I'm sorry about the losses! I've always been worried they would all arrive dead so I haven't ever ordered chicks before. I'm on the waiting list for some Egyptian Fayoumi chicks though. Any tips for receiving them?
The Mille Fleurs really are pretty! I was going through the bantams and they kept catching my eye. I'm hoping to breed for Nn bantams.
Hmmm ... online orders. If I were to do it again, which I really do't plan on doing, I would do just as I did this time. This looks and may sound detailed, but it isn't hard, honest!
First, double check that your shipper knows exactly which post office to use - call the PO for the ID number, if you have to. It's easy and a good safeguard. A few days before your chicks are due to ship, call the PO and let them know to expect live chicks "on or about" the date. Make sure they know whether to deliver them to your home or to hold them at the Post Office for you to pick up. If you can, pick them up right away. If you send them out for regular delivery, there is no telling how long they will have to sit in a super-hot truck.
Call again as soon as you get the "Your chicks have shipped" notice from your hatchery. Your PO can usually tell you what time the delivery truck is due, so you can be ready. If you have an order tracking number, provide it to the PO. They can put out a track from their end and tell you exactly where your babies are sitting.
When you get the call that your babies are in-house, head to the PO. Mail trucks are notorious for schedule changes in either direction, so if you leave before you get "The Call," have a distraction on-hand, especially for Little People!
Some people like to bring their chicks home to check, but both times, my babies were late, so I checked them right there in the Post Office. Lemme tell you, I drew some interesting stares and comments, sitting on the floor in the corner with a box (and a handful) of very vocal chicks!
Suspecting that I would be in "Rescue Mode," I prepared a Delivery Kit. It worked out so well that I recommend it to anyone! It had:
Prepared electrolyte solution
Chick Saver, NutriDrench, Pedialyte, in a pinch, Gatorade. There are also DIY electrolyte mixes. Brand doesn't matter so much as getting something into their stressed systems so they recover quickly
An eyedropper to give them the electrolytes. They haven't learned how to drink yet and can drown, otherwise.
Paper towels or a soft tee shirt - to limit panic struggling (theirs, not yours!)
A fresh transport box - lined with a puppy piddle pad or paper towels (not shavings - no grip!) It especially helps if any chicks have died in transport. You can get the other babies out and get a clear picture in an empty box. Take your shipping box home with you, as the Hatchery will usually ask you questions about it, especially f there are losses.
Once you get them home, dose them again with liquids/electrolytes/vitamin water, whatever you have. Most bounce back pretty quickly, given some time to rest. The hardest part is letting them do that ... rest ... when all you really want to do is HOLD THEM!
I'd LOVE to see pics of your Fayoumis when they come. I've only seen adult birds. well, I've
SORTOF seen adult birds ... they wouldn't stand still long enough to get a really good look at them, and no one could catch them!
And I LOVE me some Naked Necks! What breed will you start with?
