# ok...we're done with Meyer hatchery



## hobbyfarmer

Last year, we ordered all our chicks from Meyer. The New Hampshire Reds turned out to be Buffs and the order of sexed Leghorn pullets produced a few roosters. In the 2nd batch we ordered last spring, several arrived dead, and out of the replacements that were shipped, only 1 survived the trip and the first night in the brooder. The ones that were still alive when we opened the box were just sooooo weak when they got here.

BUT, the people there were friendly and easy to deal with; I definitely got the impression that this was just a run of bad luck and normally doesn't happen with this company - so I ordered this year's chicks from them, too.

These chicks were divided into 2 different batches due to the hatch dates so DH called them on Monday to double check the shipping date. According to Meyer, the chicks would be shipped at 3:30 on Mon. We called the PO to give them a heads up and then called the PO again this morning to see if the chicks had arrived. No chicks. So DH called Meyer again and found out that the chicks didn't get shipped at 3:30 on Mon after all so they weren't sent out until yesterday (this is Sun/Mon's hatch). Also, one of the breeds we ordered (Sultans) is no longer available. They credited our account but according to the lady at Meyer, they have been trying to reach us for WEEKS to let us know that the Sultans weren't coming and we just never answered our phone. grrrrrr...the Sultans were a project for my daughter and not having them isn't really a big deal, but we have caller i.d. and voice mail. There have been no calls from the hatchery, besides the fact that DH JUST talked to them on Monday and no one mentioned trying to reach us then. 

If these chicks arrive as straggled and weak as that last batch did last year, I'm going to be very angry.


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## laughaha

I'm so sorry you are having such a bad time with them. I've never dealt with them before, so I can't give any advice. Hope it turns out well for you.


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## Cyngbaeld

Dead in transit chicks are a problem with the post office, not the hatchery.

You might want to check what phone number they have for you, could be somebody transposed some numbers.


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## bigmudder77

i dont have mine shipped cause im close to them but they are very nice there and they will give your money back or send you more hens if you ordered hens and got roosters (as long as there not over 16 weeks old i think)

so far i only lost 5 from them and the first 3 died when it got really cold in the winter and they were already 14 weeks old by then and out of 35 i got 4 roosters and 5 died so far (one just died last night but i think a calf stepped on her or layed on her)

good luck with them


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## hobbyfarmer

Cyngbaeld said:


> Dead in transit chicks are a problem with the post office, not the hatchery.
> 
> You might want to check what phone number they have for you, could be somebody transposed some numbers.



That's what the hatchery told us last year so we didn't take replacements for the dead replacements (make sense?) just because if the PO was mishandling them, we just didn't want to kill more baby chicks. But of the several breeds I ordered this spring that didn't get shipped on time, I find it hard to believe that none of those breeds were ready to be shipped on time. Which means at least some of those chicks were sitting at the hatchery too long.

They called me back a couple of times earlier this year to give me shipping rates on bigger items and/or to change hatching date info so they have the right number on my account.

These chicks may still arrive healthy tomorrow but I'm very frustrated with the communication and the 'iffy' shipping dates.


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## hobbyfarmer

They probably would have replaced the roosters or given me a credit. I ordered NHRs but I wanted Buff Orpingtons, too so when my red chickens turned out to be buff chickens, I didn't even call them to complain about it. They're still very pretty and they do lay nice eggs. I can say, absolutely, that they were easy to deal with over the phone. That's why I went with them again this year but I think there is either a new person dealing with the orders and customer communication or they are not quite as 'together' on their hatching/shipping arrangements this year.


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## Cyngbaeld

They don't hold chicks waiting for another hatch date. Normally hatcheries have one or two hatch/shipping days per week. Whatever hatchery you use can have problems getting an entire order with multiple breeds together.


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## GrannyCarol

Getting the wrong breed is a problem, but I think all hatcheries have to be flexible on ship dates. Sometimes a hatch fails and they don't get the numbers they expect, so the first ordered will get theirs. Sometimes you order two or three breeds and they have to get them all to hatch at the same time for your order. These are living eggs, it is not possible to fully control whether or not they lay as many as the hatchery wants or then to be sure they will all hatch. They can't really ship partial orders, as the chicks need their friends to stay warm in transit. 

Having hatched my own eggs, I would hate to have to promise anyone I'd have anything at a certain time for them, it's not all something I could control. 

Good luck with this year's order though.


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## unregistered29228

I got my chickens from Meyer's two years ago and am very pleased with them. I lost one chick out of 25 the first night, but the rest have been healthy and good layers. Remember this is Meyer's busy time of year and it must be a madhouse trying to fill all the orders. Plus more people are starting to have backyard chickens, too.


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## roolover

I've gotten hundreds of chicks from Meyers Hatchery and have been extremely satisfied with both the quality of chicks and the service. I have called them with some unreasonable requests and found they make every effort to be helpful. I do know that they have a new computer system this year that created some confusion and frustration for the phone staff early in the season. Hatch time/rate variability is not unusual, especially if you ordered multiple breeds. 

Because of the weird weather conditions this year, I picked up my first two batches of chicks (nearly 300 total). There was no chilling/transport stress, no mix-up on breeds (I double-checked them on the spot), and NO losses. It was a long drive for me, but I appreciated dealing with them face-to-face, and having them be able to put a face to the customer name. 

I am confident they will resolve whatever problem you have with your shipment. It just takes communication. Good luck with your peeps!


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## hobbyfarmer

Well, they arrived today. Of 25 chicks, only 6 were still alive when DH got them home from the PO. 5 of those just barely, and tonight we are down to 1 living chick. The Gro-Gel I ordered with them wasn't sent, either. DH did call them when he opened the boxes and found all the dead chicks. They told him to call back after 48 hrs and they would either send replacements or issue a refund. 

They are nice to deal with over the phone but yesterday they told us that the chicks hadn't been ready to ship by 3:30 on Monday (they only ship at that time apparently) so they didn't go out until Tuesday's shipment and today they say the chicks were shipped on Monday after all so it's the PO's fault that the chicks were in transit for too long. It's so frustrating and sad. All these tiny dead chicks. It's just horrible.


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## laughaha

I'm so sorry for you and the chicks. That must have been really hard on you and your family. So sad. I wonder why they told you to wait 48 hours before calling back. Sounds like they are trying to scapegoat the post office and don't know exactly what's going on. I'm definitely not gonna order from them.


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## dairymon

Sorry that you have had problems as it is always frustrating. :-(

The 48 hr was to see how the other chicks survived before they settled the account. I have heard from others that Meyers had a problem with one hatch and they have been calling all with chicks from that hatch to check on status of chicks. It has been years since we ordered from Meyers but have always had excellent customer service. Sorry that you have had a problem and I would think that they would work with you to solve problem.... Good Luck ...


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## QoTL

I have ordered from Ideal Poultry for 2 years in a row, multiple chicks. I live in Maine, and they are in Texas, so it's a LOOOOng trip. I have never opened the box and found even one dead chick. I have lost one or two from each batch in the days following, but that's entirely expected.


The only time I didn't get what I ordered was when my d'Anvers chicks had a failed hatch. The hatchery called me to see if they could exchange and I asked the woman to replace those chicks with anything blue. She ran around the hatchery while on the phone with me to make sure she had some to include.

I can't comment on Meyer, since I have never dealt with them. But I'm a tried-and-true Ideal Poultry customer. I think yes, some things can definitely be the post office. But I also think when it happens over and over, it's worth trying someone else to see if you have better luck.


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## bigmudder77

id call back cause after 48 hours they will say that you waited to long and you will be screwed 

ya its some thing with the shipping 

good luck


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## hobbyfarmer

We called them back today and they gave us a full refund-no questions asked- for this order and for a larger batch in the April hatch that I had already paid for, as well. I can't complain about their customer service. They are pretty close to us compared to other big commercial hatcheries (and by that, I mean the most obvious top few, McMurray, Ideal, etc.) but evidently still not close enough.

We put over 50 broilers in our freezer last summer that came from Meyer and the laying hens we have now all came from Meyer last year. It's just getting them here alive that seems to be the problem. If they arrive healthy, they stay healthy. If they arrive weak, they die fast; and the last few shipments (this year and last combined) just didn't go well. I do know that the birds they told us were not available, did end up in the shipment after all and they still don't know for sure which day they were shipped, so I think a lot of the problem this year is just in communication or record-keeping?

I can't say that I would recommend Meyer whole-heartedly (sp?) to anyone in my area but if I lived close enough to pick up the chicks directly from the hatchery, I would give them another go, I think. After spending some time with my adult (Meyer) layers this afternoon, I really am proud that they are such beautiful, healthy birds.


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## bigmudder77

ya i live like 10 mins from them so picking them up is very good for me and like i said i only lost them when they were older 

good luck with them hope your next order all lives and does well for you


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## matteo73

your sooo right I cant agree more very disappointed! paid 20 bucks for a rooster that was miss sexed


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