Any chance they'll live?

[Jessica1228]

A very similar thing happened to our first batch of chickens. We bought them from Murray McMurray hatchery on a Monday. They shipped out (supposed) next day air on Wednesday. Well the next Wednesday they showed up. Our post office actually called to tell us that they had taken a few dread ones out. Out of 25 little peeps we picked up 10, of which 3 survived the weekend. Murray McMurray replaced the dead chicks but, that doesn’t make me feel better about 22 babies at all!!! The next batch did stay at the post office for the weekend but all but 1 made it. In total they were in the box for five days. They should be fine. I wish you the best. If we have learned anything it’s that you never ship chicks on a holiday weekend!

 

[LA~Poulet]

Wow Jessica! I'm amazed they could live without food and water for that long.

Please keep me in your thoughts tomorrow, I can hardly sleep dreading what is probably going to arrive boxed up for me, I hope I'm wrong.

 

[Thomas423]

Well??? Any sign of the little ones yet? Really don't want to hear bad news but I have been thinking of you and your little ones all weekend.
I so hope they make it.
Let's us all know.

 

[barngem]

Did you call the hatchery? I would be questioning them as to why they sent them Priority and not next day. They should have had a tracking number for them. That kind of negligence just burns me. Those hatcherys should know better.
My recent batch came from Meyer Hatchery in Ohio
They let us order 10 chicks total we did not have to order 25, the shipping was really high 35.00 bucks i think but the chicks arrived in a small crate that had this great shipping grass matt in the bottom and they were in excellent health, they were none the worse for wear. I would recommend that hatchery to anyone. I have seen chicks come from Murray McMurray. The chicks were tired and we lost several. They were quail pheasant and chuckers for a farm I worked at, but the poor buggers were shipped in a crate with just a cardboard bottom which is slippery, and it just seemed a tough trip. It is farther but the crate seemed to contribute.
The chicks I just got seemed like they were packed better and the package was more in the intrest of the chicks.

 

[hikerchick]

My chicks were shipped from Ideal (Texas) on Wednesday. The post office called me at 6:30 am on Thursday (Pennsylvania)

I was worried that I would have the same problem, but I was lucky.

 

[ChickLit]

I'm also anxious to hear about the babies...I do hope they're safe!!

I bought my chicks from http://www.mypetchicken.com...I bypassed McMurray (even though it came highly recommended by some local chicken pals) because of the 25 chick minimum; wasn't ready for 25 ~ 6 is plenty for now! mypetchicken lets you order as few as 3 if you're close to a larger city. Express shipping was $34.95...they came nicely packed in straw with a heat pad and looked healthy and active. They dove into the food & water of course

The only thing I was not happy about when dealing with mypetchicken is that they sent one email (which I was advised would be the only email I would receive), telling me that the chicks would ship "the week of June 29th." No specific day, but that they would arrive somewhere between Tuesday-Thursday. I'd much rather know when they were shipped so I could figure when they would be here...sending a note to the company about that one.

Yep, I'll say it again...you should raise hell with the hatchery over the shipping method. Can you say "animal abuse"??

Keeping good thoughts for LA & the chicks...

 

[chickendude]

Good luck keep us posted please.

 

[SangaChicken]

Babies yet?

 

[LA~Poulet]

No chicks, and no phone call. Our local P.O. rec'd their last truck, so they aren't coming to my town today. I've been hoping for a call from the regional hub, but nothing.

If they all died en route, would USPS just dispose of the box? I'm so sick over the whole deal.

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

I would be EXTREMELY ANGRY at the hatchery for shipping over a holiday weekend.

WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!?!

All I can say is dont give up, chicks are stronger than they look...

Jason