Meyer hatchery shipping

[ChickNanny13]

Yes! Strangely enough, the post office didn’t call me to let me know they arrived. At about 8am the delivery man dropped them off at my gate.
The three little chicks are doing great. They were probably a little heated rather than chilled because of the heat where I am, but they are in the brooder now and look very healthy.

Wow you all get door delivery? Here we sit/wait for a call from the Post Office to pick up, no delivery. A friend of mine tried ordering from McMurray, out of the 16 only 6 survived. he ordered more along with the replacements (30), again bad results; 15 survived. She getting a refund, it was torture waiting; USPS & our Dept of Ag is an extra day held over

 

[GuineaFowling]

I wasn’t expecting them to be delivered either. When I spoke to the lady at the post office yesterday, she said she’d call me when they arrive so I can pick ‘em up.

USPS is the worst and I don’t think I’ll be ordering chicks again due to their horrible service. I didn’t have any DOAs but the chicks did sit at their facility for an awful long time and if the weather was any hotter or colder I’m sure the babies wouldn’t have been as lively.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Glad everything turned out okay.

 

[MandaH]

Happy to hear your chicks arrived safely

 

[TwoShepherds]

Glad your chicks arrived safely! I had a good experience with Meyer's, all 13 chicks arrived alive and well, despite our local USPS, which was terrible. They were almost impossible to reach by phone (they will not answer). I had to go down in person to talk to them, and they were unhelpful and unconcerned. The morning the chicks came, they didn't call to tell me, I had to find out by watching the tracking info online. Later, I found out they had called my alternate number. Ultimately, I guess I can't complain because all the chicks arrived alive and well within about 24 hours, but our local USPS did nothing to make the experience less stressful or more pleasant. I may never order by mail again because of that, though I have nothing bad to say about Meyer's.

 

[Maugwa]

The good folks from the federal govt don’t like dealing with plebes... er... I mean customers... I got their number from a message one of their early morning clerks left when she called me at 0200 to let me know my meaties had arrived. That was fine, but Cackle hadn’t notified me the chicks had shipped (as they usually do). I thought they’d messed up my order and didn’t expect to get the chicks at all but was waiting until the arrival date to call them. So I wasn’t expecting a call, and certainly not at 0200. They usually wait until they open at 0800 and then call. Anyway I grabbed the number and went right down (an hour’s drive). There they were, my wee red meaties. They’re in the freezer now and very tasty.

If it’s too stressful ordering direct, you’d be astonished at the variety of chicks your local Ag supply can special order for you. I just picked up 30 CX from the small store I now frequent, on this past Friday. SO much easier!

Earlier in the so-called “spring,” I got buff geese and some BBW turkeys from Runnings. They pick up from the PO and I can drive in and get them at the shop later in the day when it’s convenient for me, knowing they’re being well-cared for. And while they’re a bit more expensive, there’s no postage to add in, and even if you only want a few, no small-order charge. I may never order direct again.

This is what I've done too. I was in my local farm store looking at chicks once and saw in one of their brooder tanks chicks labeled "special order, not for sale". I also seen on their signs of the breeds on other tanks, down below all the breed information, that they were Hoover's chicks. My biggest problem as far as ordering chicks through the mail is the nature of my job - It's hard for me to say for sure, even sometimes a day or two in advance, where my work will take me, or even what time in the early am I'll need to leave to get there. Special order sounded good to me. I spoke to the person at the store and placed an order, six of these, and six of those (no extra charge for small order). There was some store mark up, but it was only a few bucks altogether, and worth it - probably was cheaper than shipping. Sure enough the day that my chicks came, I was 200 miles from home. I called the store and they had all came in and were fine. I ended up not getting them until the next day when I came home. The convenience for me of letting the store get my birds, and put them in their brooder with feed and water until I could get there was well worth it. Their broody tanks are sort of in a corral in the store, customers can see, but not touch. A year later, I went in with a Hoover catalog, and showed them my choices - same great results. This is just a Spring thing at that store. I wouldn't ask unless they had all their brooders out. I see other special orders there often too. I've not lost any of two orders - I wonder if some did arrive DOA? I don't think they'd charge me IDK?

 

[CindyinSD]

Pretty sure they wouldn’t charge you or even have to pay for any DOA chicks themselves. Hatcheries often send extra chicks in case of casualties but if they don’t, they’ll typically reimburse you for DOAs.

 

[ChicksinMT]

Just in defense of the USPS and especially my local post office—they are great! When I order chicks I get a phone call at 6:20 am and a smile when I get there. One time I didn’t get the call but I went down to see because tracking said they had left the distribution center. The chicks weren’t there—but they investigated and they’d been sent to a town an hour away on accident—some how the post office got those chicks to my small town that day—even though we normally have just one truck in. I felt like everyone involved went the extra mile.

 

[Aunt Angus]

USPS is the worst and I don’t think I’ll be ordering chicks again due to their horrible service. I didn’t have any DOAs but the chicks did sit at their facility for an awful long time and if the weather was any hotter or colder I’m sure the babies wouldn’t have been as lively.

I know this is kind of an older thread, but I won't EVER have chicks shipped again. Of 12, 7 of mine died last month. Saddest thing ever to open a box of dead babies. My local post office is fantastic. It's the shipping stress that's terrible. From now on, if I get chicks, it will be from a local breeder or a local store.

But I am super glad your babies arrived safe!

 

[Aunt Angus]

I know this is kind of an older thread, but I won't EVER have chicks shipped again. Of 12, 7 of mine died last month. Saddest thing ever to open a box of dead babies. My local post office is fantastic. It's the shipping stress that's terrible. From now on, if I get chicks, it will be from a local breeder or a local store.

But I am super glad your babies arrived safe!

Had to comment because I ordered chicks again. Most places near me are not selling live birds this year. Those that are have large minimums. It sucks. Hopefully, I didn't just make a huge mistake.

Ironically, I found this old post of mine searching for reassurance.

Maybe I'll cancel that order tomorrow. Idk. I'm so conflicted....