Ordering from hatcheries

[Morglez]

If you order through TSC, Atwood's, Orsheln, or other farm/ranch store, the store will receive your chicks, let you know they've arrived and care for them until you pick them up. Most of those places are open until 9 pm so you can even swing by after work.

You can order anything the hatchery sells through the store, too; youre not limited to the breeds the stire stocks.

Hmm, I didnt even think of that. I did see that you can order through the TSC website, but it said you have to order in batches of 10 with no mix and match of breed and sex. I'll stop in my local store and speak to someone to get more details on ordering and having sent to store for pickup. Thank you!

 

[Coops Dad]

Also try your local mom n pop feed store if you have one. My local Buzbee's Feed has a great selection in their hatchery partner's catalog and great service.

 

[Poodlemum]

I just ordered my first shipped chicks last week. We went through TSC since it had the lowest minimum (10) and free shipping. Great experience! We received shipping a few days after our order (the listing said 2-3 days to ship, some listings said longer wait times), then a tracking # via email. Luckily the tracking was super inaccurate and I spent the day anticipating a box of dead chicks when it said eta Monday. Thursday night it updated to our state and I knew they’d be there by morning, so I was able to get everything ready. Only had one DOA and the rest are very bright, happy chicks that are thriving

 

[Alaskaliz]

The best hatcheries, from general consensus are Cackle Hatchery and Murray McMurray, for quality, health and customers service.
Depending how far the hatchery is from you, it will be 2-3 days until they arrive and most hatcheries mail chicks Monday or through to Wednesday. Your po will usually call you but you might want to let them know you're expecting chicks in case they don't. Whenever the big mail truck get to your post office is when you're chicks will get there, usually early morning (6-7) so you don't have to wait around all day. Your po might be willing to hold them until you can get there, most don't mind, since you don't have anyone to pick them up.

If you are looking for a specific breed, you may ask in a breed specific group for recommendations about the quality of birds from hatcheries. For Salmon Faverolles for instance Murray is not recommended sue to the quality of their stock.

 

[STACEYH]

You can call your post office and see how they deal with live animals.

If you have someone near by that will allow you to ship to their house.

 

[nuthatched]

If you are looking for a specific breed, you may ask in a breed specific group for recommendations about the quality of birds from hatcheries. For Salmon Faverolles for instance Murray is not recommended sue to the quality of their stock.

Oh, did the op mention salmon faverolle? I didn't see that. I get the impression that they are hard birds to get quality specimens for, I would use breeders for those.

 

[RubelliteRose]

Are you planning to order chicks now or in the spring? I believe many hatcheries are winding down their orders this time of year and you will have many more varieties to choose from in the spring.
We ordered for the first time this spring from McMurry hatchery. Our chicks shipped on a Monday and arrived on Wednesday. I signed up for text message tracking so I could follow their progress more closely. I also spoke to my local PO to find out what their procedures were for chicks - good thing I did since they did not go to the PO closest to me! I received my "arrived at the PO" text at 6am on Wednesday, but had to wait for the phone call at 8am to pick them up. I was already in the lobby If I order again next year, I will ask if they can answer their doorbell earlier for chick pickup. I could hear them, but no one answered when I rang
You mentioned that you were starting a new job. Perhaps if you waited until spring you could ask to come in late that day? I know McMurry ships Monday - Wednesday and I don't think you can specify a certain day, it just depends upon when the chicks actually hatch. Unless you live farther away from a hatchery, it isn't very likely that you can get chicks that will arrive on a Saturday.

 

[MTKitty]

I ordered from Cackle last spring. The earliest hatch for my chosen breed was August.

They shipped on Wednesday from Missouri and arrived in south-central Montana on Friday. My post office called around 7, iirc. I was able to pick up immediately by going to the back door/loading dock.

I live in a rural small town where receiving shipped chicks is not uncommon. I did talk to the postal clerk a few days before to be sure a potential Saturday delivery was no problem, so they knew I was looking for birds.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

The best hatcheries, from general consensus are Cackle Hatchery and Murray McMurray, for quality, health and customers service.
Depending how far the hatchery is from you, it will be 2-3 days until they arrive and most hatcheries mail chicks Monday or through to Wednesday. Your po will usually call you but you might want to let them know you're expecting chicks in case they don't. Whenever the big mail truck get to your post office is when you're chicks will get there, usually early morning (6-7) so you don't have to wait around all day. Your po might be willing to hold them until you can get there, most don't mind, since you don't have anyone to pick them up.

My po calls me early 6:15 I run up and get them. they let me in at that time. I live in a small town in southern Idaho and they are very familiar with baby chick shipments. I use My Pet Chicken. Excellent Customer service.

 

[arizona_chicken_noob]

Just to add one more regional anecdote here, I had really no way to know exactly what day they were coming, but I did figure out that the large regional USPS center delivered to my local post office at about 9am.

It just so happened that my tracking number updated late at night on a Thursday to show they had arrived in the Phoenix area, so I knew I would be picking them up the next morning.

Had I needed to work in an office that day, I think I would have tried to arrange for a friend to pick them up from the PO. My local office is pretty good about holding them in the building (not putting on trucks for late day delivery), so it would be more of a matter of authorizing pickup and then instructing that person in what to do with them.