I ordered chicks for the first time...

[risurocket]

If you don't get a call by 7 tomorrow morning, call and raise heck with McMurray. I believe they have Sat hours.

I discovered from reading my box with all its packaging stamps and whatnot that mine came from Texas too.

I think that maybe they do that so they travel through warmer states or something. I am not doing much to comfort, and I am sorry. I feel for you, I really really do... I am still coming down from the adrenaline high. I don't know what breeds you ordered, but depending on what time of day they finished hatching (I got the impression they watch them 24/7 on hatch day) they might have gotten shipped a bit later on and will reach you tomorrow.

I am rooting for you. I know how hard this is. I won't do it again from McMurray, probably, even though mine are still healthy and happy. I think I might just try to hatch my own. Keep us posted.

 

[urbanhatch]

My Sister and I ordered from J.H. Hatchery and received some of the most beautiful Silkies. If you want standard not show quality. Take a look at their offerings. Prompt and very professional service.
http://www.jmhatchery.com/Bamtam-Silkie-Chicks-p2.html

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Think positive.

These hatcheries and the US Postal Service have all been in business for many many years. Hatching, shipping, & delivering chicks, mostly in excellent condition.

Before that, chickens have been surviving for thousands of years. Baby chicks are amazingly resiliant. They're being shipped in a cozy cardboard box lined with nest material and there's enough chicks in the box together to keep each other warm.

The hatcheries and the post office are professionals, and have specific protocol for handling live shipments. Sure there are times when errors are made, but why borrow trouble? There are plenty of reasons why your order could be still in transit, and those chicks can maintain on the strength of their yolk and keep each other warm while they wait.

Don't imagine problems, instead invent stories about what they must be doing to pass the time: swapping chicken jokes, singing camp songs (100 bags of corn in the barn...), chirping "arewethereyet? arewethereyet? arewethereyet?"...

 

[risurocket]

Very good point, Sunny! My DH was giving me pep talks very much like that yesterday. And I totally agree with you... In all my impatience and feeling doom and gloom, I had that in the back of my head. I am just not very good at showing it. DH made up the story of the chicks hitchhiking with signs "New Berlin or Bust!"

And, my chicks did great *and* on the post office note: the lady at the PO counter this morning said in all the years she has been seeing babies come in, she has only seen one DOA. That's pretty amazing. I think she could have sat and had coffee with me all day long watching the little fuzz butts. They do enjoy it when they come in, it's very hard to resist.

Hang in there Farmgirlie...maybe the little guys are waiting in a post office to keep warm on the way. My PO was really really warm and they called me within 5 minutes of their arrival...Do keep us updated.

 

[farmgirlie1031]

The chicks arrived this morning. They went from TX through Kansas City and on to me. There are 6 dead ones

To me that is a lot in an order of 34. My postmaster is a farmer so he brought them inside the moment they arrived and called us to come get them. They were all really cold to the touch but have drank and ate and are all huddled under the heat lamp getting warm. I have been hatching chicks all summer and these don't look like day or even 2 day old chicks to me. They appear to be a week old. If I can figure out my camera phone I will post some photos. My regular camera is broken or I would already have photos up. There are several EE in the mix, some barred rock, white leghorn, BO and RIR. I ordered 3 BO pullets,4 white leghorn pullets, 25 heavy assortment, and 2 EE roos. I have more than 2 EE but that is ok by me. I am just upset 6 were DOA. I won't be ordering chicks again just hatching all my own out instead.

 

[cubalaya]

i ordered from murray mcmurry one time and sandhill once. lost one chick on each shipment. has anyone ordered from randall burkey and what kind of losses?

 

[farmgirlie1031]

Quote:
No, I haven't. These chicks came from murray mcmurry but they shipped them from TX and not IA. I ordered from them so my chicks wouldn't have to travel so far and turns out they did travel far anyways with 6 DOA

I like the randall burkey catalog though and would love to know if people had good luck with them. I won't use murray mcmurry again.

 

[Chickenaddict]

Quote:
I ordered from Ideal over 3 weeks ago 14 chicks, I did NOT get mine overnight, they were in shipping for 2 days!!! When i finally got them there were 2 DOA and 2 more passed within a 2 week period. My PO is great, they call me around 6 am when the chicks arrive and let me pick them up before the PO opens. I sincerily hope everyones chicks arrive safe and sound

to happy healthy chicks. From now on im hatching at home

 

[Chickenaddict]

Awww i missed the last posts

im so sorry for your losses farmgirlie

 

[risurocket]

Quote:
Awww, Farmgirlie.

I am sorry. I lost one today as well and it looks like another one is on its way out. It was a runt.

The other one is really tiny too. *sigh*

I have no idea how old mine are...but DH thought they looked older than a day or 3 (which is what they are supposed to be)....they have feather tipped wings, but all of them are pretty small except for the EE, which I didn't expect to be a day old anyway...since it was the free one...I won't order in the mail anymore either. If they are misleading us on how old our birds are, then how are we supposed to know the right food to give them and stuff.

So sorry to hear about your loss, Farmgirlie. Stay strong and make sure to call McMurray, if you haven't already!!! I assume your PO person saw you open the box? They are supposed to refund DOAs. And I would maybe mention something about the whole shipping fiasco as well.