Chick Shipment late...important question.

[chickencrazyinHT]

I ordered 50 chicks that were hatched on Tuesday morning. The tracking # said they would be here today at the post office. They never arrived today and I was told that they would now be here tomorrow. I was really upset b/c they were supposed to arrive and didn't and even though they draw the yolk into the abdomen and can go 2 or 3 days, I am really worried about them going with no food or water in a box from Tuesday until Friday. Do you think they will be ok?

 

[whitehousechix]

Cant answer for sure, but mine were shipped on a Tues and I received then on Friday about 3 weeks ago, they came in about 6:45 on Friday morning and were all fine, ( there were 25 of them) from Mcmurray hatcheries.

 

[Eggcessive]

Just check with your post office by 7 or 7:30 AM. Have your brooder war and ready. Get some chick vitamins (or polyvisol-no iron) and add some sugar (1 tablespoonful per quart) for the 1st day. This is for stress. Dip each chick's beak into water to drink and dip it into the feed as soon as you get the box open, then set them down into the brooder. If you ordered some Gro-Gel with the chicks, that is very good too. Mix it up after you have done the above things. Usually most hatcheries will include instructions like above, and some include them in their catalogs.

 

[artsy1]

I will say a prayer.

 

[shober]

The very same thing happened to me in July! They were hatched on a Tuesday and I was expecting them on Thursday, but the post office hadn't received them. I left my phone numbers with the post office and they called me very early on Friday morning and when I got them home everyone was fine! They were from Murray Mcmurray, and I had the quik chick ready! Dipped everyones beak and put them in the waiting brooder. I lost only one chick from the stress of the trip, but they sent extras! I will say a prayer as well!! It will all be fine!

 

[GAchick]

Quote:
I would say call your local PO even earlier than that. There is probably someone at the delivery unit by 5 or 6. Let them know what you are looking for, GIVE them your number, even if you KNOW it's written on the box, ask them when their last mail comes in for delivery with that days mail, and call a few minutes after that. Their Express mail may arrive later than that, so also ask when they usually get their last Express mail in. Call again right after that, if no birds before then. If they don't show up on that last Express mail trip, ask them for the phone number for their processing facility. Call the processing facility also, if you need to. And if it were me, I would take water at least to dip their beaks in as soon as you get the box into your car. Don't wait until you get home with them.

Good luck!