I am sooo mad!!! Crazy post office people won't cooperate! Questions!!

[Willow's Meadow]

So we went to our local post office today to say that we are exspecting some chicks in the mail. They said oh we will deliver them to your house. We said that we'll just pick them up at the post office. they demanded that they'd deliver them. This is my first time ordering chickens, so I'm nervous as it is. Has anyone had this happen to them before? Has anyone had there chicks delivered to their house? I am going to call the post office in the morning and demand that I MUST pick my chicks up. This is what Cackle Hatchery says on there website: "Each post office has their own policy. We put on your box all the phone numbers you gave to us and we instruct the post office to call you. You should call the post office on the day you expect the delivery of the chicks. Delivery can be 1-3 days." It also says that Cackle encourages everyone to just pick there chicks up at the post office. I'm not sure what the problem is. Would the chicks just be thrown in the mail truck with a ton of letters and paper and be dropped off whenever they reached my house on their route? I don't want my chicks to be bumping along in the back of a hot truck all day long with a bunch of mail!!!!!!!!

 

[chickenmeadow]

I too have some being delivered from a hatchery. The hatchery stated that I should open the box at the post office to see if any had expired, so the postoffice could witness & fill out a form to the hatchery (hoping that the form is attached to the box) for a refund on cost of the chick/s in question. My post office didn't even offer to transfer to my address, I'm glad they didn't. I'll just be glued to my phone/s for tomorrow & have my brooder with heat lamp & sugar water (1-2 tblsp per quart of warm water) ready to perk them up right away. I too would be concerned about the chicks going for an additional joy ride in the mail truck/car. Give them your cell phone # & say you won't be home, but rather running errands in town. I'm nervous with anticipation too, but those little chicks are pretty tough. Good luck with that, hope they're all beautiful!

 

[noodleroo]

Did you talk to the Post Master at your PO? If the postmaster told you this, there is another way; get a box of doughnuts or cupcakes or cookies and go talk to the other postal workers. Tell them that you are expecting chicks and you'd really appreciate a call so you can come pick them up. Be sure to write your name, number and 'baby chicks tomorrow' on the box, too. I got 3 calls the morning my chicks arrived!

 

[growanstede]

My post office was the same way--our chicks spent around 6 hours on a mail truck on the day of their arrival. They're doing fine. Generally post offices have a policy that express mail (chicks are mailed express) get to the delivery address by noon they day it comes into the office. Generally the larger cities won't allow you to come into the post office because where they come in is a sorting center, and not generally a place where post office business is conducted. They should be fine! And you can always meet the mail truck in the driveway and open the box there so the carrier can check with you if there are any lost chicks.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

We always notify the po that we have chicks comming, and we will pick them up. Never had any problems.

 

[Doodle_Doo]

I've had them delivered everyday to my house but I have always been called and a lady in a white post oofice pickup comes specialy to drop them off..they call when they arrive and when I say I will be home I have them within the hour at home..but the lady their is very kind and she has chickens of her own and always brings them because she knows that being in the truck all morning can damage them and possibly kill them..best to just surprise them and pick them up..

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

I always call my post office the day before the chicks are due to arrive and let them know that I'll be picking them up. Then the morning they are due - I call at 7a.m.sharp - the time they start answering the phone - double check that they are there and then head into town. I've done the same thing for the last four years and have no trouble whatsoever.

 

[Elite Silkies]

My PO always calls me and if I want them to, they will bring them right over. I have some very nice PO Employees, they are all super friendly and helpful. I've only had chicks and birds delivered 3 times, but they were great.

Of course I live in a small town, so I think that really makes a difference sometimes.

 

[write2caroline]

I had my own postal fiasco - They thought the package had ducks and took my girls for a day long ride -
Perhaps they didn't read the address? I came in every day asking and got the same rude lady saying We will call you when they come in in the morning. Well I finally got the call 5 minutes before they closed. Uh they goofed and will be driving them to my home....

I feel your pain.

I hope mine are okay - 5 were not looking so good - Just checked and now it is just 3 I am keeping a close eye on.
Caroline

 

[pkw]

My local post office is a contracted post office so I drive 25 miles to the hub post office where all the trucks come in and they seperate the boxes and mail going out to the surrounding cities. Any how, the hub post office always calls me immediately when my chicks comes off the truck. My local post office mail carrier is wonderful to deliver my shipped eggs to my door even if the eggs comes after hours.

If you could find out where the hub post office is in your state, maybe you could talk to them there and make the drive to pick them up. That is just how it works in my area so I don't know if it is like the everywhere else.

I have always gotten the call from the post office between 6 am and 7am.