MyPetChicken.com CANCELLED all Juvenile Chicken Orders, Help, please...

[RareAvis]

Hi,

I received this note:

Dear [Rare Avis],

Thank you for your patience! We know you are eagerly awaiting the arrival of your 6-week-old chickens next week. Unfortunately, we have even more sad news: we are discontinuing our juvenile chickens program this spring. A slower-than-expected rate of growth led our breeder to closely examine their health program, and, in conjunction with their veterinarian, they have determined that one of the vaccines they administered could ultimately compromise other, healthy birds you have in your flock now, or birds you bring into your flock in the future.

We're terribly sorry for the inconvenience and what's sure to be a disappointment. We are disappointed as well. Our number one priority is the health of your chickens, however, and we simply could not take any risks.

The payment you made to reserve your birds will be refunded in full, and should be reflected on your credit card within the next 5-7 business days.

Thank you for your understanding,
Jordana
www.mypetchicken.com
888-460-1529
Ref: #1281395

....


Please, does anyone recommend a reputable breeder NEAR Central Vermont that will ship 6 week old pullets and has DOCILE breeds available?

I was hoping for two Easter Eggers, as I've heard they're small, friendly, and social.

I am trying to find 2 young chickens for Sadie, my one-legged rescue roo and I to bond with.

I'm all set, and this is just devastating. Sadie is SO lonely and living unnaturally.


Also, I enquired as to the vaccine she mentioned, but MPC has not yet been forthcoming.

Has anyone heard of anything like this?



THANK YOU!

Rare Avis and a Very Lonely Roo

 

[0wen]

I would consider checking craigslist or looking on facebook for a chicken swap page in your area, or in the Buy/Sell/Trade section on this forum.

Was your order to My Pet Chicken for Easter Eggers?

 

[0wen]

Just curious if there was a follow-up on this. Last year in my barnyard coop, I had a mix of MPC pullets. A few Olive Eggers, Legbars, I can't remember what else - they were just a colored egg basket for my kids that I kept separate from my breeder stock.

I'd came to the coop one day to find a sick hen, that was exhibiting signs similar to Marek's. I vaccinate all of the birds I hatch, and had requested that these arrive with their vaccinations. I know the vaccination can on occasion fail, but the odds of that are pretty small so, I took the bird to out state lab to have it euthanized and a necropsy performed. Results came back as Lymphoid Leukosis, which is similar to Marek's (sort of). Just as contagious, but not as difficult to clean up. Regardless, I depopulated this flock to avoid any transferring of disease to other coops and did a clean up. I'm still weighing which I think is worse - Marek's (with it's rampant spread from bird to bird) or Leukosis (not as contagious, but still so from bird to bird. Evidently can be transferred via mating as well once a rooster is infected, he can transfer to all the hens he mates. Also, worrisome, is that it can pass via the egg to future generations and lay dormant in a bird until it decides to show itself - often in mature birds. I suspect - as does the state lab and poultry science people I discussed this with at a local University - that this is where the disease originated from. In the parent flock that came from MPC. This is just speculation I guess, since I depopulated the other birds without seeing signs of symptoms. But I'm relatively diligent on biosecurity and can't imagine it coming in from another source.)

Anyway... I'd called MPC to report this. I didn't want or ask for any refund/credit/etc. I just thought it would be worth their time to do an investigation into their flock. FYI - this was some sort of Cream Legbar cross of an Olive egger. I'd hope they could trace it back from order information. The person I talked to on the phone gave me a load of BS about how it couldn't possibly be from their bird because they're NPIP (which means nothing really. I'm NPIP also, but because my/your birds aren't sick on inspection day, doesn't mean they aren't sick the day/week/month after..), and that their 'flockmaster' keeps and eye out for sick birds - except again, this can be carried by birds and show no symptoms. This all transpired just a few weeks before this suspension of service, and I'd just wondered if it was relevant or just coincidence in timing (and if so, what was the given reason - if they ever said)..

 

[Whittni]

The breeder probably messed up and gave a live vaccine to the chicks, making them Marek's carriers for life. Happens more than you think.

I'd also say check your local feed/tractor supply store for chicks/newspaper classifieds/craigslist. Best of luck!