Question re: picking up chicks at P.O.--food & water?

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texsuze

texsuze

Crowing
11 Years
Dec 17, 2012
548
1,103
276
Texas Hill Country
My new chicks are expected for delivery to my post office the second week of May. I've ordered only 4 chicks (that's what I have space for)--yes I know it's not an ideal number to ship. I haven't done 'day-old chicks' in many years so here are some questions:

Do I need to open the shipping box of chicks in the P.O. so their status can be verified by the postal worker in case there are problems?
Should I transfer chicks to another "container" (pet carrier, etc) before heading home, or leave them in their shipping box?
Should I bring water or nutrition to the P.O. with me to give to chicks before driving home? I live 40 minutes from the post office.

My brooder will be set up and ready to go, in the enclosed tack room in my barn. Thanks for responding to this nervous nellie! I've had chickens for 11 years and have almost seen it all, but baby chicks are "new' again.
 
I just picked up my first ever mail-order poults, so definitely not an expert.

What I did was get my car very warm and turn on the seat heater before leaving for the post office. I only have to travel half the distance that you do. My post office had my poults in a warm area, I just took the box, placed it on the seat and buckled them in. Waited until I was home and at the brooder to open it up.
 
I don't think you need to open it at the PO. Hatcheries expect losses, so if the worst happens, all you'll need is just your word and maybe some photos.

I agree that warming up your car will help. You can add food and water, but I would think it will just make a mess. Most chicks are shipped with grow gel, so they should be fine. Plus if they are only a say or so old, they will still have the nutrition they absorbed from the yolk. And the shipping box is perfect for taking them home.

I had 4 shipped my first go, and they arrived perfectly fine. I had a larger order later that was... not so good.

If it makes you feel any better, I picked up 2 chicks about a month ago from TSC. They had just arrived that morning. I put them in the little carrier thing, turned on my heater, and put the carrier thing on the floor of my car. It took me about 30 min to get home. They were fine.
 
texsuze said:
My new chicks are expected for delivery to my post office the second week of May. I've ordered only 4 chicks (that's what I have space for)--yes I know it's not an ideal number to ship. I haven't done 'day-old chicks' in many years so here are some questions:

Do I need to open the shipping box of chicks in the P.O. so their status can be verified by the postal worker in case there are problems?
Should I transfer chicks to another "container" (pet carrier, etc) before heading home, or leave them in their shipping box?
Should I bring water or nutrition to the P.O. with me to give to chicks before driving home? I live 40 minutes from the post office.

My brooder will be set up and ready to go, in the enclosed tack room in my barn. Thanks for responding to this nervous nellie! I've had chickens for 11 years and have almost seen it all, but baby chicks are "new' again.
Click to expand...
Do not open the box in the P.O. Get the chicks home as quickly as you can and put them in your brooder with food and water because some hatcheries take 72 hours to ship and those poor little chicks have been through quite an ordeal. When I got my chicks home and opened the box it was shocking to see one of them dead and 2 others near death. Only 2 survived! And it took almost 3 months to get my refund from the hatchery. So do your research into these breeding chicken farms because there are many that aren't that good.
 
Cackel Shack said:
Do not open the box in the P.O. Get the chicks home as quickly as you can and put them in your brooder with food and water because some hatcheries take 72 hours to ship and those poor little chicks have been through quite an ordeal. When I got my chicks home and opened the box it was shocking to see one of them dead and 2 others near death. Only 2 survived! And it took almost 3 months to get my refund from the hatchery. So do your research into these breeding chicken farms because there are many that aren't that good.
Click to expand...
Usually, the USPS and their contractors are to blame for mishandling the chicks. The weather is often to blame for shipping delays and sudden drops in temps. But, yes, some hatcheries are less reputable than others.
 
Cackel Shack said:
Do not open the box in the P.O. Get the chicks home as quickly as you can and put them in your brooder with food and water because some hatcheries take 72 hours to ship and those poor little chicks have been through quite an ordeal. When I got my chicks home and opened the box it was shocking to see one of them dead and 2 others near death. Only 2 survived! And it took almost 3 months to get my refund from the hatchery. So do your research into these breeding chicken farms because there are many that aren't that good.
Click to expand...
And I'm so sorry this happened to you. Many of us have been there. It is a risk of having chicks shipped, and it is never anything other than heartbreaking.

Which hatchery?
 

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