Update: just thought this would bring a little smile. After my initial 60 bird loss, I did the long expensive drive up to the nearest hatchery...twice...because my kids wanted to pick some out too. LOL
I had an untested broody and I figured I'd give it a shot when only one of the initial 60...
Greenlove- I actually drove up there twice last week. They were fabulous. It's about 2hrs each way and nearly a tank of gas but at least they all had a better start. Cancelled my second replacement from McMurray.
Thanks!!!
If I had it would
I'm aware of how a hatchery works. However, since I've found Nobody who seems to ship Fri/Sat except McMurray, perhaps they should revisit their business model and set their eggs on Mon/Wed.
If I thought I don't know about most hatcheries but I know ours has a planned...
The first shipment was a fluke, -18 in central OH is not the norm for the 1st of March. 30 chicks in a box should be fine on a normal 3 day trip in March. But nothing is going to survive at -18. I mistakenly assumed they would ship on a M/T/W, not a Fri/Sat the prior week. Had I had any idea...
Hmm, I'll have to look. I don't recall it giving me the option of changing shipping speed, but I can look. It was shipped 2 day priority.
Define priority.
Yikes!! I've had good luck with eggs being in one piece. Not so much hatching but at least in one piece? The last box, I kid you not, the entire corner was smashed in at least 6". Probably not a coincidence that it was RIGHT where the shipper had written "FRAGILE".
I would have cancelled that first shipment, I didn't realize they would be shipping on Friday before. Assumed(incorrectly) that they would ship Monday.
Oh and I have also had issues with shipping later because of the heat. Had a shipment that was cancelled by a breeder because it got too hot...in June. Said to reorder in March.
I hate central OH weather.
Undortunately, neither UPS nor Fedex ship live chicks. But ship another animal and you'll need all KINDS of things!! correct cage size, they're mandated to water/feed them after a certain time, not over or under a certain temp.
And I ordered them early because normally our hi/low this time of...
I am so furious and sad.
I ordered 27 chicks from McMurray a while back to ship last week.
They shipped 30 on Fri/Sat 2/20 and they were all dead when they arrived Tuesday morning. Apparently, they were actually dead by the time they hit Columbus and then another day later they got to me...