1st time ordering chicks by mail - Tips - Please

[dancingflower68]

This is an exciting thread!! I just ordered 4 chicks today from My Pet Chicken, due to arrive on April 23! I'm in Ca too, so I'll be following along to see how your shipment goes! I was a little nervous considering they are about as far away as they can get..well, alot nervous!! These will be my first chickens and I want everything to go smoothly! My brooder is all set up and ready to go!

 

[OreoPlymothRock]

Congrats on your new chicks!

 

[Ahava]

I got our first batch of chicks from MyPetChicken. They're a very responsive company and they seem very careful about shipping. Shipping does, however, create stress in the babies so make sure to check often for pasting. We lost one baby from it. Also be sure to dip their beaks in water first thing when you get them out of their box since they haven't had anything to drink since hatching. Have fun!!

 

[Megs501]

We started our babies in the house, in a 30 Gal rubbermaid tote. They are in their own room right now (our spare room). They are safest there; the toddler girl and cat really like watching the chicks! I'm remodeling the kitchen (no I didn't think the timing through...) so that's the main reason they are down there- far away from dust and fumes.

My MPC chicks are doing great- no pasty rears so far. They do seem to sleep A LOT, but that is normal I guess? They aren't peeping in distress and seem to be eating and drinking a lot. Good luck with your chicks- the wait is torture! haha I was going insane waiting on my girls. They are very skittish, but I guess that is to be expected until they're a bit older ... or I start giving them treats (at one week or older) and they realize Im the treat monster, not the scary monster from above. =)

Also, do like the PP poster said and dip their beaks in the water first thing- they were SO relieved when they got their first gulps! I can't imagine traveling for 2-3 days with no water. Poor babies! But they're happy little fellas now!

 

[Life is Good!]

GET A TRACKING NUMBER ON THE SHIPMENT.

Sorry, didn't mean to shout there. But this is the thing I regret NOT doing. Mine are in transit right now...and I've NO idea where they are. If I had gotten a tracking number, I'd at least have SOME clue of where and when they'll arrive. But I didn't get one - so I have no idea which truck they'll be in on, or approximately when, just sitting waiting by the phone like a girl waiting for a callback on a date.

Better yet. Fork over the extra $$'s for express shipping. AND get a tracking number. If I had gotten express shipping, my chicks would be here by now. But, as it stands, they're *somewhere* between PA and Chicagoland. GAAH! This is really, really hard. I feel 42 weeks pregnant (I ordered these guys in February - so the wait is nearly killing me!)

Got it? Express shipping AND a tracking number. Both. Pay the extra. Don't go through this mental torture....just don't.

 

[OnAdobeRoad]

My chicks arrived at 7:30 this morning!

A day ahead of schedule!!!! One little guy, did not make the trip, but the rest are doing great! No pasties and they immediately got to work eating and drinking! I don't think I've ever seen something SO cute!

 

[curiositykt]

how do you get a tracking number from MyPetChicken?

GET A TRACKING NUMBER ON THE SHIPMENT.

 

[shadow rabbit10]

how do you get a tracking number from MyPetChicken?

Quote:

That's the problem with MPC. They won't give you the number, you can only find out where the chicks are if you call and ask,

 

[OnAdobeRoad]

They had a hatch day problem with my chciks and had to do some substitutions. When they called be regarding the substitutions, they gave me a tracking number.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

They had a hatch day problem with my chciks and had to do some substitutions. When they called be regarding the substitutions, they gave me a tracking number.

They said that about my order i placed in dec all the breeds i wanted was suppose to be here this week i didnt want subs so i canceled my order never getting chicks from there again. Since i was suppose to be first on waiting list all the breeds i wanted never hatched i find that suspicious.