My chicks may have been "destroyed" by USPS

[Hummingbird Hollow]

My 35 chicks were shipped Wednesday and expected in tomorrow morning. I just got an email from the hatchery stating that there had been a problem with Wednesday's shipping. The Postal Service tried to return half of their shipments yesterday for some reason and when there was no one available to accept them, they destroyed the chicks.

The hatchery isn't sure whether my shipment is alive and arriving tomorrow morning or dead. How very horrible. I went on line and checked on my tracking number and it shows an expected delivery of tomorrow, but that the chicks are in Lancaster, PA...a long way from Colorado Springs, CO. I feel ill.

 

[Vickilynn45]

OMG! I don't know what else to say other than that is absolutely horrible and I'm so sorry!!!!! How could they do such a thing- it makes me sick to my stomach all those poor little babies.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I guess I'll find out tomorrow whether mine were among the chicks who were mishandled and destroyed. I'm holding out hope that they will arrive OK, but either way, I have to imagine that the hatchery sends out way more than mine and their horror and outrage, not to mention loss of revenue must be devastating. They say they'll refund my money if necessary, but that there is no way they can replace the lost chicks in the near future, because they just don't have that many to replace them with. Poor little babies.

 

[Erica]

How absolutely awful.

I just wanted to say though, it was fairly responsible of them to destroy the chicks if the alternative was to leave them suffering in heat/cold. It's a terrible thing, but would have been more terrible for the chicks to slowly expire. I guess it was probably a hard situation for all concerned; I'm not sure what I would have done.

It's awful all round, and I'm so sorry you're left not knowing whether yours are alive or dead.

Erica

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Thanks Erica,

It's 7:36 and I'm counting down the minutes until the Post Office is opened so that I can check with them. My dogs are wondering why they haven't been taken out for their morning walk, but I don't want to risk missing a phone call. Last time I ordered chicks the Post Master called me before the Post Office was even open.

I guess I should tend to the living and keep my fingers crossed about the unknown.

 

[Vickilynn45]

Please let us know what you find out- hoping for the best for you.

 

[Loghousemom]

Wow! I was planning to mail order chicks this year and I have been reading so many problems that it makes me really worry! I was thinking to go this route next year, but maybe I will just have to look for someone nearby willing to sell me some when I am ready for more.

I sure hope everything turns out for the best.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

The Postmaster called me at 7:55 and I was down to the post office by 8:07! They arrived on time and alive. One looks a little "wobbly" but he/she has had several drinks of water, and now I'm not sure which one it was, since about half are napping under the heat lamp and the other half are either eating or drinking.

My sympathy for the hatchery and for all of those other folks who will be receiving bad news today, but my babies are OK.

 

[EweSheep]

Glad they are hanging on. Did the USPS indicate what went wrong?

One thing I don't like about the hatchery's single band on the chick box. Who knows how many would be stolen, dropped, chicks falling out of it, etc.

Hope they will improve the securing the chick box so no chicks will fall out, missing, etc.

 

[Vickilynn45]

That is amazingly wonderful news!!!!!! Yay! I'm happy for you, and so sad for the others.