15 chicks, DOA

[Nanili]

I would be crying too...I cannot imagine how disturbing that would have been. I hope you are able to find some new chickies to spoil and dote on. Sounds like your BF is a real sweetie though!

yeah, he's a good one. What surprises me most though is how casual the hatcheries are. They acted like I was being melodramatic and too sensitive to raise chickens. I have hunted, fished, and had to kill animals before. But still, they are lives, and we mourn them when they die. That is not crazy to me.

 

[Nanili]

Try calling the feed stores in Half Moon Bay, they might have chicks.

great idea! Our local feed stores have chicks too, they are just not all the breeds I'd like, but I'm getting less picky as the day goes on...

 

[Silver Sebright]

Traumatized by my first mail order chick experience. This morning, I went to the post office and there were two chirping boxes, and my silent box that smelled like death. I opened it to find all 15 dead. I don't want to do that again and am looking for a hatchery in the Bay Area (CA) that sells smaller batch (15 or fewer) chicks. No more mail order for me. I feel so sad about those little lives.

I'm so sorry, it may be the the hatchery. I've ordered chicken's through the mail from mypetchickens and they all lived through the process. If you ever try to order chickens through mail again I would check up on their location and call the hatchery to see if they are ok. Hopefully this helps.

 

[Nanili]

great idea! Our local feed stores have chicks too, they are just not all the breeds I'd like, but I'm getting less picky as the day goes on...

Also, I prefer sexed chicks because I want to lessen my chances of having to offload a bunch of roosters (not allowed in my area).

 

[h2oratt]

I have some chicks hatching next week. What kind are you looking for?

 

[SonoranChick]

I also prefer sexed chicks...if you can find a sex link breeder in your area that would solve that problem. I have a red star and she is fabulous, I wish I would have gotten more of this breed.

 

[h2oratt]

I recommend mcmurrays. Maybe it was just too cold last week.

 

[Acre4Me]

I received a box of 26 chicks all dead with my first ever chick order. My 11yo was with me to pick them up. I ordered from an OH hatchery: Meyer. I live in OH. Once they left Meyer, they went to Cleveland (expected), and left that center within a couple of hours. They spent the next 31 hours "in transit" without any updates while in the USPS system. They were beginning to smell when we went to pick them up. They stayed warm since the heat packs were still warm and there were 26 chicks. My 11yo was pretty upset. I'm going to guess that they were mishandled by USPS - since they were beginning to smell, my guess is they died early in the process and might have been in proximity to dry ice, even though they shouldn't be in the same truck.

So, we have ordered chicks to pick up in a couple of weeks - definitely cannot have another shipment of dead birds when a kid is involved and we don't have any other chickens yet. I had to order from a smaller hatchery that was closer to me so that my roundtrip drive was more reasonable. Hoping that our next batch are nice and healthy.

Sorry for the experience - it sucks.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I am just a newb, but from what I have read, it is best to order from hatcheries near you. Ohio is quite the distance. Metzer Farms is at least located in CA. There could be more, but it is the one that I keep reading about.
Also, maybe check local feed stores. Even if they dont have chicks at the moment, they can let you know when and what kind they will be getting (or direct you to some place that has chicks.)

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Traumatized by my first mail order chick experience. This morning, I went to the post office and there were two chirping boxes, and my silent box that smelled like death. I opened it to find all 15 dead. I don't want to do that again and am looking for a hatchery in the Bay Area (CA) that sells smaller batch (15 or fewer) chicks. No more mail order for me. I feel so sad about those little lives.

Sorry to hear that happened

Dare to dream farms in Lompoc delivers to the Bay Area, not mailed. White glove delivery

Good luck next time around.

Gary