Chicks all arrived dead

[JerseyHen]

I am so sorry to hear that your fluffies didn't make it. I know how heart breaking that is. My first shipment of chicks ever, from Welp, had 17/25 DOA. The sinking feeling you get when that box isn't peeping like mad. The reshipment was 100% alive and active. I really think a lot depends on the ambient temps in the truck and where they spend the night while in transit. I hope they all arrive safely on reshipment.

 

[mammat]

I do not buy shipped chicks. Honestly I think it is cruel to ship them. I wouldnt even ship a plant let alone a baby chick. It is 550 miles from Ideal to mid mississippi. With one day old chicks sent by USPS it is lucky that any make it. I dont understand why people are so surprised to find a box full of dead chicks. I have read posts on here where people ship from Ohio to Texas in the middle of August and blame the hatchery for the DOA package. You really should know better than to order shipped chicks in the dead of winter or middle of summer. Sorry for your loss. Maybe there is a hatchery closer to you or you could buy local.

 

[Remudamom]

I guess I don't know better. This was my best chance to have chicks this year. So now I'm enjoying my d'uccles and my silkies.

 

[GardeNerd]

I am sorry to hear your first shipment didn't work out. I hope your next shipment this week arrives safely. I also am expecting bantam chicks from Ideal, tomorrow or Friday. I understand your anxiety.

I have had 5 chick shipments from Ideal over the last three years, including one shipment of bantams last February. Texas had a record shattering cold spell the week of shipment. Although I lost about 6 or 7 chicks, the majority did okay, just cold and hungry. Ideal knew the weather forecast and packed the chicks appropriately, and very different from the shipments I get in the summer. They refunded my credit card on the DOA chicks. I have experienced nothing but excellent customer service from Ideal and I have been happy with the chickens I bought from them. They have all been great backyard chickens.

 

[kmb221]

I ordered chicks from Ideal. All 25 arrived alive and healthy last Friday. I was very nervous about the whole thing, but everything worked out great.

 

[gg706]

I understand about looking at the location where the chicks are coming from. As well as weather and time of year. However, how do you think the farm stores get the chicks they sell local in the store. It is unfortunate but something that happens. There really aren't many options for someone trying to get into a certain breed or color other than having them shipped.

I do not buy shipped chicks. Honestly I think it is cruel to ship them. I wouldnt even ship a plant let alone a baby chick. It is 550 miles from Ideal to mid mississippi. With one day old chicks sent by USPS it is lucky that any make it. I dont understand why people are so surprised to find a box full of dead chicks. I have read posts on here where people ship from Ohio to Texas in the middle of August and blame the hatchery for the DOA package. You really should know better than to order shipped chicks in the dead of winter or middle of summer. Sorry for your loss. Maybe there is a hatchery closer to you or you could buy local.

 

[EweSheep]

Believe me, plants tolerate even better than chicks. USPS has been delivering THOUSANDS of chicks per year at a given time for almost a hundred years. ONLY a few would have chick losses. Its part of the deal when you want shipped chicks. I've shipped chicks and started birds, sending and receiving them, I have not had huge losses like some of you had to deal with chicks. No losses in started or adult birds. Weather, delays all played a factor in it. The pros outweigh the cons when you want a certain breed that is hard to find, wasting hundreds of dollars on hatching eggs and most of the time you would get refunds on DOA chicks from a hatchery.

All we can do is to reorder and hope for the best that Mother Nature and the USPS staff will deal with it appropriately. Baby chicks are pretty resilient when it comes to mailing. Chicks can survive up to three days without food, its a known fact.

I do not buy shipped chicks. Honestly I think it is cruel to ship them. I wouldnt even ship a plant let alone a baby chick. It is 550 miles from Ideal to mid mississippi. With one day old chicks sent by USPS it is lucky that any make it. I dont understand why people are so surprised to find a box full of dead chicks. I have read posts on here where people ship from Ohio to Texas in the middle of August and blame the hatchery for the DOA package. You really should know better than to order shipped chicks in the dead of winter or middle of summer. Sorry for your loss. Maybe there is a hatchery closer to you or you could buy local.

 

[slatemnt_farmer]

I order from Ideal all the time. I had some rocks shipped yesterday and just got them this morning. out of the 25 i ordered all 26 are doing great. The only problem i ever have with the postal service is how ruff they can be on hatching eggs during shipment.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thank God for the USPS. Without them, the only way to get birds that aren't available locally would be to drive across the US and back again. Not really an option for most people.
Barring something unusual, I don't consider it cruel at all to ship them. Have you ever seen the brutal jostling they get the first week in a flock setting? Healthy robust chicks are very rugged.
I agree that shipping when it's below freezing or in summer is a bad idea.

 

[SteveBaz]

Very sad to hear that I am sure they will do you right. Say you are a member of the BYC and they get a lot of business from this board. I am positive they will get it right. If you live in a rural area you must say you live in a off beat area. Best of luck to you.