Can Bantam chicks survive four days in the mail?

[kalisgirl]

Hi everyone. I ordered 26 chicks from MM that I was supposed to get last week. On Monday MM called and said they had "a bad hatch" and were not sending until this week. I called MM today and they said they mailed the little ones out on Saturday morning. The Post office here has not seen them yet and thinks maybe tomorrow morning. Can Banty chicks make it four days in the mail? I am so scared to open the box to 26 dead chicks. Two years ago when I ordered from them the girls came first thing Sunday. I can't imagine being in the box this long.

 

[Rooster01]

I'd say no. Chicks can only survive 3 days without food and water. At 4 days with no food, water, or heat, Most would be dead or almost dead. You may get a few VERY WEAK survivers.

 

[chickbea]

They mailed them out on a SATURDAY morning? That guarantees they won't get anywhere until Monday at the earliest.
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you - sometimes you get a compassionate soul at a post office handling facility who understands the meaning of "live animals", and will help your little binkies.

 

[MayberrySaint]

My chicks went out on Saturday from MM and arrived at my local post office Tuesday morning. They were all OK with the exception of one DOA. They were standard sized chicks however.

Andy

 

[kalisgirl]

Thanks everyone. It helps me feel a bit better knowing almost all of yours made it ok Andy. You must have some tough little chicks. I have never had Bantams before and I think I am extra worried about them this time if that is possible. I'll let everyone know what happens.

 

[hinkjc]

Most large scale hatcheries send their shipments out on Saturdays. Not sure if that's a good thing or not, but they are still in business, so I'd say most get to their destination within enough time. Have a warm brooder ready, with sugar water and chick feed.

BTW - mail does continue to move on the weekends, whether your local PO is open or not.

Jody

 

[Firstrune]

I ordered my Bantums from McM, they were shipped on Sat and arrived our PO on Monday morning. They were all alive when they arrived, however, I did lose three in the first week, still not sure why. I do hope your's make it okay, but I've also heard they can survive only 72 hours w/o food and water after hatch.
Keep us posted, I know you must be worried sick.

 

[demonique]

I, for one, am unimpressed with Saturday shipments. The mail is slow in Montana to begin with - and McMurray's, at least, sends them by priority, meaning it'll take at LEAST three days to arrive. My first order was... very poor looking indeed, only 8 survivors out of 29.

My replacement order would also not have arrived until Tuesday, but today, I hunted it down at a post office 90 miles away and went at retrieved them myself - and thankfully, almost all of them had made it. Only one dead in the box, and I don't expect more than one or two to perish this time around. *whew*

But I shudder to think of what might've happened if I'd waited until morning to get them.

Mail may move on weekends - but how far depends on where you live. Here? Not very.

 

[kalisgirl]

Just picked up my chicks from the PO. One was dead in the box, one died in my hands, and about half of them look very bad. It is so upsetting! They put in a full size chick with all of them for my free chick even though they said they would put in a banty. He is a bruiser and walking all over everyone. That chick will make it for sure. Poor things.

 

[MayberrySaint]

I am sorry to hear about your chicks. Make sure the weak ones get some sugar water ASAP. Use an eye dropper if necessary. Also, make sure you call MM and let them know how many DOAs there were and how many died within 48 hrs. You will get a credit for them.

Andy