50 Chicks Lost in the Mail - Please pray for a happy ending!

Thanks for all your kind supportive replys and positive thoughts put out there for the little babies. Sadly, as I feared, they FINALLY arrived at the local post office at 5:15 a.m. on Thursday morning - had been shipped on MONDAY AFTERNOON. I only live 5 minutes from the post office so I was up and over
there to pick them up in 10 minutes after I received their phone call.

I had already spoken to the postal worker the day before so when she called me she was very excited to let me know they were finally there. When I got
there she held out the box for me and I only heard a couple weary little peeps and I told the woman that I've received chicks before and with 52 chicks
it should be VERY LOUD.

She asked if I wanted to open the box there and I said yes and when we did there were only 2 that were active at all and about 7 who looked to be a
few minutes from giving up - the rest were all dead. It was about the saddest sight I've ever had to see - they had been sooooooooo adorable.

I got them home ASAP - had the three brooder boxes already warmed up - turned them on before I left to pick them up. Really hurt to turn off the lights
in the other two brooders that wouldn't be needed now. I had the 'Sav-A-Chick' on hand and immediately mixed some up and with a dropper got some
into any of the chicks that were showing ANY signs of life.

Several seemed to perk up for about a half hour but when I went back to check on them they had died. I ended up with only five live chicks - two white leghorns, two welsummers and a little black one ( sadly she passed away yesterday after never quite 'perking up' like the other 4 little girls ).

So now I'm down to 4. Contacted post office to inquire why it took nearly four days for them to fly them from Ohio to Atlanta then drive them up with
the mail to Ellijay ( 90 miles north of ATL ). PO staff said 'priority mail' is NORMALLY two days but is not GUARANTEED. Was also told that the
recent storm up north may have 'backed up' air freight shipping and been part of reason for delay. I was not in the 'blaming mode' just wanted to keep
this from happening again when Meyer re-sends their replacements as they have a live arrival guarantee.

I asked about price for one day delivery and it would be an extra $45 dollars which I cannot afford. I was told to request that the hatchery get the
replacement order of birds to the Ohio post office earlier in the day than the 3:45 p.m. time they got the ill fated babies there.

Meyer hatchery is sending me replacement chicks but had none available to send now so I won't get the replacements until my four 'survivors' are already 17 days old so I won't be able to put them in the same brooder boxes with the 'newbies' as they will be too large.

Sorry for the lengthy update but it helps me to 'process' the loss of the dear little chicks who would have had a wonderful and extremely spoiled
rotten life here at Mountain View Farms.

Edited and Added Sunday a.m. - Sadly on Saturday afternoon another of the chicks - precious little Wellie baby - suddenly became very lethargic and non-moving. Gave her some more Sav-A-Chick but she died about an hour later. Since they have cool clean water and medicated starter and were vaccinated at Meyer for Mareks I can only surmise it was the prolonged stress of the nearly 4 day journey that caught up with her. Now down to only 3 chicks.

Elaine
 
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I'm so sorry to hear that! The 4 chicks that are alive will live a really happy life it sounds like! I'm hoping for the safe and speedy arrival of your second shipment! :)
 
I'm so sorry to hear that. Must've been heartbreaking for you
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Poor babies!
 
I'm so sorry! i have been too terrified of ordering chicks through mail for this reason.
i was so afraid that they would all die.
I hope the remaining three thrive and enjoy their lives with you.
My condolences.
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I can't imagine how heartbreaking it must have been to open that box. :(

FWIW, I mixed ages in the brooder (3 weeks down to 3 days) and they did just fine so I don't think 17 days is such a huge difference. When the replacement littles arrive, I'd put them into the brooders, wait a day or two for everyone to settle, and then add the older chicks.
 
So sorry, I have been watching to see what became of them.

I also had a big spread of differences in age, it worked out, but another thing to think of is, since the bigger ones will be far fewer in number, I think less likely to have problems with integration? I hope for you anyway. Hang in there.
 
Good luck on your replacements. Live birds should always ship Express. My post office will only accept them if they are going by Express mail. I know it costs more but even with Express they don't arrive for 48+ hours.

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