i got a zillion roos

[bockbock2008]

You could just post an ad here on BYC for free chicks and list which part of state you were in so someone close could pick them up. It would be costly to ship them.

 

[milo2145]

ok guys - thanks for your replies - i have pretty much worked out what breed they are - my husband happened to comment on their little feather booties - so i looked up what breed have feathered feet only on the outside, and they are almost def light brahma's - still got to get rid of them tho
- to coop crazy - i will see if my friend who has a feed store will take them first, you live a very long way from me, i am in texas. so it would be a little far to ship i believe - but thanks for offering

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
Im sure you know the chicks need each other for heat during shipping if there is no outside source . Its been discovered by experience that 25 is a safe minimum number . If I only want to pay for 8 hatchery quality chicks plus a penalty for a small order , I certainly do not expect to have any choice on the sex or breed of the chicks they added for heat . It would be my choice of snippiing the extra's heads off , selling them , giving them away , or feeding them out to eat . If I want to decide the breed and sex of the entire box , I will pay for 25 chicks and order the amount of the breed I want plus extra , and/or pick and pay for another breed and sex that I can sell either before or after they arrive . I guess some dealers are now shipping small orders with an added heat pack ; cost per chick is higher but the buyer does not have the decision making process of dealing with the extras . By the way , did you figure what the cost of those packing peanuts are ?

 

[Goose and Fig]

Sure- the packing peanuts are for heat- but she's in the same state as the hatchery! I think that's an unnecessary burden to surprise someone with. Some of the other hatcheries will ship less than 25- but you have to pay extra for express mail. That 35 bucks is well worth (to me anyway) not having to rehome or grow out a bunch of birds that you didn't want in the first place.

 

[milo2145]

yep - i paid extra for a small order - i did not want any choice in the breeds of the extra chicks, simply that if i am going to give them away it would be nice to say this is a such and such, rather than i have no clue what the breed of this bird is but do you want it.
- i live less than 2 hours from the hatchery, so i did not think the chicks for warmth thing was really necessary. i am only set up for a small number of chicks so it was a big surprise to have so many in the box.

the cost of the packing peanuts is $1.53 each - but i now have had to buy another tote box to put them in, another feeder another waterer and pay gas to take them to the feed store tommorow - which thank goodness has taken them off me.

thanks for your (slightly uppity) reply

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
I don't intend to deal with Ideal so don't know if they offer that option or not . I am guessing the OP ordered by regular delivery and was expecting extras because they attempted to have females only included , so can only assume they ordered by normal delivery which [ if the hatchery is near by ] may be within 24 hrs but 8 little babies can cool off and be sick or dead in less time . Experience with the U.S.P.S. has taught me that a package may take the same time to travel 200 miles as it does to be delivered 1000 miles . IMO , if Ideal sent White Rocks when Barred Rocks were ordered , they still owe the OP 8 Barred Rocks ; and the OP should expect another 17 or 18 extra males sent with them unless they have the option of ordering express delivery and willing to pay . I may very well be wrong , but really don't see how Ideal was at fault for anything other than possibly sending the wrong variety . I do understand and sympathize with the OP's frustrations with getting experienced in ordering from hatcheries . I hope they get their barred rocks and find a suitable solution for the extra unwanted chickies .

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
I wasn't being uppity- I was agreeing with you

 

[milo2145]

oops sorry!

 

[PunkinPeep]

milo, i live in Coldspring, and i'm already set up brooding someone else's packing peanuts.

if your feed store friend can't use them, keep me i mind. i have plenty of room.

 

[MuranoFarms]

Quote:
Maybe next time ask if you can pick up your order? Many of us have driven farther for chicks!

Or put them on craigslist for $1 each. Somebody will buy them.