23 Guinea Keets arrived This Morning, (11 doing well now)

[swampducks]

I ordered 20 assorted keets from Meyer Hatchery, they shipped 23.

Now their website says they ship poultry so it arrives at your PO:

Poultry are shipped for arrival at your local Post Office Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

Today is Monday, they are in Ohio and I am in Michigan, but the shipping label says 7/25, that's FRIDAY.

I haven't called them yet because some of the keets are still gasping and I figure I'll lose more. (6 were DOA at the PO, 2 more died within 4 hours).

So, here's my question: How accurate are the dates on those shipping labels? Do you think they really shipped them on Friday?!! Was this box sitting in some warehouse all day Sunday?!!

No way they shipped from Ohio today and got to my PO by 10 am. Not unless they drove them here by leaving at 1 am.

I've also got chicks coming, the hatch date is supposed to be today. I sure hope those get here okay.

Edited Title with UPDATE and death count
2nd edit changes 9 to 10 in Title
3rd edit final title update

 

[keljonma]

Did you call your post office to let them know you were getting shipment of live birds? I would always recommend doing so.

Call Meyer's 1-800 customer service number immediately and ask them the questions you have. That is the only way you are going to know when they shipped.

Also most hatcheries require that you notify them of problems with 24 to 48 hous. So better to let them know right away that some didn't make shipment and that you think you are going to lose some more.

While you're on the phone talking about the keets, ask questions about your upcoming shipment.

I have never done business with Meyer, but they have a good reputation.

Personally, I have ordered from McMurray. The birds shipped on Saturday and arrived at my post office HUB on Sunday. They never got delivered to my local post office on Monday, because the post master was working at the hub on Sunday and called us to make arrangements for us to get the chicks. That said, IT IS POSSIBLE for chicks to sit if the post office workers aren't notified you are getting live birds.

The shipping label from McMurray showed the hatch date and the ship date - for me, both dates were the same, Saturday, June 24. Ask Meyer about their label, if you aren't sure what the date means. But, get on the phone.

Try giving them some poly vi sol children's vitamins or aviacharge2000 or vitamins/electrolytes mixture to help the ones still breathing.

 

[swampducks]

Yeah, they knew I was getting live birds this week. I'm guessing the hub PO in between may have been clueless. I know earlier this year that PO which is about a 3 hour drive south of here called a woman in my town telling her to come get her chicks! They never put them on the truck for our PO. The chicks arrived the next day, all dead. Not from Meyer that time.

I'm till holding at 8 dad (phew!) the remaining white one I syringe fed and last time I checked was up and running around. Got my fingers crossed.

I'll be calling in the morning after seeing if everyone else makes it through the night. I'm thinking something weird happened since they had been having problems all year getting the guineas to lay, probably have a bunch of messed up schedules.

Thanks for your response.

 

[keljonma]

You ordered 20, they shipped 23 and only 8 are still alive. I would definitely recommend you tell Meyer you want a credit or replacement birds (if that's what you prefer).

Our Silver Grey Dorking pullet chick was severely injured in shipment and only lived 2 days. So I know how heartbreaking to lose them before you even get them.

I'm glad to hear that you are having some luck with your little white keet. Good luck!

 

[swampducks]

Oh, no, no, no, 9 are dead, 14 are still alive (lost another one in the night) and probably will lose a 10th later today, it doesn't want to drink and is very lethargic.

I called Meyer and got the skinny. The birds did indeed get shipped Friday (not their usual practice), they hatched early (I forgot to ask how or why that happened, I can only guess they got incubated on the wrong date?). As with most hatcheries they had no way to hold them over the weekend so they had to be shipped. They crossed their fingers.

They also called a lot of their customers to tell them the keets shipped early, I didn't get one of those calls though. Not much I could have done anyway I suspect as the PO where they ended up for the weekend didn't bother to call (or if they did got a busy signal once and gave up too easily).

I am guessing that they spent Saturday night through Sunday night at the distribution center in Saginaw which is a 3 hour drive away so I probably would not have gotten there before closing if they had called.

However, Meyer was very nice and will refund me the losses through close of business tomorrow, plus the gal gave me her extension so I can talk directly to her again.

I also found out that my chicks shipped yesterday. I have the tracking number (of course, the PO website is screwing up... can you tell how much I just love the PO?!!) but haven't been able to find out anything about their location yet.

Hopefully, the keets that pull through will be hardier for their trauma?

And I'll have enough survivors to get some breeders in the spring.

And the little white keet is still going great guns!

 

[swampducks]

One more update, that 10th one did pass on before supper time.

The remaining 13 had a couple lokking iffy that I tried syringe feeding, they didn't like it. Then I made a mash with some crumbles and water and a bit of sugar, it took a while but they went nuts over it.

I hope they won't gorge.

 

[swampducks]

*sigh*

Now it's 12 dead, 6 of the remaining 11 have pasty butt. I am preparing their own brooder in my diningroom so I can keep closer watch on them.

I am EXTREMELY disappointed in Meyer for the fiasco this has become.

 

[HeadHen]

Quote:
I did a lot of shipping for my sisters website business and mostly used USPS. The date on the label could be from whenever the shipper printed it out. The label could have sat around for a day or 2 before being used. But the package couldn't have shipped any sooner then the date on the label.
If it was express or priority mail you can go to USPS website enter the package number and track where and when it was at.

 

[swampducks]

Quote:
I did a lot of shipping for my sisters website business and mostly used USPS. The date on the label could be from whenever the shipper printed it out. The label could have sat around for a day or 2 before being used.

When I called the hatchery they did actually ship on that Friday. Said the eggs hatched early....

I wonder how many others got dead guineas that weekend? :|