Mail Order Chicks Dying!!

[Conchis]

I don't know what happened to your chicks and I am so sorry. I will tell you that the USPS ships bees to me from time to time. The last time they did, they put the bees at the bottom of a stack of boxes and piled boxes around every side of them so that they literally ran out of oxygen. It's difficult to say what happened to your chicks, but I know how you're feeling.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Terrible experience. DId they have a heat pack in with them? I've ordered from Meyer before with never a problem. They are usually a little tired but perk up right away with some Save-A-Chick, warmth and rest. They ship air mail to the west coast, I'm in CA too and I always have them in less then 24 hours. Mine flew into Sacramento and then came on the truck to my local PO about three hours away.

I am sorry you had such a discouraging experience.

 

[jdywntr]

Very sorry for your experience. I've only ordered ducklings from a hatchery. They went from CA to FL in October with no problem. I did lose a few but I don't know if it was my inexperience at the time or shipping.
I know many people have good experiences with just about every hatchery but some have bad too. I would probably avoid getting any at this time of year. Too cold.

I have only bought chicks from breeders or local resellers (order alot and sell extras). I always figure that way I don't need to deal with shipping losses and I get them at a few days old when they're a bit stronger. I think the difference in price is worth it.

Again, sorry. I would make sure that you let them know you want a refund not more chicks. I don't know their policy but I think it would be cheaper for them that way anyway.

 

[sparrker]

Its not always the hatcheries fault, sometimes its the USPS fault. THey might have been kept cold too long or handled rough

Last week it was zero degrees out. IMO to cold to ship chicks.. Those trucks are not heated and traveling down the road I'm sure they get even colder. I had no problem with Meyer or privett hatchery in NM

 

[Jakoda]

Also sorry for your loss, and I agree with others. My chicks came from Meyer the beginning of June, I am in CT, and they arrived overnite..one did pass away (think she was trampled) but the rest very very healthy now beautiful chickens.

I also would think this is a bad time of the year to ship day old chicks with the weather, and have heard more horror stories about UPS practices than he hatchery itself.

 

[gg706]

I just ordered chicks from Meyer. They had a better selection of what I wanted and had actual pictures of the breeding stock. I thought I would never order from a hatchery! But I don't want to deal with ordering 25 chicks and having to deal with all the roosters. The price of chicks from breeders is high too. So I decided I am going to try Meyer. Hopefully it works out. Crossing my fingers!

 

[llevise]

Sorry about your experience.

I have been raising chicks for my entire life. I have ordered from just about every hatchery there is and 99% of them are good and have healthy chicks. Meyers is one of my favorite hatcheries.

When you order chicks, they are taking Baby Birds that just hatched, putting them in a dark box with no food or water and no heat or cold control. Add to that the fact that Postal Service employees don't always handle them correctly and it is completely amazing that most of them make it to their destination just fine.

This past week I ordered from 2 hatcheries. The chicks in both boxes were chilled. But one box was soaked on the bottom and half the chicks were dead. The rest are doing fine. The hatchery didn't cause the cold and definitely didn't get the box wet. I called the hatchery and they credited me for the lost birds. This time of year is just hard on shipping chicks. A lot of the hatcheries are in states that are cold, and even if they aren't, I live somewhere cold. The summer can be just as bad because the chicks can overheat or literally cook if they get set somewhere in the sun. Hatcheries expect that you might lose a bird or two, that is why they give you extras.

Almost all Feed and Farm stores order their chicks from mail order hatcheries. They can get an order in of chicks in poor condition and you won't ever know it. They can look healthy and happy but still have been severely stressed and not thrive. I prefer to order my own in so I'm not buying birds from somewhere and someone who generally doesn't know much about chickens.

Chilled chicks need electrolyte in the water, which needs to be lukewarm (like a baby bottle). You need a thermometer in the brooder at chick level, and it needs to be at 95 degrees. They need to be shown the water (dip their beaks) and the ones that aren't drinking need to be monitored. Make sure they are under the heat and dip their beaks every half hour or so. Chicks that are drinking can then be fed. Water in more important than food. Make sure to keep any pasty butts cleaned so the birds can relieve themselves. Hard boiled eggs mashed can be a great first food.

 

[The Chickeneer]

The seven that are alive seem better, still slugish though. I still cant believe 20 died. They seem to be eating and drinking alright, I put some ACV in the water. For whomever asked, there was not a heat pack in the shipping box, is it something you ask them for or do they put it in automatically? I ordered a brown egg laying assortment, and all the survivors look of the same breed, must be a tough breed. They are black with a white spot on their head. Barred Rock maybe?

Meyer replied to my e-mail, they said to call them back tomorrow and said "we can issue a credit on your account with us for any future order, OR we can refund your credit card, OR we can reship at no charge if/when available."


I am trying to consider all the options, what does the one about issuing a credit to my account mean? And for the people who have gotten this, which is best? I feel that since i paid for 25 chicks, I should get them, but i wouldn't want get a reshipment and put those chicks through what these went through.

 

[gg706]

Issuing a credit will mean they will apply your refund to your account at the hatchery then when you reorder you can use that money toward your purchase.

 

[Cknldy]

A credit to your acct means if you order in the future from them you'll already have that amt paid. If you're really wanting the chicks you can tell them when you'd like them shipped (if available at that time) and you can choose a time when the weather is warmer. I would be just as disappointed and initially want to write off the hatchery too but most posters here are probably right if you think about it. Bad weather en route and mishandling by postal service. I'd check into a written complaint to postal service in hopes that any future shipped birds get better care.