I just ordered chicks today for late June delivery. This is the first time ordering from them, but they were recommended by a co-worker. I wondered if anyone else had ever got birds from them.
In the past we'd ordered from McMurray, but wanted to try someone else. We had good success with McMurray when we got chicks from them back in 2005, but we'd heard of some problems there lately, and besides that, they apparently don't have any pullets available anytime soon in any of the breeds we wanted!
Has anyone ordered from Mt. Healthy in Ohio?
I've never heard of them (no surprise there since I'm fairly new to chickens!) but would love to hear how they work for you. I used Ideal and ran into that pullet problem with Delawares. Could only get males. Also the minimum order was 25 and we got charged for a small order even though we got the 25 + 4 ducks + a sexed pair of geese. I'm not sure at what point they consider you've got enough to avoid that small order charge.
MollyD
I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out. The only breed they wouldn't have pullets for in late June were Buff Orpingtons, which was kind of a bummer. But we are getting Araucanas, Speckled Sussex, NH Reds, Partridge Rocks, and Gold Laced Wyandottes. Also some straight run Cornish Rocks for meat, and a few NH Red cockerels, one of which will hopefully have some brains and become the flock guardian.
Back when we ordered from MMH, we got their straight run heavy breed assortment, and ended up with 23 roosters (most of which went into the freezer) and two hens (a PBR, and a Turken). Luckily I had also ordered Buff Orpingtons and Araucana pullets or we'd only have had those two hens. Oh, and the "free rare chick" turned out to be a Lakenvelder hen. She was cute. The one rooster that turned into a real good flock guardian was a NH Red, and we really like that breed, so I included 5 in the current order and hopefully one will work out.
We're moving from NY to NH, so I sold all my chickens to the aforementioned co-worker, and she suggested Mt. Healthy to get new ones from after we get moved. They will let you order as few as 15 of any one breed, but for a "create your own mix" order, there is a minimum of 25, plus a boxing fee of $5 on the order. Not that it was hard to come up with at least 25 chicks! :)
I'll have to google them and see what they offer, I got a straight run of 10 Buff Orpingtons (suspect most are males), a straight run of New Hampshires and 5 Delaware roos. I'd like to get some Delaware poulets
I spotted another hatchery in Mo named Cackle but haven't heard back if anyone had used them. They had a 15 chick minimum but you had to get at least 5 of each breed. Good prices though.
MollyD
I've heard good things about Cackle and have at least heard of Mt. Healthy. Somebody here has used them.
I think that is the company our neighbor ordered from. He ordered 50 hens and got 25 roos free. They all were doing well. I think he lost 2 when they were little but I think they got too cold. They are now pretty good size.
I have only ordered from a hatchery one time. This was 2 and a half years ago. I ordered from SunRay chick hatchery in Iowa. Everything was smooth. I called and go info on what I wanted, they gave some sugestions. I ordered 25, was shipped 31! And they were not roos added in!! I had a very good experience with this company and would recommend them.
do a search on this forum and farm life. i am SURE i have heard them mentioned a few times, and it was all good...
Our neighbor that got the 25 roos free is going to make dinner out of them. Since he is feeding them he knows what is going into his dinner :)
Most of my roos will become dinners here. It's a fact of life that some of us eat and some of us get eaten.
MollyD
I received my first order this morning from Mt. Healthy. Previously, I had been a customer for years from Murray Mcmurray, but had so much difficulty this year trying to place an order for pullets of different breeds. I just couldn't get what I have in years past. What I did receive here in SW VA was weak with some losses. So, I switched after hearing good things about Mt. Healthy. Wow! Chicks arrived in one day priority mail after shipping from Ohio, all 20 were healthy, very vigorous. No losses. I received what I ordered, had no trouble getting exactly what I asked for in ordering online. I will never go back to McMurray, and those are strong words from a previous customer, but as long as Mt. Healthy does such an excellent job, why would I order elsewhere? I actually was treated with respect and when I talked to a representative to make sure my order went through over the telephone, she was very nice and knowledgeable. Such a change! Hurray for Mt. Healthy!!!
I'll have to check out Mt. Healthy and SunRay. We got our ducks and turkey poults from Cackle and have been very happy with them. We got 10 ducklings, and 11 poults (ordered 10 and they put in 1 extra) and everyone has done really well.
I read an article not too long ago all about Cackle........and they said they have been busier this year that in any other year. You can really tell, because it is really hard to get them on the phone and they didn't answer my e-mail, which was pretty frustrating.....but we got what we ordered, more that we ordered and they are strong and healthy, so we are over all happy with them.
I think most of the hatchery's are overwhelmed right now. From all I have heard, it seems that with the rising cost of everything and people getting sick of not knowing what is in their food, more people are looking into a better way and are ordering chicks for the first time. I think that is why it has been so tough this year for everyone to find what they are looking for, as far as certain breeds or sexes.
That could very well be true. We have had quite a few newbies here on Dave's too. I don't mean to Dave's, but new to chickens.
I was talking to some people I know today, and they were telling me that they were putting in a garden this year after many years of buying all their food, planning to can more this year, etc, etc.
GG
One of the candidates for mayor of Sacramento has encouraging everyone to have backyard chickens as part of her platform--of course she has no hope of winning--but it is nice to see.
Why doesn't she have any hope of winning?
GG
I am new to Daves.....I just got a computer in February and happened on to the site when looking for answers to chicken questions. I am so glad I did!! I have already learned so much! We had chickens for about a year 9 yrs ago, but had to stop and just started back up last year.
I read an article about gardening, and the lady they were interviewing said that for the 1st time ever, her local farm store sold completely out of seeds...not just once, but 3 times! A definite pick up in gardening!
Hi Granny--she is a second-tier candidate--the main candidates are the incumbent (a woman) and an ex-professional athlete (man). I had a terrible dream last night that the police came and confiscated all my chickens and the fish from my pond--I was not cooperative:0).
Ladybugs--so far everything I've tried to grow has been eatern by the chickens getting into the raised bed--maybe it is really a pick up in chicken raising!
Catscan, did you put fencing around the raised bed? I am going to have to fence off the garden so my pretty girls (the little brats) can't get into mine. They have been dust bathing there, but when we plant it, I don't want them there. I put potted plants for our library plant sale there and they have been digging them up by bathing in the soil. So, I have moved the pots to my refrigerator raised beds.
You know, it's a good idea to have back-yard chicks like we had during the second world war. At least we had eggs, and veggies in season without rationing.
GG
Yep Granny, I bit the bullet and built a prototype PVC and chicken wire cage to put over the raised bed--there is no point in planting anything in it without chicken protection. At first I thought it would be useful to keep the chickens in--now I realize it will have to be to keep them out. It also has the advantage of keeping the neighborhood feral cats from using it as a big litter box. I'll try to post a picture. It is very light weight, but it fits over the bed so the bed itself sort of holds it in place. If DH built it it would weigh at least 20lbs--he never uses anything lighter than a 2X6.
I just spoke to an avian vet who is so in favor of backyard chickens that he will examine and test my chickens FOR FREE! so I can get an importation permit for Texas. He says it is something he likes to do for backyard poultry keepers as a "community service". The CA Avian Lab who recommended him said he is very expensive--but apparently that is for commercial poultry farms. Very nice man!
When we had chickens 9 yrs ago, we had a big garden then too. Both were brand new to me. There is just nothing more aggravating than all the work you put into the garden.....then along come the chickens.....scratching and pecking.....moving aside all the straw you just put down, uncovering and scratching grooves into the potatoes and worst of all.....eating ALL the tomatoes...we didn't get one that year....I about cried. I don't mind sharing the garden with them when I am done, but there is a line!
I told DH that this year he better be putting up the fence, because if I lose all the tomatoes again....I'm gonna be 'mad as a wet hen!'
GG....what you said about the 2nd world war......it reminds me of stories I have heard from my aunt in law, who is now in her 80's. She talks about living as a child during the depression and was 1 of 15! She says that although they were the poorest around and never really had good clothes and things like others did.....they ALWAYS has plenty to eat. They raised their own beef, dairy cows, pigs, and chickens....grew their own wheat for flour....and always had the biggest garden around. The same people that once turned their nose up to them, ended up coming to them, begging for food. Sad, but goes to show that it's not always money that makes people wealthy.
She also says to this day with a big silly grin on her face, that when they were in school, they would trade their big meat filled sandwiches made on homemade bread for store bought stuff....even peanut butter sandwiches. This might have been a bit off the topic, I'm not sure.........but I have always found those stories so fantastic that I just had to share.....hope no one minds! : )
Ladybug, I don't think anyone would mind about the stories from those days. In fact, I would think most folks would welcome them. Things are so much different nowadays that it is hard to believe what went on back then. You have to remember, we had no TV, computers, air conditioning, gas furnaces, and stuff like that.
GG
I think some of the folks here are older than I am and could probably tell us things about those days that I can't. I know I would welcome stories from those days. They are most interesting.
Well, I got my shipment from Mt. Healthy this morning and it was not a good thing. Most of the chicks were dead. I'm not at this point blaming the hatchery. They were shipped yesterday and arrived this morning, so they were only in transit one day. I'm thinking they sat somewhere and either got too hot or too cold. I have 9 out of 12 broilers alive, but only 5 chicks out of the 25 I ordered for laying hens. They threw in 5 extra chicks into the order, which was nice, but that means that really it was only 5 out of 30 alive. Well, technically I have 6 alive, but I don't think the one is going to make it. The 14 that made it seem pretty vigorous.
I called them, and the girl was nice. She said "Rob" would call me back, but that they would probably just re-ship the order. So we'll see...
Drat! I really was looking forward to having a couple brooders full of lovely chicks...
oh, hopefully they will reship right away.... i would keep the 6 in ICU for a while, even separate from the new ones that come in... which i hope is soon!
what a dissapointment ;-(
hugs
tf
I got a call from Rob O'Hara - he apologized, and said that he's been having trouble with shipments to New England lately - he believes that the postal service is not handling the chicks correctly and that they are getting too hot - "smothered" he said. He's been trying to work with them to get the problem solved but he's frustrated. He will reship the broilers on the 1st of July when they hatch, and the other breeds on the 6th when they are available, so I'm happy with that, and I hope that we have better luck!
may hasve something to do with the new law... the filters that have to be put over the holess, also. hopefull he is only putting 12 per compartment that will helpp... sorry for your losses, hang in there!
Well, one of the broiler chicks died - there was one that was weaker but seemed to be doing OK at first, so it was probably that one. And one of the 2 chicks in ICU died, but the other is still alive. I don't know how much dain bramage he sustained as he seems to be flopping over to his right a lot, but this morning he is trying to stay upright - if I support his body, he'll push up with his legs - and his eyes are open, which is significant progress from yesterday. I made a "gruel" with sugar water and some chick starter and dipped his beak in it, and he drank some and also drank on his own several times.
The other's in the brooder (total of 13) are bopping around like normal chicks, so I don't expect more losses unless something unusual happens.