Is anyone else having issues with the USPS and dead chicks?

[3riverschick]

I purchased chicks from a seller in NC....they entered the postal system there at about 3 pm, shipped express delivery. they were due here (ny) by 3 pm. i have been tracking them and they are lost in the system, no one knows where they are. i called the postal hub in albany ny and offered to pick them up directly there when they arrive, but no non knows when that will be. i am really fearful for my poor 20 babies...say a little prayer for them. one things certain, money back guarantee from post office, i will be getting my postal charges refunded. the seller insured for $100 but the chicks cost $200....i may
be out some money...more importantly i am angry that they got lost.

Hi,
Have this on hand when your chicks arrive. If they are that stressed, you may not have time to go get it. I have used it for years on my chicks with great results. Does not need to be digested like electrolytes. mainlines directly to the bloodstream. 1 drop only by mouth, repeat as needed every 8-to hours. Then 2ml per gallon in their water for at least the 1st 2 weeks. I use it for the first month. Gets them off to a strong start.
http://www.nutridrench.com and post #1 in this thread :
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/746509/how-to-deal-with-travel-stress-in-baby-chicks
Best Regards,
Karen

 

[MaLoTu]

I apologize in advance, but I have not gone through this whole thread ... I am expecting 4 pullets to be sent to me this coming week. I am really nervous because I live in a heavily populated city where these types of deliveries are not normal. I have tried calling the post office several times and there is no answer and all the VM boxes are full.
The breeder requires that the birds be picked up within two hours of delivery ... however, I am not sure I will be notified. The breeder has been awesome with guiding me through this. She is going to call when she is ready to ship them, hopefully this will not be as big an issue as it feels like it is going to be!
Anyone have any experience with a bigger city PO and receiving birds?

 

[suburbchick]

I ordered 6 bantams from MPC. I don't blame MPC at all. But, they shipped on 4/27 and did not arrive via USPS until 4/29 and 2 died. I think USPS needs to change their policy to overnight guaranteed delivery. I called my post office on 4/28 and he said they were guaranteed to arrive by 3:00 on that same day (4/28) but they did not arrive until the next morning. I am going to call MPC tomorrow and inform that as they might want to put more than 1 heat pack in because USPS stinks with delivery times or try to find a different shipping company.

 

[rlbrand]

I just ordered chicks from MM shipped 6/29 2 day priority, scheduled delivery 7/1. I am sitting here 7/2 with no baby chicks. looks like the chicks sat in another state 2 days before being sent to yet another neighboring state for another day. No idea where they are now, been to the post office countless times, no one can help me. I am assuming the worst now, and that they are all dead. The lady and the post office told me if they didn't arrive tomorrow she would come in on the holiday to see if they came. As I could feel tears coming, I thanked her and left. She honestly thinks I may not even receive them tomorrow... these poor chicks, I couldn't help but cry. The postal employee informed me that when they were stuck for the first two states in MN they had been scanned in by machine, she could tell it wasn't a human scan.... which I thought, why can't they have a rule that all 2 day priority at the very least all LIVE ANIMALS are checked in by only humans!? I just can't believe from reading countless posts about this, its so heartless. How can we do something about making them change their policies??

 

[Peeps61]

I ordered 25 chicks from MM Hatchery and scheduled them for the week of June 29. They were shipped out at 11:58 PM on the 26th and arrived the morning of the 29th at my local PO. I went and got them as soon as the PO called me. All were alive and healthy and I even got two extras! I was very happy with the order and the way the PO handled it. Sometimes, things get re-routed and I think that if they have chicks, they should either feed and water them OR ensure that they get where they're going within the 3 day limit the chicks have for no food and water. It's four days later, and mine are actually bigger to the eye today than they were on Monday, so they are thriving!

 

[Cherie1n2]

I saw a post on our local small farmer's fb page that someone failed to pick up chicks that arrived three days ago to the post office.. No answer when they were contacted.. No other way to contact..and many many contact attempts

I've had one bad experience (where a snowstorm closed down half the country)and three very good experiences(all chicks and ducks arrived alive).. It's a horrible feeling to be waiting when you know your hatchlings are running out of time, but its a risk we all take. It's not just a shipping them either, incubators can malfunction and brooders can experience power failure, rainstorms can dessimate coops.. And predictors or illness can strike.

The point is don't feel bad. I know its hard, but It's not your fault or necessarily theirs.. The hatchery will know when your package reaches its destination and they'll make it right.

 

[MaLoTu]

I ordered 25 chicks from MM Hatchery and scheduled them for the week of June 29.  They were shipped out at 11:58 PM on the 26th and arrived the morning of the 29th at my local PO.  I went and got them as soon as the PO called me.  All were alive and healthy and I even got two extras!  I was very happy with the order and the way the PO handled it.  Sometimes, things get re-routed and I think that if they have chicks, they should either feed and water them OR ensure that they get where they're going within the 3 day limit the chicks have for no food and water.   It's four days later, and mine are actually bigger to the eye today than they were on Monday, so they are thriving!

I am very sorry to hear this. The PO sucks at their execution of 2- day shipping. It is like 2-day is a suggestion.

 

[rlbrand]

Since my first delivery of chicks failed to come to me until 5 days after shipped, all my of my chicks arrived DOA from MM hatchery... They were good about shipping out another order asap Monday morning... now it being wed I woke up early to get my chicks from the post office... only to check my tracking number to see that my chicks have been delivered!... only not to me.. to a PO BOX in wisconsin... I live in Michigan.... so yet again I will receive a box of DOA chicks due to the gross error of the USPS.

 

[chickenpatch]

Try ordering eggs instead and hatching them yourself? If you have a nearby neighbour with a rooster and chickens you could buy a brooder and ask for/buy some fertilized eggs from them, then simply hatch them yourself.

 

[suburbchick]

Sorry all for your losses.

I am trying to remember but I think when I ordered chicks like 7 years ago from MPC they were shipped and arrived the next day. I wonder if there was since some change in shipping from USPS. I never lost a chick before and have lost 4 from 2 orders of 8 and 6 chicks. I have had real bad luck this year.