Millions of ducklings in Cordova? Here's a look at what Metzer Farms hatchery has planned
By Dima Amro, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Metzer Farms broke ground Thursday in Cordova for its first Tennessee hatchery where millions of ducklings and goslings will spawn.
California-based Metzer Farms marked the beginning of construction Thursday morning for its 21,000-square-foot hatchery on Cordova Park Road, the farm's second and largest hatchery.
"We're excited to be in Memphis and be able to provide ducklings and goslings to people overnight across the nation," Metzer Farms owner John Metzer said. "We're providing a service really nobody else can do."
The $6 million waterfowl hatchery is coming to Memphis to work in collaboration with the U.S. Postal Service and FedEx to provide faster and more efficient shipping of its 19 duck and 16 goose breeds.
Currently, Metzer Farms ships freshly hatched birds from its Salinas Valley farm to Memphis for sorting at the FedEx World Hub then to the customer, which takes about two days.
Building the hatchery in Cordova cuts shipping time in half to provide overnight service to customers and lowers the mortality risk of the ducklings, Metzer said.
The farm will receive fertile duck and goose eggs through a partnership with local Amish families and Metzer Farms will also work to create new breeds at the Cordova facility.
General Manager Marc Metzer, the owner's son, said the hatchery now has duck breeds with high egg production, but the company is working on creating a type that fully lays green eggs.
Hatching ducklings began as a hobby for the owner's father, Olin Metzer, in 1972, but after a man requested 10,000 eggs monthly John Metzer decided to switch his animal science major to business and created Metzer Farms in 1978.
"Here I am, went back and turned his hobby into a business, and we never sold anything to that fella," John Metzer said. "I never talked to him. So it's little things in life that determine where you're going."
The Tennessee hatchery will be run by Marc Metzer and Hatcheries Director David Dunlap with plans to hire around 30 local employees in 2022 for a variety of positions at the farm.
Grinder, Taber & Grinder will construct the farm, which is expected to be ready by the beginning of 2022, with incubators set in place as soon as January and shipping ducklings out by the end of February.
John Metzer said the farm expects to ship about 2 million ducklings the first year and 10 million birds in 10 years.
Metzer Farms hatches and ships around 50,000 ducklings weekly during spring and about 15,000 in the winter.
"A lot of people say, 'Is there really that much interest in ducks?' That's sort of the first thing," John Metzer said. "Even GTG (Grinder, Taber & Grinder) I'm sure under their breath are like, 'Really?' — and the answer is, 'Really.'"
Anyone interested in buying a bird can order at least two on Metzer Farms' website or pick some up onsite when the Cordova facility opens. Customers can also apply for $5 duck insurance, so if something happens to the pet in the first two years, the company will replace the bird.
