Leaving brand new chicks alone while I'm at work

[kortmom]

My chicks are to be mailed out from My Pet Chicken on Mon May 6th. I live in Mass so I would think they should arrive sometime Tuesday. What do others do about going to work during the first week? My husband gets out of work at 4 and could go to the post office Tuesday at 4 if the chicks are there. He would be willing to dip their beaks in water and put them in their brooder for me if he HAD to. If the chicks arrived at the post office say Wedn morning and had to sit there until 4 when my husband gets out would that be ok? Would their survival rate be hindered by sitting at the post office a few hours until one of us got out of work? Also, is it ok for me to go to work and leave them the following day or should they be supervised for a certain period of time for the first few weeks?

 

[debid]

(Cough-cough-sniff...) You may have an illness coming on.

I've always picked up chicks on Saturday morning and then had two days of frequent checking before being away but you do what you have to do. I'd avoid having them wait at the post office if at all possible. They may leave them in a chilly back room. They normally arrive EARLY in the AM so 4PM would be a long wait. Perhaps you can ask at the PO to be notified when they arrive and get them before work?

 

[TLWR]

They may arrive early Wed am. Be ready for the PO to call you before 6. Go get them. Have their brooder set up and ready prior to the call so you can just plop them in there after inspecting them, get them some water and food and you can head on to work. Or go in late if you want to observe for a while, but they will be fine without you with them all day.
But get them asap from the PO. As soon as they get there.

 

[kortmom]

I called the post office this morning. They told me that the chicks would either get to the post office in their 4:30 a.m. delivery or their 6:30 a.m. delivery or their 4:30 afternoon delivery on Tues or Wedn. Nothing will come between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. They will call me as soon as they arrive so I can pick them up. He siad they call right away because the chirping drives them crazy.

This works out perfectly because if they come in the morning it will be way before I have to leave for work so I can turn the brooder on the day before and have everything heated up for them, get them home and get them drinking and eating and check for pasting and get them all settled in before I have to leave for work at 9. And I will see if my mother can stop in during the day to check on them.

I feel relieved. My chick venture has cost us several hundred dollars in coop and run building and the supplies for them. I really don't want to lose income by taking days off if I don't absolutely have to. Obviously, I would if it were absolutely necessary. The health of my chicks is very important to me. I'm only getting 6 and I want all 6 to thrive!

I will post back the week of the 6th and let you all know how it went and how everyone is doing. I am so nervous/excited. It's like Christmas morning.