Order arrived dead :(

[Roccomanchickens]

I recently order 40 chicks in 90 degree weather and got all 40 DOA, but they took 6 days to get to me priority mail. They most likely died of thirst, not heat; that's too long to go without water or food. The next batch was 50, with 12 DOA or dying, and the 12 replacements all alive. These orders got to me within the 3 days of hatching, and the weather was 95 degrees. So, it seems that the time shipping was the issue, not the heat.

I agree that the size of the order makes a difference. The 12 in a smaller box did better than the 50 in the large 4 compartment box.

As far as saying that someone is not reputable or responsible for ordering chicks in the heat, that's a little harsh. It's most likely the overall handling and conditions other than temperature that are contributing to the loss of the chicks. It's sad to think of what happened to the chicks, but it could have happened at any time of the year. It's not your fault, and at least you cared about them.

 

[Tracyree]

Just looked at the box they came in and they came from Randal Burkley hatchery. They were send Express, on Monday but epistemology office didn't call me until Wednesday morning at which point we jumped in the car to get them.


Just put in the tracking info and they were sent out express on Monday from Ohio and arrived at my post office at 7am. They called me at 7:30.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

yep yall are right, it's more of the over all chick healthy, and handling.

and TIME Lord 6 days.. hate to hear that Roccoman. Yes 2 days is ideal, after that they start to starve and thirst to death, 6 they had been dead for a while.

The yolk reserve feeds and waters them for 72 hours, but after 48 hours it's honestly not doing a lot for them.

That's the main reason I do Express. After years of ordering and getting Priority chicks all dead, dying, or so weak they eventually died, I told myself I would never put one of my customers threw that.
It's unfortunate too, I have asked hatcheries to charge me extra and ship chicks Express instead of Priority cause for me that is always 3-4 days here..non ever will. They should ALL offer that as an alternative. It would drop dead loss dramatically

 

[Splinty]

Quote:
My order only consisted of 3 chicks and they arrived the day after they were shipped in perfect health. They had a heat pack in the box. I received my order in the middle of June. I know it was cooler then but as of today they are all growing big and seem to be healthy. I know I'm new to chickens but I have been doing a lot of reading and from what I understand chick can just die for no apparent reason. Maybe her chicks had a health issue or maybe they we not day olds like they were suppose to be. I did read that hatcheries will still ship out chicks as day olds even if they were born on Saturday and not ship till Monday.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
My order only consisted of 3 chicks and they arrived the day after they were shipped in perfect health. They had a heat pack in the box. I received my order in the middle of June. I know it was cooler then but as of today they are all growing big and seem to be healthy. I know I'm new to chickens but I have been doing a lot of reading and from what I understand chick can just die for no apparent reason. Maybe her chicks had a health issue or maybe they we not day olds like they were suppose to be. I did read that hatcheries will still ship out chicks as day olds even if they were born on Saturday and not ship till Monday.

That's not my quote by the way, I quoted it from page 3 for some reason it didnt "quote " out right
but


oh yes that's true, week end hatches still have to go some where.
And yes small orders do make it, just more prone to problems than box orders. The fact that you got the in 1 day is the biggest saver, and a heat pack, and in June where you have mild nights.

There's a bunch of factors involved in losses. Individual birds health, temps, quantity etc time in transit is the biggest thing though.

 

[stcroixusvi]

Quote:
I'd put my money on them getting too cold. 5 chicks in an order just isn't enough to keep them heated to stay alive. I even got an order once where all *27* were dead, piled into one corner, which told me they got way too cold. Someone at the post office must have figured the 'too hot' thing also and put them in front of a fan or cooling vent in an office on the way to me.

or the air conditioning. Our PO is FREEZING.

 

[Alte Vogel]

I ordered 3 day old chicks from chickensforbackyards. They arrived 1.5 weeks ago - one day after they were shipped. There was a heat pack in the box which surprised me given the heat index. I live in Alabama too. As soon as we got them home I gave them water which they seemed to "gulp" down. LOL They seemed to be sluggish the next day so I gave them some electrolyte drink. They perked right up and have doubled in size. I am so thankful mine survived the shipment.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
I'd put my money on them getting too cold. 5 chicks in an order just isn't enough to keep them heated to stay alive. I even got an order once where all *27* were dead, piled into one corner, which told me they got way too cold. Someone at the post office must have figured the 'too hot' thing also and put them in front of a fan or cooling vent in an office on the way to me.

or the air conditioning. Our PO is FREEZING.

ours is too, you'd think it was a hospital when you go inside, the blame windows are always frosted over too from it, bet it's in the 60's in there, if they'd turn it up a bit, maybe a stamp wouldnt cost so much any more, LOL

But yes, now a days, most packages are in climate controlled environments most of the transit, even the trucks that run, at least the ones around here, are box style trucks, but the cab and back is all one open area, basically one of those walk threw to the back from the cab deals, so even then, they are as cool as the driver is.

 

[Splinty]

Quote:
My order only consisted of 3 chicks and they arrived the day after they were shipped in perfect health. They had a heat pack in the box. I received my order in the middle of June. I know it was cooler then but as of today they are all growing big and seem to be healthy. I know I'm new to chickens but I have been doing a lot of reading and from what I understand chick can just die for no apparent reason. Maybe her chicks had a health issue or maybe they we not day olds like they were suppose to be. I did read that hatcheries will still ship out chicks as day olds even if they were born on Saturday and not ship till Monday.

That's not my quote by the way, I quoted it from page 3 for some reason it didnt "quote " out right
but


oh yes that's true, week end hatches still have to go some where.
And yes small orders do make it, just more prone to problems than box orders. The fact that you got the in 1 day is the biggest saver, and a heat pack, and in June where you have mild nights.

There's a bunch of factors involved in losses. Individual birds health, temps, quantity etc time in transit is the biggest thing though.

I'm sorry if I miss quoted you. I know when I ordered them I paid for priority but when my husband looked at the box it showed overnight. I wonder if hatcheries ship overnight on small orders to avoid the risk of fatalities. Btw I laughed when I saw that your PO is so cold. My husband has been fighting with his post master to get their ac looked at. He tells me all the time that it's so hot in there and the papers at his desk curl from the humidity.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

oh no worries, when I went back and look, it was my fault, I didnt check the post and the "quote" I used just failed and came out like I wrote it, you couldnt have known.

I am almost sure they bump small orders to Express over night. They'd nearly have to to get them there alive. Plus as I mentioned before, I ship all mine express and it rarely is under $40, so the additional $20-$30 they charge would be fully justifiable if this is the case. Those that will ship small orders by Priority only (IDEAL) usually do not end very well. Personally I can get Priority shipments to me alive regardless of the quantity.

Tell your husband to call the Hahira P.O. here, they have GREAT AC unit, LOL Refrigeration unit would be more like it haha