Chicks shipped yesterday...nervous wreck

[homesteadmomma]

My chicks were supposed to be shipped yesterday. I haven't received anything from the hatchery letting me know they have. I'm not sure if that's normal or not, so that doesn't have me overly concerned. What does have me a bit concerned is whether or not my post office will call. Or if maybe they have already made it to the distribution center today, and that instead of worrying I could just go pick them up. Why didn't I listen to the stresses of ordering through a hatchery? Right now I just feel sick to my stomach wondering if they are ok. Is this normal, first time jitters? Or does this happen every time? I don't handle stress well and I'm pretty sure I couldn't do this again. Any promising words or advice would be great right now

 

[Melinda35]

You are definitely not alone. This happens to everyone except me.

I am only 30 minutes from Ideal so I can just go pick them up!

I would suggest calling your post office and tell them you are expecting chicks in the mail. They will tell you exactly what will happen when they arrive. Most likely you will get a call at about 6 a.m. when they arrive. You might want to give your phone number to the post office just in case the hatchery forgot to put it on the box.

The sight of the cute fuzzy butts will take all your worries away! Have your camera ready for when they arrive so you can share with the rest of us.

 

[VkyVky]

I called the hatchery to before ordering my chicks just to talk to a person about it and get reassurances. I intended to order online, but it wasn't working, so I called again. This really helped me feel good about the process. The woman I talked to answered my questions and was very friendly. She told me they had very good delivery results from their way of packaging small orders. I am looking forward to picking up healthy chicks at the post office June 1st.

 

[Alabama ee]

What hatchery did you order from?

So far, I have ordered from 4. McMurray Hatchery was the first, then Mt Healthy, My Pet Chicken, and just 2 days ago Ideal.

With McMurray, it was many years ago. I don't think they sent a notice out. HOwever, they did tell me when they were coming when I ordered. HOwever, all the birds
got here ok. They had a long trip and did need to have a few days to recover. They sent one extra that turned out to be a Polish roo.

The ones I bought from MT Healthy I received last year. They sent an e-mail notice, and also a notice through regular mail. The ones from them were just that..very Healthy. I also received several extras that were PULLETS. I was told that they only ship pulets unless you order roos or mixed. The chicks nearly jumped out of the box. Every single one of the birds did well. It was very cold when they were shipped, but it must have been well packed. They also had a shorter travel time. They sent them all Express. (They dId not charge me extra for the express shipping!)

With My Pet Chicken, I never got my order. I am not sure what happened. I did call, and they said they did not show an order.

This time I ordered from Ideal. I only wanted a few, and their policy is that as long as the order adds up to 25 dollars before shipping. I am not sure about them yet..it will not get here until later. You can request with them, which I did, that you only want pullets and no males. You have to pay a couple dollars extra for insurance but that is ok. Their prices are still very good.

If you don't get a notice, you may want to call.

 

[TouchO'Lass]

I got my peeps from Cackle Hatch. They shipped early on a Wednes, on Thurs I went to the PO to let them know and give an alternate phone #; PO called when the truck arrived at 0825 Fri morn. Didn't hear from CH since they first gave me a ship date weeks earlier.

BUT, 2000 miles from the hatchery to our town and all were well!

Stressfull, I know. My good friend is a PostMaster nearby, and she said they are always pretty quick to call because the poor little guys are peeping so loud it's heartbreaking!

Best of luck!!

 

[chrissybop]

I also went to my PO and gave the lady my name and # told her what I was expecting. What I wasn't ready for is when they called the next day and said my chicks were here! Talk about a scramble to get food and water ready, heat lights on. I thought it would be a 2 day ship but it was less than 24 hrs. Exciting times are ahead!!!

 

[chickensinwasillaAK]

I've been getting mine from McMurray. They told me a delivery date, at 5:30 in the morning the PO called and told me to get out there and get my chicks.

They want these out fast so they call as soon as they arrive and want me there pronto. I got there and they had them placed below one of the roof heaters, chicks were loving it. Lost one in shipment in that box but it's expected with me.

Hope all your fuzzy butts arrive safe and sound!

 

[homesteadmomma]

I ordered from Estes Hatchery. They were one of the closest hatcheries from Indiana with decent prices. Yesterday was the shipping date they gave me. Said they should be here no later than tomorrow. I have called the local PO to let them know that there should be a live animal delivery today or tomorrow, and also left my home phone and a neighbors just in case I missed the call. I don't have an answering machine so I was scared I would miss it. I figure they will be here tomorrow, but the thought of them sitting by themselves all day scares me a bit. Or that they will somehow be missed. I'm almost hoping they don't come today because I have 16 2 week olds in the brooder that the new ones will be moving into. At least at a couple days old, I should be able to find a box to put them in temporarily until I move the chicks around. I was going to move the 2 weekers in with the 5-6 weekers, but the older ones weren't kind and I was scared that there might be some injuries. Then I was going to move the older ones out to the coop but it's supposed to get cold again this weekend, and we haven't done any temperature tests since the weather has been so nice....

So I might just have to have two big plastic bins in the living room for another couple weeks. And leave the oldest chicks in the outdoor brooder until I get things straightened out. What was I thinking?

 

[ginormous chicken]

I got mine Wed. shipped monday. I was such a wreck when I didn't get anything Tues. that I took a staw poll on BYC to see who got them on Tues. and who got them on Wed. !

I ordered from MPC, which is meyers. It was hard. Hang it there! They'll come, call your PO make sure they will call. I pestered my PO.

 

[llaaadyel]

I ordered from McMurray this year and received my order on Monday. Everything went very well but I was still a mess all weekend worrying.

I did not get a notice from the hatchery however I was checking my order every day so I knew they had shipped on Friday.

I went to the post office to tell them I was expecting a delivery and made sure they had my number even though it was on the package.

I didn't get a call from them Monday morning and I got impatient at 8:30 so I called them and they told me they had arrived. Needless to say I was pretty mad.

I picked them up by 9 and all was good.

The waiting is the hardest part.