I am with you as far as getting chicks as close to you as you can. I am in NY and ordered chicks from Privett Hatchery a few years back. I ordered 25 and 8 of them were DOA. I lost another 5 within 24 hours of their arrival. I was relatively new to chicks and didn't think about the distance they would have to travel. I just got an order from Meyer Hatchery and all were delivered healthy and happy. I did lose 1, but it was because our electric went out 3 out of 5 days and it took hours to get it back on, so they got too cold.
This has been a good thread as I am planning on ordering from Murray Mcmurray and also Cackle hatchery. Mcmurray in February, and Cackle in April. I'm feeling pretty good about it. I would like to get some chickens from a breeder, but the hatchery seems like the easiest option, and I can have the chicks all vaccinated.
I live in north Texas and have ordered chicks multiple times from several hatcheries and MUCH prefer McMurray over Ideal. Don't know how they do it but their shipments do get to me next day and Ideal's usually takes two days. I've had much healthier and better quality chicks universally from McMurray, too. The only time I've EVER lost more than one chick in a shipment has been from Ideal.
I reluctantly placed an Ideal order to try them again and see if they are any better than my prior experiences since they had a breed I wanted and McMurray didn't but have already had to change it because what was available at 10 pm last night on their website apparently wasn't really available by this morning
I've also had good experiences with Welp, especially with their broilers, and have an order in with them as well for February but their chicks ship from various locations.
I've ordered from both MM and Ideal, and was pleased with both hatcheries. I ordered from MM in April and had 1 DOA, but things happen. My Ideal order was received in Feb, and everyone arrived healthy and hungry.
I didn't notice any difference in the quality of chicks from either hatchery. I did loose one of my Ideal Leghorns to prolapse, but they are a production breed, so again I chalked it up to bad luck.
I'd go with whichever is closer to you, especially if you can drive there and pick them up and cut out shipping costs. Besides, you can inspect the chicks right there in the building and exchange them if there's any problems.
Good luck!
Nikki
I ordered my chicks in oct from mypetchicken.com cuz I only wanted a few. Shipping was high but they came from Ohio to ga and they have all thrived. I didn't loose any until the weasel got to the coop. I'd order from them again as it all went really well for me in the winter especially.
I ordered from McMurray back in Feb of last year for an April order. I also got an order from Ideal in Sept. I live in Maine.
As far as Ideal I will never buy from them again. For me their chicks were very much inferior to McMurrays chicks. I didn't lose one chick or even an adult chicken from McMurray(*****actually I did lose an adult chicken I thought I deleted this but I missed it). But I lost several from Ideal, 3 DOA(could have been that when they sent them from TX they opened all the breathing holes) 1 within 2 days than another 2 at 2 weeks one never grew past a week old size. Also the chicks I kept from Ideal have not thrived very well at all, they are all still very small. I had also ordered 2 Russian Orloffs for my order that I didn't get-I get sometimes hatches don't go well but I only ordered 2 not like I ordered 10. But I know a lot of people don't share in my experience, a lot of people say they are good, but for me I will not try them again. But they did give me my money back no questions asked on all the DOA's.
As far as McMurray goes I think they are great, I am buying from them again this spring. I would definitely get the gro-gel if you are getting them right now it helps with the shipping stress. One thing I was disappointed with was I bought 10 Blue laced Wyandottes and the only ones that turned out blue were the roosters, which we ate. But that is more luck of the draw than anything. Also I thought that the Salmon Faverolles were small but I bought one from a breeder and it ended up being the same size, if anything I think the coloring from McMurray was way better than the coloring from the breeder. I did lose one chicken, it was a Dominique, she started to lay and got egg bound. We think that when my husband tried to help get the egg out it must have broken in her. I had bought 5 EE's and I had wanted all different colors but they were all the same, I contacted them and they said next time just ask up front and they would give different colors. Last April the average from McMurray to Maine it was low 40s and like I said they arrived well- shipped on 4/21 received on 4/23, all were active. I personally don't like to have chicks in the mail under 40 degrees it would seem too cold for my taste, I wait until April myself. But you are in Texas and it probably never gets to 40(i have no clue really as I have lived in Maine my whole life and Texas is almost a world away from here
).
I would just try to keep an eye on the temps in IA if you are concerned if you decide to stay with McMurray. But if you can drive to a hatchery that is closer to you in both temperature and distance, I love McMurray, but it is probably the move that makes more sense-although I still have a hard time believing Ideal has decent stock.
I have to agree with this. I had an outbreak of Marek's here and now the only hatchery I would ever deal with is McMurray. They vaccinate with all 3 types of Marek's immunizations. The ones I had shipped form them last year arrived in top shape and no DOAs.
I didn't know that about Mcmurray. that is good as I have also been struck with Marek's. But with the way it hit us, it makes me think it really is just a turn of the wheel that is chickens. That some get it and nothing happens, while another might lose limb control, or just die suddenly. We had 5 adult chickens and 7 chicks, and then one chick started limping, and then got better, and then another one started limping in the same way, then the first one went back to limping, while the second afflicted just got put down yesterday because she had the scissor legs and couldn't get around at all. They have been limping for a couple weeks now, and all the other birds are 100% fine. Chicks and adults alike. So losing 2/12 isn't too bad odds. I don't know how we got it, but these are my first chickens so I was collecting them a little bit at a time. Apparently adult birds are usually fine when the chicks die, because they say that most adult birds have already come in contact with it unscathed. So it is a roll of the die I feel like. I am getting all the new chicks vaccinated, but it says it can take 2 weeks for the vaccine to start working, so it will still be chance how many are affected. There is no way to get rid of marek's because it is just everywhere all the time from what I read. A lot of chickens have been around it and had no effects, so even totally healthy chickens can have it. So it is a tough one. But I guess there is some disease like that for every species.
I have to agree with this. I had an outbreak of Marek's here and now the only hatchery I would ever deal with is McMurray. They vaccinate with all 3 types of Marek's immunizations. The ones I had shipped form them last year arrived in top shape and no DOAs.
Have you had anymore chicks die or become paralyzed. My afflicted don't die. They're just crippled, slightly, or horribly depending. I still have one up there growing right along and doing alright but limps on one leg. Keeps the toes on the one foot curled in all the time. I can't seem to kill him off as he seems to be doing basically alright other than being limpy. The other chicken we put down couldn't get around at all so I was moving it to food and water several times throughout the day. It's legs just quit moving. Everything was fine. Great looking bird, but couldn't use it's legs.
I didn't know that about Mcmurray. that is good as I have also been struck with Marek's. But with the way it hit us, it makes me think it really is just a turn of the wheel that is chickens. That some get it and nothing happens, while another might lose limb control, or just die suddenly. We had 5 adult chickens and 7 chicks, and then one chick started limping, and then got better, and then another one started limping in the same way, then the first one went back to limping, while the second afflicted just got put down yesterday because she had the scissor legs and couldn't get around at all. They have been limping for a couple weeks now, and all the other birds are 100% fine. Chicks and adults alike. So losing 2/12 isn't too bad odds. I don't know how we got it, but these are my first chickens so I was collecting them a little bit at a time. Apparently adult birds are usually fine when the chicks die, because they say that most adult birds have already come in contact with it unscathed. So it is a roll of the die I feel like. I am getting all the new chicks vaccinated, but it says it can take 2 weeks for the vaccine to start working, so it will still be chance how many are affected. There is no way to get rid of marek's because it is just everywhere all the time from what I read. A lot of chickens have been around it and had no effects, so even totally healthy chickens can have it. So it is a tough one. But I guess there is some disease like that for every species.
We keep a closed flock.. no guests.. no taking the birds to shows.. and we don't visit anyone who has chickens. It's not that we are paranoid.. I just like my little bit of biosecurity and so far it's been working for us.
I know there is always a chance of picking it up.. but we do our best to minimize that.
I didn't know that about Mcmurray. that is good as I have also been struck with Marek's. But with the way it hit us, it makes me think it really is just a turn of the wheel that is chickens. That some get it and nothing happens, while another might lose limb control, or just die suddenly. We had 5 adult chickens and 7 chicks, and then one chick started limping, and then got better, and then another one started limping in the same way, then the first one went back to limping, while the second afflicted just got put down yesterday because she had the scissor legs and couldn't get around at all. They have been limping for a couple weeks now, and all the other birds are 100% fine. Chicks and adults alike. So losing 2/12 isn't too bad odds. I don't know how we got it, but these are my first chickens so I was collecting them a little bit at a time. Apparently adult birds are usually fine when the chicks die, because they say that most adult birds have already come in contact with it unscathed. So it is a roll of the die I feel like. I am getting all the new chicks vaccinated, but it says it can take 2 weeks for the vaccine to start working, so it will still be chance how many are affected. There is no way to get rid of marek's because it is just everywhere all the time from what I read. A lot of chickens have been around it and had no effects, so even totally healthy chickens can have it. So it is a tough one. But I guess there is some disease like that for every species.
Have you had anymore chicks die or become paralyzed. My afflicted don't die. They're just crippled, slightly, or horribly depending. I still have one up there growing right along and doing alright but limps on one leg. Keeps the toes on the one foot curled in all the time. I can't seem to kill him off as he seems to be doing basically alright other than being limpy. The other chicken we put down couldn't get around at all so I was moving it to food and water several times throughout the day. It's legs just quit moving. Everything was fine. Great looking bird, but couldn't use it's legs.
Yes I have had some die since the original outbreak and to tell you the truth I just figured out where and how it happened. Last year I had a friend order some meat birds for me to raise for him, his father and myself. I seem to be able to get them to the size of turkeys without losing them. Anyways, one of them showed a problem with a leg that wouldn't work. Green as I was, I thought it had been hurt by the other birds. I had had some other problems with this group of birds as well. [these bird's came from Mt healthy, buyer beware!] One bird ran around in circles to the right, another just was dead one morning, and this last one with the 'injured' leg. She never got any where near as big as the others even though I went in and made sure she ate and drank 8-9 times a day and finally made her a harness so she was upright and able to eat and drink on her own. The reason I am going into this is to raise awareness that the meat birds are ususally not vaccinated for Marek's and should not be kept any where near layers. Hindsight shows me this bird definately had Marek's.
I've lost over 65 birds since last May. I can't give you an exact count as I've given up counting. I have a lot of survivors from the out break during last Summer. Yes, because they are weakened and smaller than they should be, they are generally waiting for something to to come along that will finally take them. I have been able to hatch some of their eggs. One bird from this group showed signs of paralysis and just died yesterday morning. The others from this 'control' group seem to be fine. Normal size and thriving. I guess the point here is that there is 'life' after Marek's. It's not for the faint of heart as so many on BYC can tell you, but there is hope. For every one that dies, there seems to be 2 or more that thrive. Hold on to this, it will save you in the end. Vitamins, ACV and a lot of TLC. Hatching your own eggs from survivors. These are the things that will save your chickens.
