My Pet Chicken

[black_cat]

If you want sexed bantams, MPC is your only option, so you take it or leave it. All of my friends that have ordered from them have been happy, and their customer service is amazing.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Yea I remember our silkie went straight BROODY about 2x a year. and I mean broody. Is that able to be done, like replace the whole incubator stage with a broody chicken?

$22 for one sexed silkie....guess im using an incubator they never use to be that much.

 

[black_cat]

$22 for one sexed silkie....guess im using an incubator they never use to be that much.

The key part of that pricing is 'sexed' which you're not going to get with an incubator. It wouldn't be nearly that much to buy straight run.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

The key part of that pricing is 'sexed' which you're not going to get with an incubator. It wouldn't be nearly that much to buy straight run.

I dont mine straight run...except the fact most hatcheries are already sold out on most breeds ill just end up going to tsc when chicks days and get silkies for a $1 at least if their males I can eat them.if hatcheries are sold out of females, striaght run this year will be all males

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Yea I remember our silkie went straight BROODY about 2x a year. and I mean broody. Is that able to be done, like replace the whole incubator stage with a broody chicken?

Yes, a broody hen can both hatch and raise the chicks for you so that you don't need an incubator or a brooder, just a safe place for her to keep them from the rest of the flock if the other chickens try to bother them.

The general advice I've seen is to wait at least a week before placing fertile eggs under a broody hen, to make sure she's serious about setting. From personal experience, make sure you move her to where you want her to brood the chicks before you put the eggs under her, or else after they've hatched, to avoid the potential for rejection at a bad time. I've never had to 'trick' a broody, but I've only used Silkies and Cochins, and their will to set is strong. I just put her and the eggs together and she'll set if it's safe and quiet.

 

[Baldwin]

We used to have a silkie named bubbles. Unfortunately, a fox got her but I love silkies. MPC is one of the only hatcheries online with sexed bantams, so I was wondering if 26 bucks a chick would be worth it for them lol.

I would pay that for a sexed silkie! We have too many silkie roos LOL. They hang out in a bachelor flock and don't make too much trouble. But we have a backyard flock, w limited residency.

 

[Baldwin]

Thank you! Yes, the temperature has been taken into consideration: sometime around June. And it gets HOT in California in June, so I play to have some sort of cooling devices when I move them outside for their "teen" years

Do you have a mister? We're in CA, too. W/ temperatures over 100º for a week at a time (in the redwoods!), I purchased a cheap tube mister and it's pretty crummy. Might find another.

 

[Baldwin]

Yea I remember our silkie went straight BROODY about 2x a year. and I mean broody. Is that able to be done, like replace the whole incubator stage with a broody chicken?

Our silkie cross has been a successful mom from start to finish, and I know someone else who did exactly that. But these were eggs from the flock, and if they didn't hatch, it was sad, but not a financial issue.

 

[kat_and_hens]

Was thinking of ordering a porcelain d'uccle, black silkie, and other breeds from MPC. Does anyone have any experience with them? Is the quality worth the money lol

I ordered from them in 2020, with babies arriving in November. Two were DOA. Two died shortly after arrival. 4 have survived and are thriving. 50% survival rate...not awesome. I will say that the MPC customer service was very apologetic and did refund the deceased chicks with no questions asked, and the four surviving chickens are doing well. I might try for another hatchery for my spring chicks.

 

[black_cat]

I ordered from them in 2020, with babies arriving in November. Two were DOA. Two died shortly after arrival. 4 have survived and are thriving. 50% survival rate...not awesome. I will say that the MPC customer service was very apologetic and did refund the deceased chicks with no questions asked, and the four surviving chickens are doing well. I might try for another hatchery for my spring chicks.

How long was it between the shipped date and the arrival date? That was right around the time where the postal service was completely and totally messed up, so it may not be the hatchery.