What Breed Should I Get?

[Quatie]

That is so exciting that the ducklings made it! They are cuties.

Peanut is a good name for a saxony!

 

[ChickensForEggs2500]

More adorable pictures tomorrow? Please?

 

[Aunt Angus]

I've been so busy, and I'm still getting the routine down, but here's a pile of cute:

 

[duluthralphie]

 

[MotherOfDuckens]

So excited for duckling pictures!

Mine were supposed to come this week, but unfortunately Metzer apparently had an underhatch on both Cayugas and Welsh Harlequins, and my order got postponed to March 1. They said that they have had poor hatches the last few weeks, so hopefully your order isn't affected!

The only plus side is that we currently have 2 feet of snow and it won't be above freezing for a few weeks, so at least the ducklings will be able to go outside when they get here...

I had the same thing happen with Metzer when I ordered my 6 Silver Appleyards back in November. They were supposed to come the week before Thanksgiving. Metzer delayed the order, then sent them out the week of Thanksgiving via 6 day ground Suffice to say, I had to get replacements. They didn't seem concerned that this all happened to begin with, and even asked me if I would take a different breed instead because they had over sold the Appleyards and didn't have enough. I really wanted the Appleyards, and asked if there was anything they could do to ensure they didn't get sent out via 6 day ground during midwinter again. They said no, usually it was fine and they made it on time anyway, and the best they could do was add some extra gro gel. Thankfully the third time was a charm and they arrived healthy, though they never included the extra gro gel - it was actually half the amount from the first order. I don't mean to alarm anyone, and I sincerely hope I was just one of those fluke experiences. But maybe throw in some extra prayers just to be safe.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I had the same thing happen with Metzer when I ordered my 6 Silver Appleyards back in November. They were supposed to come the week before Thanksgiving. Metzer delayed the order, then sent them out the week of Thanksgiving via 6 day ground Suffice to say, I had to get replacements. They didn't seem concerned that this all happened to begin with, and even asked me if I would take a different breed instead because they had over sold the Appleyards and didn't have enough. I really wanted the Appleyards, and asked if there was anything they could do to ensure they didn't get sent out via 6 day ground during midwinter again. They said no, usually it was fine and they made it on time anyway, and the best they could do was add some extra gro gel. Thankfully the third time was a charm and they arrived healthy, though they never included the extra gro gel - it was actually half the amount from the first order. I don't mean to alarm anyone, and I sincerely hope I was just one of those fluke experiences. But maybe throw in some extra prayers just to be safe.

That sounds terrible! 6 day ground??? That is criminal - seriously. Seems like abuse!

I'm in NorCal, so I got them overnight. Hopefully, next time I order (there will be a next time), I CD an actually pick them up.

 

[duluthralphie]

That sounds terrible! 6 day ground??? That is criminal - seriously. Seems like abuse!

I'm in NorCal, so I got them overnight. Hopefully, next time I order (there will be a next time), I CD an actually pick them up.

I thought the postal regs required 3 days or less.

 

[MotherOfDuckens]

That sounds terrible! 6 day ground??? That is criminal - seriously. Seems like abuse!

I'm in NorCal, so I got them overnight. Hopefully, next time I order (there will be a next time), I CD an actually pick them up.

I was really upset and sick to my stomach. The post office employees were also very angry about the situation. One of them said that in her experiences with chicks coming in dead during the peak season, 9 times out of 10 it had been Metzer, which really wasn't encouraging. She was great about it and told me to call in with my tracking number when they sent out the replacement shipment, and she would personally do her best to keep an eye on it and get them to us first thing when they arrived.

I will give Metzer this much credit: John Metzer himself called me that Saturday (I called the shipment in on Friday, when it arrived). I imagine the rest of the employees had the holiday weekend off. I wasn't expecting to hear anything until that Monday. They did send out replacements quickly, and (THANKFULLY!) all of them are still thriving, boisterous little girls. But it was John himself who seemed completely unfazed by the situation. I get that they are a business, and dead ducklings are an unfortunate but regular part of business (he said about 5-10% of orders, in fact). But he was very casual about it, and didn't even seem concerned that this happened, let alone could have been prevented. Even less concerned about preventing it from happening again. There's a big difference between 5-10% of manufactured goods being destroyed, and 5-10% of lives being lost. For the record, I was very polite and calm on the phone - it's not like I was screaming at him or anything. I will never shake the image and sinking feeling in my stomach of having to open that first shipment to confirm there were no survivors. I wish that upon no one.

On a happier note, I'm glad your duckies arrived safe and sound! Congrats on being a new ducky momma! They are so cute! MORE PICTURES!

And oh yes, there will most definitely be a next time!

 

[Texag87]

Your husband finding out about the 4th duckling is not bad. In 2018 I sent my wife to TSC for 6 ducklings. She came home with 9.

 

[MotherOfDuckens]

I thought the postal regs required 3 days or less.

I'm not sure, but I specifically mentioned to John Metzer that they were shipped via 6 day ground during the busiest postal week of the year, and he said they would not send my replacements out via a faster method. Maybe it was a mistake that they got sent out via 6 day, but I had physical proof that that's what was in the USPS system and he mentioned nothing about it. I'm in WA, and during most of the year ground makes it here within 3 days anyway, so that was good enough for them.