Second order from McMurray, DEAD

[NYRIR]

That's very true. I have never had any DOA's and also have never lost any that I ordered. It has only been the ones from TSC that I have had a couple die within a day or two of purchase.Could be a number of reasons for it.

Boy, I DO appreciate being able to have such a variety though. I mean, when I search for local breeders....I come up empty! All people have around here are what you can buy at TSC. Which are great, but limited. We can get PR's, BR, RSL, BSL, and then I have gotten some of the "Chick of the Weeks" which were BB, LB, and sometimes an occasional Australorp.I traveled 3 hours last year to get some EE's!! That's pretty much it.Ducks are even more limited....Pekin and Mallards.
Our local TSC does not sell any Poults or Goslings...ever.In fact when I wanted geese, I had to travel 2.5 hours to get some from a guy who just had a bunch running around, so i was not sure what breed they really were.
I think, bottom line is this, right now...the way things are...we NEED hatcheries.And they know it!

 

[Chicky boom boom 27]

I live close to McMurray and have only bought 3 hatchery orders. One from McMurray, two from other Iowa hatcheries. I picked up the order from McMurray in June and was pleased with their facilities and employees. I wish we would have had time to get a tour, but it was a Saturday and they were getting ready to close for the day. I only lost 1 chick in that order of 20 and they included 3 extras. Two of the hens I still have are from McMurray. They are in my profile picture to the left. Gweniviere and Elizabeth.

The first order of chicks ever (broilers from another hatchery) we lost 2 from that order of 50.

Yesterday we received our first winter order. We lost one so far and 4 others that don't look so good. I told the hatchery I was going to pick them up, but they missed this on the invoice and shipped them. Never again will we have an order mailed in the winter.

I'm sure it was the cold temps that caused this.

Overall I think McMurray is a good hatchery, the problem is with mailing chickies in the winter time.

 

[iLoveRoosters]

Thanks for posting, I was thinking about ordering from that hatchery.. Not anymore!!!

 

[AlvinsFinest]

Cackle to me is a very good hatchery! Never had problems!

 

[melodym78]

Cackle to me is a very good hatchery! Never had problems!

I order from Cackle and they are great....good communication...I always get my chicks fast.

 

[monkeyjenn72]

Our post office opens at 9:00am the day our chicks came in they called us at 8:00am asking us to PLEASE come get them, then they gave us our order and someone elses LOL
My husband had went to pick them up and put them in the brooder and he came in the house telling me something was wrong that we had over 100 chicks

We only ordered 15. I went out and looked at the boxes, sure enough they gave us someone elses babies to. We called him and he came and picked them up. Thank goodness our first time we are not ready for that many yet. I mean we only have 6 weeks to get a coop ready now and neither one of us have carpentry skills

 

[AmyLM]

oooh my. I would have been confused if I got a box of 100 when i was expecting only a few! Hmmm then again part of me would be going $$.

then the thought of all that work...

We also have no carpentry skills but I will be attempting to do a bit of work myself. LOL should we both have the ER on standby??

 

[monkeyjenn72]

Good thing we live close to the ER lol

 

[horseshowmomnv]

We are getting our first chicks next week, have our brooder set up, but have not begun to work on coop... We have no carpentry skills either. What an adventure this is going to be. All because my 20 year old daughter wanted eggs! Hum... College student, who do you think will be doing the work once the novelty wears off! LOL! Looks like I will have chickens!

 

[Jevans]

I have not not read this entire thread so I do not know if this has been mentioned - but most people that ship saltwater fish or reptiles/amphibians will not, under any circumstance, use USPS. The percentage of overnight shipments that do not arrive overnight is simply too high. Avoid USPS overnight like the plague if shipping anything live.