PLEASE READ BEFORE ORDERING CHICKS!!

[akbufflady]

Yes, everyone please think about how far your chicks are coming from, the temperatures that they may have to encounter.

Last March, I ordered 28 chicks, they were coming from in my own state and I was told I would have them the next day.
The next morning the post master called me and said that the air plane was late and my chicks are sitting in the main post office 100 miles from me. He told me that they would be here the next day. My husband and I had to drive 200 miles round trip to get those chicks, we didn't want anything to happen to them, even though they are day old and supposedly should be able to go 3 days with out food, 4 of them weren't day old chicks. How long can they go without water??? I know airlines require animals be watered at least once every 12 hours. Airlines also have temperature guidelines, they won't ship during extreme high & lows. Those were some very thirsty chicks when we finally got them home. We didn't loose a one.

Maybe the hatcheries should have limits like bulb/ flower companies do. Some seed catalogs won't ship flower bulbs or live plants to certain areas until after a certain date and that is due to frost dates. Since the hatcheries don't have limits on temperature extremes we have to think for them and for the well being of the animals.

 

[professor_yellow]

All very good reminders here, but some added information.

A few of the hatcheries ( Metzer Farms for one) is going to a heat pack under the floor of the box for smaller orders (where they would have to add in birds for warmth before). Talk to your intended hatchery about those. Another point is if there is a chance that there will be some delays. order in the extra GroGel just in case.

This last December I ordered 25 chicks from Ideal in Texas. They came here air mail, and I got them at 8 in the morning next day. Ir was in the teens here and all were vigorous and healthy.

So the moral of that story is make sure you know the routes and capabilities of all the points from A to B, and calculate the possible risk for that time of year.

The heat can be just as deadly as prolonged exposure to cold.

 

[cybercat]

My hubby works for a trucking company. Yesterday he came home early Why because the whole north east and north central were shut down to traffic because of weather. Right now is NOT the time to get chicks in. There is another bad storm on its way up there. It looks like it will be like this for another wekk or more. Febuary is the worst month for storms and cold weather. Put off delivery of chicks till March at the least. If you would not be out in this weather at night do not make chicks out in it. They can not put on extra layers to keep warm during shipment.

 

[hinkjc]

I agree with all of the comments here and great things to consider when placing orders. You wouldn't believe all of the emails I have received from people asking for chicks to be shipped. While they are in a warm region, I am still in winter. I tell them, it is just too cold and we haven't even started our chick hatching for this season yet because of the temps and such. We just got through an ice/snow storm and it is bitter here. I'm not taking any chances shipping babies out of here right now. I realize folks are in a hurry for their new chicks, but please consider their lives first above all.

Jody

 

[chickenranchwife]

I admit I was foolish on ordering when I did, and for not canceling my order. It was a lesson well learned. As I said in my last post, I take full responsability for ordering in the cold weather. I won't do it again. I postponed my order, and am going to drive cross state to pick them up if the weather keeps up.

 

[akbufflady]

CRW,
Don't beat yourself up. Sometimes we can't foresee all the problems that could happen. When I ordered mine last year, I asked the hatchery about the weather, he said no problem, with the quantity I had ordered they would be fine plus I would have them the next day. He said they do this all the time and have never had any problems. Well, the airplane was late and the chicks didn't make the mail truck. Well, I could have probably waited another day and everything would probably have been alright. But I am a worrywort. If the chicks had made the mail truck, who knows the truck might have broke down. Some times things just happen.

Here are a few other things we can do when ordering chicks or eggs. Make sure your chickment is mailed out early in the week, say on Monday. This will allow for your babies to make it without being stuck somewhere over a weekend if there was a problem. Also, call your post master and make sure they have your phone number, tell them that you are expecting chicks and you would like them to call you as soon as they come in. Then they will have heads up on this, they won't want those noisy cheepers there any longer than you do. If you are expecting eggs I would also notify them that you are expecting a parishable shipment. Sometimes, I think the PO just gets swamped and packages just gets shoved to the back. I was notified one time that I had a package to pick up, I went to get the package and they couldn't find it. 2 days later I got another notice to pick up the package. That package had been there at least 3 days. Makes me wonder !!!
Make sure that the hatchery your ordering from is on the same side of the U.S. as you are.
Check the weather forecast for your area and the area where the chicks are being shipped from. If the weather seems iffy, too cold or too hot, have your order delayed.

I think you should have raised a stink and anyone else that has problems in the future with getting late deliveries of chicks that arrive dead or eggs that was in transit for 28 days. The postal service doesn't like it when they get bad marks. If we don't speak up and we just become bystanders then nothing will change and things will stay status quo or get worse.
Well, that is my 2 cents anyhow.

CRW things happen.

Keep happy thoughts.

 

[jjthink]

BRAVO for this thread and the many wise posts above!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JJ

 

[MS9325]

Unlike everyone else, i pushed my order forward and just recieved them today, right now its only 39 degrees, and 19 at night, no problem, the chicks were fine. The post office was nice and warm and I got them from texas,to washington in less than 24 hours. Alls I can say is make sure you know what your doing.

 

[chickenranchwife]

akbufflady,
Thanks for all the advice. MM only ship out on Saturdays. I checked! I'm not beating myself up , I just wanted people to know what I went through and not to do what I did. We don't get anywhere in this world by not making mistakes.

 

[arwmommy]

I really appreciate the wisdom that you guys are sharing and totally agree that sometimes people put impatience before what is best for the babies.

I am wondering your thoughts on my order from Ideal (Texas) to my home in So. California (today it is in the 70's-- whoo hoo for California!). I have a shipping date of Feb 27th.

Does anyone know if they would route the package to Denver or another cold weather area that might endanger the chicks?

Am I (and most importantly) the babies going to be OK with this???