Murray McMurray hatchery???????

[JJSS89]

I couldn't put little souls in a box knowing they might roast or freeze to death; I would have to be 100% sure they'll be comfortable and safe.

Those risks are ever present 7 days a week. If you have to be 100% sure they're comfortable and safe then order eggs to hatch because chicks are under lots of stress even when shipped under ideal conditions.

 

[MysteriaSdrassa]

as I stated in my previous post... the chicks do not ever sit overnight in a postal truck... all drivers have keys to there destination buildings and they are placed inside the building which is heated (this guy has several local post offices to visit.. he doesn't just get somewhere and leave the truck to go get a different one)
the problem is in transit where the weather can not be controlled.. trucks are not the best at keeping heat in or out.. and this problem can arise no matter what day they are shipped

 

[silkiecuddles]

What is the minimum order requirement for chicks at Mcmurray? Meyer's is 15 and some months 3.

 

[silkiecuddles]

Never mind, I found it. 25 min prior to April, 15 min after April

 

[ozexpat]

This is completely off topic but also relevant.

I sell and ship around 500-600 birds a month. We breed in the Philippines.

Our farm is 4 hours from the airport.

We pack birds from 8 am until midday. We leave for the airport in a climate controlled van at 1pm.

Birds are checked in at 530-6pm in the cooler evening. The flight to manila is at 930 pm and our manila customers can pick up birds at 11pm.

Birds with connections generally arrive before 9am but some as late as 2pm.

We have very few losses - around 3%.

The interesting thing is the pattern of losses is unpredictable. A box sitting in direct sun shine for 20 mins maybe all it takes. The birds not arriving until 1 pm the following day may be perfect yet two batches to manila may sustain a loss.

I was devastated when we lost our first few chicks but soon learnt its part of the business.

Chicks traveling on planes and trucks die. If you are not prepared for losses, you need to consider local sources.

 

[ConPollos]

Those risks are ever present 7 days a week.  If you have to be 100% sure they're comfortable and safe then order eggs to hatch because chicks are under lots of stress even when shipped under ideal conditions.

That's true. But, and if, I feel forced to make an exception and take a very calculated risk on shipping, because I can't get what I need locally, I will not order from a hatchery that ships over the weekend just because there's a risk, although much less of one, during the week. That's not a justification for taking a greater risk.

For example, in all the years that my local farm supply has ordered from Cackle, they've only had one chick DOA, and it was their very first order. I reward companies like that with my dollars. They are not perfect, but they are doing more to protect the chicks, instead of finding excuses to justify doing less.

 

[JJSS89]

Here is something I think you might be missing...the USPS works on weekends and all the sorting facilities are manned. I have received calls that chicks were ready for pickup on a Sunday evening. My postman in his woolen socks, Birkenstocks and Boonie Hat might not be walking the beat but the post office is still moving.

 

[MysteriaSdrassa]

thats what I tried pointing out as well on my original post... that I have gotten calls from my local sorting center on sunday.. they are open 7 days a week and every area has one.. and they WILL call you and ask if you want them forwarded and risk the wait or if you want to come pick them up

 

[keesmom]

thats what I tried pointing out as well on my original post... that I have gotten calls from my local sorting center on sunday.. they are open 7 days a week and every area has one.. and they WILL call you and ask if you want them forwarded and risk the wait or if you want to come pick them up

Yup. The sorting facility called me at 10 am on a Sunday morning to ask if I wanted to come get them. They had all the boxes of chicks on their own separate rack far from the usual, non-live mail. Easy to check on. The postal guy also pointed out the special container they use for bee packages, and all about the one unfortunate time a package broke open...

 

[LovinAK]

I am new to chickens but decided to go with certain breeds that were cold hardy and McMurray Hatchery was recommended to me by a friend. Of course they are located in Iowa and I am up in Alaska so I was concerned about having them shipped. I had the 21 chicks (plus one free rare exotic) shipped just before Easter. They were hatched on Good Friday and shipped out that night. The following Saturday I received a call from the post office at 8pm saying they were ready for pickup. I rushed over to the post office to find that they were all alive and well and chirping up a storm in their tiny box.
The chicks were in shipment from Iowa to Alaska in just under 22 hours, even though the shipping label was listed for 3 day travel time. I had the chicks shipped to a post office that was open until 11pm weekends and even Easter Sunday (It was an hour away from my regular post office and right next to the airport) so I was prepared for a late call. Had I shipped them to my regular post office, they would have been sitting until Easter morning I'm sure.
Anyway, that was my shipping experience through McMurray. I would definitely go through them again