I live in Maine, just about as far as you can get from ANY of the major hatcheries. Ordered 27 from Cackle for delivery last April. My chicks missed every single connecting flight between hatchery and Maine, spending 12 extra hours sitting at each airport. I had to track them down, drive to a locked down postal hub near me, find an employee who took me to a back shipping bay and got me into the building where I met up with the completely deaf employee who was managing that bay. Even if I'd found the right location by myself, there's no way I could have got his attention!!! I lost 2 chicks from that shipment, but they sent 2 extras. Those chicks were in transit at least 2 days longer than average. Had I not been pro-active, I would have picked up a box of dead chicks the following day (Saturday) at my post office.
My best advice to you is this:
Call your post office, then follow up with a personal visit. Meet the Post Master, and leave a post card with your name, address, telephone number, and details about expected chick arrival date. Let him know when your chicks are scheduled to arrive. Ask them to hold your chicks at the post office and call you immediately when they arrive no matter what time of day or night. If chicks don't come in when expected, start making phone calls and don't stop till you find them and have them in your hands.
Have your brooder set up prior to delivery. Use Mama Heating Pad method instead of a heat lamp.
Have your waterer set up with tepid water, and Poultry Nutri-Drench (and some sugar). Have chick starter sprinkled on paper toweling inside MHP cave and in front of it, with waterer set close.
As you remove chicks from the box, set them in front of the waterer. They should sip on their own, but if they don't do a beak dip. I find it easiest to put some of the water in a little bottle cap, and bring the cap to the chick instead of trying to tip the chick upside down and dip her beak in the waterer.
SAVE YOUR MONEY. Don't waste it on the packets of electrolyte. You can make your own with Water, sugar, baking soda, and salt. General recommendation is to not give electrolytes to chicks immediately after you get them, b/c they will tank up on the water, and may overload on the lytes. So, after getting them started, you can then mix up some electrolyte solution an hour or two later. (if you find that your chicks are acting lethargic)
Probiotic packets: Can be useful, but even more useful is giving your chicks a plug of sod from an untreated lawn. I also use fermented feed which is loaded with lots of beneficial bacteria/yeast.
