OK. Now I'm worried...

[SunnyDawn]

I'm expecting 50 purebred ameraucana chicks from Chick Hatchery in less than 2 weeks (John Blehm's birds) and I am sharing the order with 7 other people. I'm worried now because I've been reading these posts that talk about folks being happy when they only have a couple of dead chicks in the order. What do I do if there are dead chicks? All of them are spoken for! Has anyone here ordered from John Blehm?

 

[Illia]

I have not ordered from him, but honestly the dead chick thing is all about location. People like to judge normal hatcheries based on the health of the chicks they received when that has nothing to do with the hatchery itself. . . I just got 30 Araucana chicks (real ones) from South Carolina 3 weeks ago, and didn't have DOA chicks, but a couple died hours later. It was a LONG journey from SC to Washington, so I expected it and moved on.

I think it has a lot to do with location and time of ordering - By now you shouldn't have to worry about weather, so I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

I wouldn't worry. I was at the feed store when the owner received her shipment of chicks from McMurray...all the way to rural San Diego County. 90 birds, all live and well!!

 

[SunnyDawn]

THANK YOU!!! I feel a lot better now. It is quite a ways from Michigan to Western Nevada though. I guess if some don't make it they will have to come out of my seven.

 

[Laurieks]

I hope he throws in extras!
You've busted your **** setting up this order, you shouldn't have to take the loss! I'd think the group would agree to spread it out if any expire en route.

for your babies. I like to think, being a higher caliber hatchery, that his chicks will do very well.

 

[SunnyDawn]

That's what I'm hoping. Thanks Laurieks.

 

[Happy Chooks]

They'll be fine. When Mary and I ordered from a breeder in Indiana (to CA), it took 3 days for her to get them from the day they were shipped. And this was in February. We thought they would all be dead, but all of them were fine. Packed in like sardines, but fine. They were 4 weeks old when they were shipped.

The weather is much nicer now, so I wouldn't worry.

 

[SunnyDawn]

Quote:
Wow at 4 weeks in February huh? Ok my little chickies should be just fine then.

 

[briteday]

Mine came last week from Townline in MI all the way to Reno as well. They were shipped at 8AM on Tuesday and arrived at the Steamboat post office here on the 7:30AM truck on Thur. The hatchery shipped 4 extra birds. We had 2 DOA. But the night before arrival was down to 24 degrees...and goodness knows where those birds spent the night.

It was actually quite interesting that when I put my hands in the box to start unloading chcks, they were actually very warm and it was a very cold morning.

Be sure to set up the brooder the day before with the light on and have the water and food all ready in the brooder. I sprinkled lots of chick crumble on the paper towels and they were like little vacuum cleaners! There certainly would have been a fight at a feeder had I tried that. And I had a mighty big waterer set out to warm to room temp the night before with a bit of electrolytes and vitamins in the water for them. And we haven't had even one loss since we received them.

 

[SunnyDawn]

Quote:
More good news! Thanks!