McMurray's New Shipping Practices...has anyone heard about this?

[IggiMom]

I expect you can overnight chicks but it would be very expensive.

My chicks always come to me in fine shape. I especially like Cackle. I have had good luck with Ideal and Estes, also. I got chicks from Murry M, but it was a long time ago.

Catherine

 

[grandfatherjwv]

My experience is Mc Murry does have a delivery problem. First delivery chicks were weak and most of those not DOA died soon after. Their RE-SHIPMENT was the same. Out of 52 not one chick made it past two weeks, although 10 or 12 deaths was probably my fault. I had had a similar problem with an even earlier shipment which was correctly resolved.

So now I think highly of Meyers and Ideal. They have been very good so far.

 

[Kuvasz]

Incubator, I say.....Incubator.... Avoid the trauma and the abuse.

 

[Mrs MIA]

My experience with MMH has been good. I've had several shipments throughout the last 3 years, and only the first one that I stupidly chose the end of February (it's in the single digits then) had any losses. Even then, the majority of them survived and were very healthy.

 

[Muggsmagee]

I didn't read through the entire thread (yet)...but I want to jump in with my $.02!

I also ordered chicks from McMurray this winter. They said I could have them by February 8th. I asked the customer service rep if that was too soon, I do live in the northeast after all! She reassured me at least 3 times that it is normal, that is why they have a minimum 25 birds to a box...so they keep each other warm. I ordered 32 chicks. February 10th we get a phone call in the early morning from the post office. All of our chicks were DOA.

I was told by the post master that USPS doesn't ship anything on Sundays. Hmmm. She thought the chicks might have sat outside in the freezing cold. That same weekend there was a huge blizzard that hit the Washington DC area, of which may have caused an additional delay. The box they were sent in was huge (too roomy). I called the hatchery. The CSR told me they have a contract with the Postal Service and they are obligated to ship on Sundays. Okay!?! I took her word for it. I reluctantly reordered chicks to be delivered early March. They all arrived alive (phew), however one was deformed, and a few of them weren't the ones I ordered. These commercial hatcheries are over the top ridiculous, and if anyone wants an education on the "factory" processing that goes on, just search for footage on youtube.

I then decided to order hatching eggs, and even though that is risky in itself, you aren't left with the devastation of chicks freezing or starving to death! I have only recieved one additional order of day old chicks, and that was from John W. Blehm. He expressed shipped my order, it costs a heap more than priority, but my chicks got to my PO the day after they were born!!! Ordering hatching eggs is also risky, but you don't have to worry about the chicks freezing or starving to death. This is they way I will go from now on, unless day old chicks are shipped Express!

Might I add that our local post office is wonderful, and were just as devastated as we were. The chicks arrived to them dead...it wasn't their fault. A note was left at the prior transfer station that they were dead. When the order of chicks came through from John, our express mail driver put the box on the floorboard of the truck, near the heater (even though he is extremely allergic to animals) so they would be warm. The news of our ordeal had trickled out into the postal community and everyone took it upon themselves to get our chicks to us safely...one of the pluses to a small town!

I think it's a gamble no matter which road you take. Some postal employees aren't doing their jobs, and some of these massive hatcheries are too big for their britches. If you can, buy locally or from respected breeders and friends. That is why BYC has become such an invaluable tool.

 

[Kuvasz]

Muggsmaggie, So sorry to hear about your experiences with ordering chicks. So sad to think of them freezing to death, starving, and just being alone in a dark box like that, jostled around, maybe dropped, or turned suddenly upside down, who knows......., it must be absolutely horrifying for them, which is why I'm so against shipping. I hope as more and more people read these experiences, the sensitivity to these and all animals will rise, and this practice of shipping live chicks will cease.

It is very enjoyable and satisfying to hatch your own and know that they will have excellent care right from the start. It's a harsh way to enter the world being a chick hatched at a commercial hatchery. I say don't promote it. So happy you are hatching your own, or buying locally!

 

[Muggsmagee]

Kuvasz...if I had found this thread before ordering live chicks, it would have changed my mind. The funny thing about buying locally, most feed stores order their birds from the hatcheries. So, the ironic thing is that sometimes buying locally means you are still supporting the hatcheries!

Hindsight is a funny thing...had I known the results I've been having incubating, I would have ordered hatching eggs from the get go. Anyone who is inexperienced needs to know one thing pertaining to hatching their own fertilized eggs...don't rush into getting the most expensive breeds. Order a few inexpensive eggs and see how the incubating goes. Three weeks will fly by! We all figure out what works best for ourselves, and tweak it along the way. Then proceed with the show quality breeds (usually more expensive). If I had to do it all over again, I would have done it this way.

We are now incubating eggs from birds we've hatched. As I look at the chicks, I know I would never be able to ship them live! The what if factor is too overwhelming for me. Everyone is different. And like I said in the prior post...I did have great results w/ D.O.C. sent Express Mail. IMO shipped hatching eggs are the way to go. And there is great advice here on how to set up your incubators and troubleshoot through the process!

 

[cocosandy]

Quote:
All hatcheries ship overnigh express...its part of the shipping cost. McMurray only doesnt because the post office wont ship overnight on saturday because sunday is not a post office day. Shipping priority on saturday tries to guarantee that birds will arrive monday but its not always so. Its a bad practice and it has to stop....most hatcheries ship overnight on mon, tues. or wed. Thats just it. They charge a flat rate to to ship chicks plus their shipping charges for whatever else you are ordering.
Thats just it...
When we ship adult birds we ship them overnight and its not all that expensive considering what it is...
Shipping is not bad in itself but it must be overnight if possible and adult birds can be sent with a piece of fruit to eat along the way...Ive not had many problem with shipping except with McMurray...

 

[Kuvasz]

Hi again!

My hat is off to you on hatching eggs from chickens you hatched!!! Whoohoo!!!!! I hope to be doing that next year. My babies are just 6 weeks old right now. There are challenges in incubating as you say. I bought fertilized eggs off ebay from 3 different sources over the summer. Total of 40 eggs to have 12 hatch. Out of those, it looks like I've got 4 cockerels! All that said, I'm STILL happy with my decision to have hatched them out because I only wanted 4-6 chickens to begin with. The excitement and the bonding with them was worth it all.

Appreciate your insights and sharing your experiences for us all to learn from.

Just to clarify, when I said 'buy locally', I meant from eggs that were hatched on the premises from someone's backyard farmyard such as yours for instance....not a feedstore. Thanks so much for bringing that up to those who might not know. I'll admit that a week ago, even I was tempted to purchase a beautiful chick or two from Tractor Supply. I'll admit to a weak moment. lol They're SO cute.

 

[cocosandy]

Quote:
Except that you end up with half roosters and have to dispose of them somehow...its fine for farm people who eat the roos but what about the urban chicken people?
My Pet Chicken dot com is the best source I have found for good strong stock, shipped well and overnight. They will ship as few as 5 or 6 birds and they always do great...they give them grogel and a heat pack and they arrive fine. The larger the shipment, the safer the chicks are because of their own body warmth, but in shipping anything fewer than 25 you need a specialty house. Im seeing now that the bigger hatcheries are trying to ship small amounts of chicks. Lets see how that works as time goes on...its a special deal and my experience has been that MPC is the best.
I not only dont use McMurray but I tell my group members to stay away from it. I tend to hatch and when I order I like to order either older birds or from MPC.