Ordering silkies and polish for February shipment. Is this safe????

[ldutch123]

I'm worried they will freeze during shipping. It's gonna be very cold in February and mcmurray is scheduled to ship my variety at this time. Has anyone had chicks shipped during very cold weather? I will be devastated if they are dead in arrival.

 

[dickhorstman]

Its a gamble in Feb. If the weather is not too extreme it will be OK. If You live where delivery will be next day it is better.

 

[Me & Jack]

AS long as the chicks are shipped on a Monday or Tuesday you should be fine. We had a batch of chicks that were obviously shipped out on a Thursday or Friday b/c our post office called us Monday morning to say they'd been sitting in the PO all weekend. Needless to say, we had a few that didn't make it and the ones that did were very, very hungry and thirsty. Haven't ordered chicks in a while, so not sure if you can specify a shipping day. Good luck, hope they're all okay and happy little babies!

 

[AlienChick]

It doesn't say in your profile where you live, so there's no way of knowing how far the chicks will have to travel.

If you've ordered plenty of chicks to keep themselves warm, they will be okay.

Make sure the post office calls you immediately when they arrive instead of letting them sit and freeze.

 

[gritsar]

IMHO, it's not safe, even if you live someplace warm year-round. Your chicks will have to travel through alot of places to get to you from Mc Murray (even if you live in the same state) and quite a few of those places more than likely won't be very warm in February. A few months difference, say April or even March, could make all the difference in the world to the chicks.
I live just six hours from Ideal Poultry, yet it takes 3 days for chicks to get to me from them. The post office does not ship "as the crow flies".

Again, just MHO.

 

[Me & Jack]

Ordering chicks through the mail is definitely scary. However, I've ordered chicks at least a dozen times, January through March, and have only ever had two shipments in which a few of the chicks didn't make it -- and, interestingly, it was both of my bantam shipments that had dead chicks.

Don't fret too much. This is what these hatcheries do for a living -- shipping day-old birds through the mail in the middle of winter. Hundreds of thousands of chicks make it just fine every year.

Like someone else said, just be sure to ask your PO to call you as soon as the chicks arrive, and be prepared to go and pick them up immediately. Dip their beaks in the waterer and feeder as soon as you put them in your brooder and chances are good you'll have 25 (+ one freebie) zipping around the brooder in no time! Best of luck.

 

[EweSheep]

Never had any issues of chicks in Feb and March shippings from McMurray many years ago. It was brutally cold but the chicks were fine. The hatcheries usually put in warmer chicks (more than 25, usually they will add five to six more chicks in the order).

Yes like everyone else said, be sure to have PO ready to call you when the chicks arrives!

 

[sillyovrsilkies]

I had 26 chicks DOA from Ideal when I purchased them last Feb. It was terribly sad!
I purchased from My Pet Chicken late Feb. of last year and they ship Express Mail with a heat pack so the chicks stay warm. If you're definitely going to purchase from a hatchery, I would recommend MPC b/c I think they're the only ones that ship with a heat pack.

 

[easttxchick]

Due to all of the new regulations with the USPS, there is NO WAY I would have chicks shipped in Jan or Feb.
Order now for a March ship date and that way, you won't receive a box of baby chicks that have frozen to death in transit.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Amen.

A few dead chicks is a few too many.