My first baby chicks are here!

Hello all, I have been lurking here for quite a while, and have learned sooo much from you all that I was able to confidently get them settled in. The marbles in the water worked perfectly. I also wanted to let everyone know about my very positive experience with MyPetChicken.com.

I had place an order early in the spring with McMurray, but after hearing about their problems, I canceled the order. The following is an email I sent today to MyPetChicken to let them know how great their service was:
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"The baby chicks arrived healthy and active and utterly adorable. This was my first time to order chicks and I had heard so many horror stories of boxes of dead babies.

I am very impressed with your selection, your website, the ability to order smaller batches, the ability to buy sexed bantams, and your excellent customer service. Kathryn"
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Here is one email example of their great customer service and attitude.

On Jun 23, 2008, at 8:22 AM, My Pet Chicken wrote:

Hi, Kathryn,

I have good and bad news for you. The good news is that your baby chick order is shipping this week, so you should be receiving it right on schedule! The bad news is that since you originally placed your order, we've removed white wyandotte bantams from our online catalog of available birds because the eggs simply weren't hatching. We could not fulfill your order as you placed it, unfortunately--I'm very sorry we didn't have every bird you ordered!

The hatching facility has notified us that they will substitute a female silkie for the female wyandotte chick we did not have for you. (They should be contacting us soon to let us know what color Silkie was available to substitute.) I hope this substitution is not too disappointing. I'm so sorry our wyandotte eggs did not hatch this year! We suspect the roosters were not as fertile as is usual. It is something that happens from time to time in a business in which you literally have to count your chickens before they're hatched. I'm so sorry we didn't have all the babies you ordered!
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Here is a quick shot of a few of them. I love the little silver sebright. But this little Dominiquer is something else. She was pecking on everyone immediately, and runs at my hand when I reach in. I have been holding her in the evening to try to tame her a bit, but it ain't gonna happen. This one just might be dinner someday unless she stops trying to grab my skin.

Ohhhhhhhhh how adorable.

Thanks, I wish I could get the kind of photos I've seen on here. They are so wiggly that I ended up using a flash. I hate flashed photos. I keep thinking of the shot of the chick looking at the bedtime storybook. I don't remember who posted it, but it was just so perfect. Now that I am trying to get a good photo, I am even more impressed!

Here is a shot of the five toes on the salmon faverolles. What a quiet little thing. Sleeps away from the group.

wow just so cute is that chicken nekkid. It is just so cute.

I just love this little gal.
My order was split and half arrived last week, and half this week.These photos are from the first group. I picked up the new ones this morning and haven't even had time to figure out which chick is what. There are at least 5 tiny bantams that have stolen my heart!

Oh I can imagine. Mine will arrive about july 11th. And they are a surprise, so no telling what I will get. I do like surprises.

I just looked up the salmon faverolles full grown and they are so proper looking. I bet they rule.

And here is the queen of the flock, a Delaware I believe. She is smart and confident. I heard an alarm call and went to see what was happening, just in time to see the neighbor's cat sneaking back out the kitty door! Well, obviously that is locked now. But she was the one that called out. So far she is the most curious but also reasonably friendly.

Do they get friendly as they mature and get to know you a bit better? The all liked to fall asleep in my hands, but I am looking for signs of recognition when I call them. The black stars are docile, but don't seem too bright. ;)

Yes, the faverolles are an amazing looking hen. Pretty eggs, too. I have read that they are somewhat fragile, so I am keeping a close eye on her. I had a goat in my kitchen last month, recovering from a c-section, and now chicks! I won't be inviting anyone over for dinner for a while!

Oh my I've had a goat in the house before but she was less than 5 hrs old had to nurse her back from the dead, called her grace. Ive had chick in the house also but DH was out of town working, he would NOT have that at all. I know nothing much about chickens, except they eat poop and lay eggs. And the roosters chase me. I have a big stick, I threaten my dogs with,( have never had to use it yet but a good threat) I figure when I spend alot of time with them they will like me and know I am the one that feeds them, you know don't bite the hand that feed ya.

Hey neofarmer.....cute chicks. Aren't they just adorable at that age? I don't know a whole lot about the breeds you have, but they are cute none the less. Thank you for posting your positive experience with MyPetChicken. I think it is amazing that they responded with such a long and personalized e-mail back. I haven't dealt with that many different hatcheries, but the one I dealt with that was on-line never sent an e-mail back. I wrote them 3 different e-mails....so this was very frustrating! I'll have to go check out MyPetChicken for sure!

tf or Tamara Faye posted the picture with the chick in front of the story book.......I'm pretty sure it's under the 'My Chick's Pic's' thread, but I couldn't swear to it. I think that is one of the cutest I have ever seen! I haven't really posed the chicks before when taking their pics....but I know it is hard to get the pictures you are trying to get.....the little buggers are always moving!

Congrats on your new chicks!

Christy

Yes what Christy said, it is great to receive a response from someone out there that you are doing business with. I did check out their site and it was very helpful alot of ways. I just might order from them later on. Can not get to far ahead of myself here. Gardens, veggies, chickens(60 of them)..........
On that note reason I ordered 60 is there was a place i have ordered from at 100 for around 20 bucks plus shipping. Alot died in the shipping and then a few days later. Oh about half lived untill my daughter forgot to shut the lid on the brooder and they had a jail parden on to find their death by the hands of a dog or 4. So I am thinking I may get 30 to survive. HOPEFULLY more. Daughter no longer lives here and brooder will be in a secure barn and then the final home, the coop will be more secure than Fort Knox.

What sweeties. Good luck with your new babies.
Thanks for the info on MyPetChicken, good to know.

Thanks everyone! One of the fluffiest little ones had a bit of pasty butt this morning, but again, thanks to all the good info here I knew what to do about it. Here is a great email I received this morning after I thanked them for such a good experience. I can't get my flash card reader to upload all my new photos, but after a quick trip to the store, I will post some more pictures. The tiny bantams are just so precious!
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Hi Kathryn!
We're so glad they all arrived safe and sound! There really are few problems with losses through shipping (less than 1%), although each one is truly awful and heartbreaking! At My Pet Chicken, we all keep flocks of our own pet chickens, so our employees don't regard them as just a product that can be replaced. (We all telecommute via the Internet, so the people who work at My Pet Chicken don't just happen to have a job at a hatchery simply because we live near one and it is a convenient place to be employed--we work here because we are OBSESSED and POSSESSED by a love of chickens!) We really do want to see every chick arrive happy and healthy, which is why we devised this special way to ship them. I have three "batches" myself: over a year old, three months old, and about a month old--and they're fun at every age! I spoil mine rotten, I confess; most of us here at My Pet Chicken do. :) Just wait until you get that first egg!

As to your silkie, Let me get in touch with the folks at the hatching facility--I looked again to be sure, and they didn't send me an update on the color they sent you. I'll let you know just as soon as I hear back from them (but I wanted to let you know I was working on it!). If you have any questions is the meantime, do feel free to contact us.

Well that is awesome. I will see how these chicks arrive from Ideal. Im sure they will be ok. I do like their site as it is more user friendly for me, I don't know names of chickens. I just clicked on what my needs were and there about 9 different variety's to choose from. something I seen there at the rate of laying eggs of some of the chickens. Said would lay as early as 4 to 5 weeks old????????? really is there such a breed.
L2G

no, more like 4-5 months old...

you bieng so close to TExas, i am sure you will receive your chicks within one day...

Oh ok I was like i am gonna jump on them chicks. I figure the 4-5 month range. that would be good to get them the next day.
Neo is busy with her lil babies, hope they are all doing ok.
Just wait till I get mine I will be taking pics left and right.

Neo--my Delaware chick, Delphine, behaved exactly like yours. They are smart, confident and friendly birds. And endangered. Delphine is now the head hen and rules the coop. I am thoroughly enjoying her. Let us know how yours turns out.

What is the grey striped one?

catscan, that is good to know about the delawares. I am going to eventually breed some of the ones that turn out to be the best ones for my circumstances. I have 20 babies, mostly all different. I'll see if I can find the purchase order.

jylgaskin, I believe that is the silver sebright. A very sweet little girl with beautiful wings.
I still don't have a card reader, but I am taking plenty of photos. My twenty-something sons were over last night and they used their iphones to take photos to show their friends. Look, my mom has baby chickens in her kitchen! And check out these baby rabbits! It was like they were little boys again. Made me smile.

They came over to help me move a ton of lumber out of my DHs newly built storage building. I told him when he was building it that it was going to be for my chickens and rabbits. He always just laughed, no only lumber. Unfortunately he died suddenly in January, so I am sure he smiling down on me moving out the lumber and making a lovely home for my new babies. It couldn't be a more perfect setup for them. I'll post pics when I can.

Neofarmer, I am so sorry to hear that your DH died suddenly, I will certainly put in my prayers tonite. I see that you are coping well with your loss.

GG

Neofarmer,
Sorry to hear about your loss. I will also keep you in my thoughts. Looking forward to seeing picks of your new babies. Good luck
Tia

granny_goody and luvs2garden, thank you so much. I do miss him so. I cherish all the prayers.

Also I found out two weeks ago that my short term disability leave case had been closed without anyone telling me, two months ago! The life insurance money is gone now and I can't even make my next mortgage payment.

I also discovered a large, egg sized lump on the back of my left knee last week. I didn't notice that my knee was hurting because I have fibromyalsia and everything hurts. I have an MRI tomorrow, and hopefully it isn't something terrible.

My gardens, the baby chicks, baby rabbits, and my pygmy goats are definitely what get me through the day. They demand to be fed, watered, and petted, so I can't just stay in bed. :)

I am taking photos everyday, and hopefully can post the new ones soon.

Neo, you're welcome.

Now for the lump behind the knee...probably will turn out to be a "baker's cyst". This is fluid filled sac that comes from arthritis. I have them behind both knees. I also have fibro, so know about that. Ain't got time to let it bother me. Or anything else physically.

About the short term disability, I don't know what to tell you. Never had anything like that, so don't know. Hopefully things will work out for you.

GG

neo, i am so glad you have your animals. hoping the cyst, property and disavility problem work out soon.

tf

GG, that is good to know about the baker's cyst! I sure hope it is something fairly simple like that. I did have a large cyst removed from my neck about 30 years ago, so could be the same thing. I know what you mean about not letting it get to you, my neighbor has fybro and she can't believe what I do in the garden, and in all that pain. I just always say, what is the choice? Turn into a vegetable in front of the boob tube? I'd rather be in pain with my hands in the dirt!

TF, thank you for the warm thoughts. The MRI wasn't too bad this time, they didn't put my head in. I have claustrophobia and was really squeezing that button the first time. I didn't realize I was phobic until I pratically tried to claw my way out!

I finally bought a small card reader, so here are some shots of the chicks, and a few baby rabbits, too. I have more of my Garden Critter photos here:

http://davesgarden.com/community/blogs/m/neofarmer/

I haven't updated my garden photos in a month, so I better get busy!
These girls wouldn't allow me to photograph them without contracts from their agents.

Here's "Della" trying out her wings. She is a Delaware that just loves me already! I knew she was the queen of the coop from day one.

Here she is a week later. I think she is a real beauty, mainly because of her confident body posture.

Here is the group that arrived the following week. Several bantams mixed in.
I don't know if the darker yellow are the buff orphingtons, or the buff chanteclers.

I love the markings on the australorps. It seems strange that they end up being all black.

This little black silkie is still very small a week later, but seems healthy.

Now for my other firsts. Baby rex rabbits!

I think these little puggly-wugglies look like rotteweilers!

Mom checking in to make sure I am not stealing one. ;)

They are growing super fast. This photo was from several days ago, so I need to get some new ones today. I saw one with its eyes open yesterday.

Just adorable.

neofarmer, they have cute rear ends!

love your Delly, can't wait to get some Delawares myself...

i think the dark yellows are actually a red somthing...