Stinkin' adorable!

I love those brand new fluffs!