How long can chicks survive cool temps?

[Pinx]

I had some replacement chicks coming in from the hatchery, and too be honest I completely forgot about them

until I checked my email yesterday evening and had a confirmation email from the hatchery that they had been sent on Wednesday. It took 2 days last time so I thought I was lucky and would be up first thing this morning to receive the phone call from the PO. Well I looked at my phone when I woke up and it was dead, NO WONDER why it hadn't been ringing off the hook like usual for the past 2 DAYS

. I just thought no one had anything to tell me lol. Anyway I plugged the phone in and had 2 voicemails from the post office saying that my chicks came in on a late truck. So my question... which may be a very stupid question, but this whole situation got me thinking as I have nothing else to do but wait 2 hours for the PO to open to see if I still have living chicks and ducklings.

I know its common to get chicks sent and the be "in the mail" for 2 days, does the post office take any care in at least trying to keep them warm? Or do they just have to huddle up no matter how cold it is?
Also how long can chicks survive cool temps, as in 60's - 70's? This question is just because I was wondering about if chicks ever got "lost" in the mail and if they would make it or die of starvation before they died of... not being warm enough.

The low last night was 65 here and I'm sure the PO isn't colder then that... Just wondering about how my fluffy butts are holding up, feeling horrible that I forgot about them and they could have been in a nice warm brooder all night

. I feel horrible, even though the last chicks had to stay in the mail this long last time, but I had 3 chicks and 2 ducklings DOA or dead before I could get them to the brooder. I guess I just feel bad cause I couldn't help the chicks before, that was out of my control... but these have a horrible mama that forgot them. I don't think I'm cut out for this "chicken business".

Someone please tell me I'm not the first to forget I had chicks coming? Pretty please?

 

[Ridgerunner]

The reason many hatcheries have a minimum number they will ship is that they want enough chicks to keep each other warm. They generate a lot of heat in that box. Some hatcheries will provide some "packing peanuts" (extra chicks) if the weather is expected to be cool to help keep each other warm.

The way the hatcheries that ship a fairly small number of chicks do it is to provide a separate heat source to help keep them warm. That is part of why it costs so much more.

I don't know how many you have in that shipment or how they were shipped, so I cannot tell you if you should be worried or not. Normally, I don't worry about them being too cool.

 

[JodyJo]

the previous poster is right...let us know how it goes...I hope they all made it...they have enough "food" to survive 2 days, already built up inside, but the temps is another story....good luck!

 

[equinelyn]

Did you pick them up? How did everything go?

 

[Pinx]

Yes I did pick them up, PO let me in early to get them. There was one dead when they arrived last night, one of the PO workers tried to give them water and I guess left the water in there and one of my chicks drowned. It was weird cause they threw the chick away that they accidently drowned but left the chick that was DOA. I've been struggeling with 2 weak chicks all day but still

that they make it.
I told my husband that I was the kiss of death as far as chicks go here lately, as soon as my name is slapped on them its like they have the "ok" to die.

I had 2 ducklings and 9 chicks in that shipment, no packing peanuts.

 

[equinelyn]

I'll keep my fingers crossed!

 

[Pinx]

The two I have been trying to keep alive today died... all the rest look like they are goind great, I took the two ducklings out for a swim and they perked right up. They had their own slip and slide going with a rock I had in the tub. Up one side... dive splash off the other.

Cute little boogers! The chicks are content to play in the shavings and lounge around all day.