Is this too many days for shipped chicks to survive? (4)

[arizona_chicken_noob]

In the past I have ordered from a hatchery in I think Missouri (who specializes in small orders, I don't feel like names are important) and I have been fortunate to get very healthy chicks on Friday. I think they always ship on Wednesday.

This time I'm ordering from Texas and the tracking number says Saturday. I'm optimistic because the local feed store uses this hatchery and has live chicks for sale, but I can't shake the idea I got somewhere that newly hatched chicks are only good for 3 days without food and water after they hatch. Weds, Thurs, Fri....

Do you think they will arrive just fine or are my worries legit? I'm in AZ.

Edit: They hatched today!
Edit 2: I wanted to ask because there are a number of posts about bad shipments with this hatchery on the forum.

 

[Nellie Rose]

In the past I have ordered from a hatchery in I think Missouri (who specializes in small orders, I don't feel like names are important) and I have been fortunate to get very healthy chicks on Friday. I think they always ship on Wednesday.

This time I'm ordering from Texas and the tracking number says Saturday. I'm optimistic because the local feed store uses this hatchery and has live chicks for sale, but I can't shake the idea I got somewhere that newly hatched chicks are only good for 3 days without food and water after they hatch. Weds, Thurs, Fri....

Do you think they will arrive just fine or are my worries legit? I'm in AZ.

Edit: They hatched today!
Edit 2: I wanted to ask because there are a number of posts about bad shipments with this hatchery on the forum.

Which hatchery is it?

I know My Pet Chicken does small shipments. I've gotten chicks from them before.
All I will say is the only time my shipment took 4 days 4 of my chicks passed and the other two were very weak, but survived. I don't say that to scare you, they very well may be perfectly fine.

Also, lately USPS has been very fast, I've had multiple orders now that said 4 days, but they arrived overnight. It depends mostly on USPS.

 

[arizona_chicken_noob]

Thank you @Nellie Rose I completely forgot that USPS is the one who sent me the email with the estimated arrival time on Saturday.

I have re-checked the tracking number and it has already updated to late on Friday, and I guess I thought their first estimate was rock solid and I'm so pleased to find it has moved. Hopefully it can move up again to Friday afternoon, so I can pick them up same day.

Also it is good to know that 4 days is indeed a danger zone and my instinct was correct. But not 100% guaranteed lethal, it sounds like.

 

[Nellie Rose]

Thank you @Nellie Rose I completely forgot that USPS is the one who sent me the email with the estimated arrival time on Saturday.

I have re-checked the tracking number and it has already updated to late on Friday, and I guess I thought their first estimate was rock solid and I'm so pleased to find it has moved. Hopefully it can move up again to Friday afternoon, so I can pick them up same day.

Also it is good to know that 4 days is indeed a danger zone and my instinct was correct. But not 100% guaranteed lethal, it sounds like.

Yeah I mean I think it depends. The yolk takes around 3 days before full absorption, so generally I would say that is safe.

I've only had DOA chicks twice in the 6 years I've been keeping, the first was the aforementioned deaths after waiting 4 days for the package to arrive. That was a bit of a fluke accident because it was in the middle of the 2020 mail in ballot debacle, which basically crippled USPS that summer only a genius of epic proportions could be behind that one SMH, ignore me, I'm bitter because of the deaths of my babies...

The second was last week, I ordered 6 chicks, they hatched and shipped Monday, and unfortunately one was DOA Tuesday morning. This wasn't due to shipping times, the chick was probably weak or got jostled too much during transit. It's sad but it happens, and a good hatchery will refund you or reship.

both times I ordered from My Pet Chicken. I'm very particular about the breeds I keep, and I live in the suburbs so I can't keep a ton of birds, so their breed selection and small order minimums work for me. Any deaths I've had have been refunded, even after their 48 hour health policy, and just today they've offered to reship the bird I lost, with two complimentary birds of my choice, I went with salmon favorolles, since I've always wanted one.

But anyway, do update when the babies arrive!!!
Except for the past three shipments (spread over the last two weeks) and the 2020 cock up, every other order for me has arrived after two days.

Wishing the best! Please post pictures of the babies.

 

[springvalley123]

USPS always puts the delivery date as a day later than actual--i.e., if it says it'll arrive Saturday, it will and is expected to actually arrive Friday. You should call the local post office where you'll be picking up, and make sure they know you're expecting the chicks. Also, you can call the local post office day after tomorrow (they hatched today), around 6 am and the babies should be there. You should also be getting tracking on the package the chicks are in.

 

[Nellie Rose]

USPS always puts the delivery date as a day later than actual--i.e., if it says it'll arrive Saturday, it will and is expected to actually arrive Friday. You should call the local post office where you'll be picking up, and make sure they know you're expecting the chicks. Also, you can call the local post office day after tomorrow (they hatched today), around 6 am and the babies should be there. You should also be getting tracking on the package the chicks are in.

Yes. I would also call.
I forgot, for last week's order with the DOA chick, someone screwed up and my chicks ended up on a mail truck. So while I'm waiting in line to pick up my order, the mail man calls and asks if someone is home to sign for the chicks, even though they were specifically noted to be held for pickup. So yeah I would call.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I live in a small town 30 miles away from a larger one. I have my hatchery deliver to the larger post office with instructions to call me when they arrive there. It saves the chicks a day of travel. When they arrive, the PO calls me, sometimes as early as 5:30 or 6 a.m. I get there by 7 a.m. and pick them up and bring them home. Doing it this way just about guarantees me no losses. I do not give them my home address - delivery is to General Delivery, City Name, State, Zip Code, Phone Number. That way they CAN'T put the chicks on a mail truck and attempt to deliver to your house - while you're trying to pick them up at the post office!

 

[arizona_chicken_noob]

Great news! But preceded by another small scare. I looked at the tracking number predicting late Friday, and saw that the shipment had actually been taken to the post office a day earlier (Tuesday) meaning that Friday was again day 4.

But I thought about what all of you were saying, with the USPS often delivering faster than the tracking indicates, and yes indeed I got the call early today (Thursday).

Here are the little ladies, we have Dominiques, Black and Blue Australorps, and two Jersey Giants just to see how it goes.

If anyone digs up this thread in the future with the same question, don't put as much truth on that tracking date as I did.

 

[Nellie Rose]

Great news! But preceded by another small scare. I looked at the tracking number predicting late Friday, and saw that the shipment had actually been taken to the post office a day earlier (Tuesday) meaning that Friday was again day 4.

But I thought about what all of you were saying, with the USPS often delivering faster than the tracking indicates, and yes indeed I got the call early today (Thursday).

Here are the little ladies, we have Dominiques, Black and Blue Australorps, and two Jersey Giants just to see how it goes.
View attachment 3658098

If anyone digs up this thread in the future with the same question, don't put as much truth on that tracking date as I did.

Yay! So glad. Yeah, USPS has been fast lately. I've asked a couple other people too and while we usually receive our orders after two days lately it has been next morning.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Great news! But preceded by another small scare. I looked at the tracking number predicting late Friday, and saw that the shipment had actually been taken to the post office a day earlier (Tuesday) meaning that Friday was again day 4.

But I thought about what all of you were saying, with the USPS often delivering faster than the tracking indicates, and yes indeed I got the call early today (Thursday).

Here are the little ladies, we have Dominiques, Black and Blue Australorps, and two Jersey Giants just to see how it goes.
View attachment 3658098

If anyone digs up this thread in the future with the same question, don't put as much truth on that tracking date as I did.

Congratulations!! They are adorable!