Postal System lost my chicks

[Ole rooster]

Not really noticed it before but don't they look like buff pigeons?

 

[galanie]

I'm really sorry you lost some chicks. I'm glad it looks like the others are doing well- be very grateful for that!

I ship and receive birds often- mostly ship.

For the first time, I'm having issues with a live shipment, and they've misplaced a box with four adult hens. RARE hens. I had a box shipped from California to Texas at the same time, and it arrived without any issues...my box has disappeared. It still says it's in the original sorting facility. I've called all over the earth and can't get anyone to really help and not pass the buck, except one gal I'm on hold with right now at FedEx, because apparently the problem occurred at the handoff to the FedEx subcontract carrier from the USPS hub. I'm sooooo distraught. These were guaranteed for noon on Wednesday. I'm not sure if they'll make it alive...certainly not if they don't get water soon.

Pray for my birdies??

You would not believe how often this is where the problem occurs, with FedEx. One of my jobs with the post office before I retired was to try to figure out what happened so some of this stuff. Like you said, it's an anomaly, not a normal thing to happen at all. But even if it happens with 1 of 100 it's the 1 we hear most about, not the other 99.

PS - good for you for raising Cain with them about that facility! That sort of "customer service" is just inexcusable. It's unfortunate that some facilities are allowed to degrade to that level.

 

[Micki]

Ole Rooster, yes, I have definitely noticed that they remind me of pigeons! That is probably an insult to the breed...lol...but true nonetheless.
Galanie, I figured that out too. The problem really wasn't with the USPS, but with Fed/Ex I think. But unfortunately for the USPS, they have to deal with the complaints. Everyone that I talked to at USPS was very nice and polite, but I had two people in customer service try to pass me off to the St. Louis hub. I let the first person do it, not the second. The lady I talked to at the hub though was wonderful. She called me back 3 times about my chicks, and had the facility watching for them. She called me first thing in the morning after they had gone through her facility. The people at my local post office are the best! I will forever be known as the "chick lady" lol. It was probably one persons error but they all had to hear about it. I will have more chicks coming in the mail this spring. Hopefully all will go well!

 

[RareBreedFancier]

One cockerel and the rest pullets would work for me! Here they are today, feeling MUCH better! They have SO much energy now! I agree, I think it is a real testament to Lund Poultry and the care these birds received before being shipped that kept them alive, and also that they bounced back so quickly, especially the one that was so near death! Terry Lund also put in a LOT of time on the phone trying to find these birds. I don't know if I said it here or not already, but he was the one to actually find out exactly what happened. I love how the one bird standing in the feeder appears to have posed for the camera...lol. The bird in front looks to me like it may be starting to grow some saddle feathers, but of course I could be wrong. And that particular bird has a very calm disposition! In fact, all but the two littlest ones seem to already enjoy being held. The little ones are still more flighty, a protective instinct I'm sure. We are really enjoying them!

That little chickie is for sure a cockerel, look at the pink comb and wattles showing already. The others are looking good for girls so far as I can see in that pic. I'm glad the 6 made it and that ChooksChick's hens made it too but I wondered, would it be possible to get the PS to open the box when they find it wherever it is and at least give water to the poor critters when they have been in transit that long? Maybe it's to much common sense but if I was working there and live animals came through who'd been in transit so long, I'd think giving them some water would be a reasonable thing to do, you can always tape the box back up to continue it's journey. I guess they'd say they can't because of XYZ regulation but...

 

[ChooksChick]

That little chickie is for sure a cockerel, look at the pink comb and wattles showing already.

The others are looking good for girls so far as I can see in that pic.

I'm glad the 6 made it and that ChooksChick's hens made it too but I wondered, would it be possible to get the PS to open the box when they find it wherever it is and at least give water to the poor critters when they have been in transit that long? Maybe it's to much common sense but if I was working there and live animals came through who'd been in transit so long, I'd think giving them some water would be a reasonable thing to do, you can always tape the box back up to continue it's journey. I guess they'd say they can't because of XYZ regulation but...

WELL...I love my local post office and they all know me, and I gave them explicit instruction (actually it was more like I begged) to open the box and water my birds. They did so, and were good enough to use precautions (sterile gloves) to protect all involved. They are wonderful folks, and I adore them. I got there and all 4 compartments had little dishes of water. They were very apprehensive because there was no sound or movement, and when one of them stuck their hand in there, the bird didn't move, so they were SUPER freaked...but they still helped. Love my USPS branch!!

 

[vpeterson]

Did they arrive ok?

 

[harleyjo]

I have been following this and I am so glad for both of you that your chicks arrived. At least you didn't lose them all.

 

[Micki]

Thank you all so much for worry about my birds and ChooksChick's birds too. My crew are doing great! I'm glad I have one cockerel RareBreedFancier. That birds wattles and comb are getting reddier and larger by the hour! Looking at just wattles, none of the other chicks have them except the smallest. He (?) is starting to grow wattles already. So I may have 2 cockerels and 4 pullets. That sounds like a good start to me! I have 25 chicks ordered from Mary Ann Harley this spring, so we shall see what I get in that batch. I'm looking forward to them!

 

[RareBreedFancier]

WELL...I love my local post office and they all know me, and I gave them explicit instruction (actually it was more like I begged) to open the box and water my birds. They did so, and were good enough to use precautions (sterile gloves) to protect all involved. They are wonderful folks, and I adore them. I got there and all 4 compartments had little dishes of water. They were very apprehensive because there was no sound or movement, and when one of them stuck their hand in there, the bird didn't move, so they were SUPER freaked...but they still helped. Love my USPS branch!!

That's great! I'm glad they were so helpful. It's great when your dealing with people who know you.

Thank you all so much for worry about my birds and ChooksChick's birds too.  My crew are doing great!  I'm glad I have one cockerel RareBreedFancier.  That birds wattles and comb are getting reddier and larger by the hour!  Looking at just wattles, none of the other chicks have them except the smallest.  He (?) is starting to grow wattles already.  So I may have 2 cockerels and 4 pullets.  That sounds like a good start to me!  I have 25 chicks ordered from Mary Ann Harley this spring, so we shall see what I get in that batch.  I'm looking forward to them!

2 cockerels and 4 pullets sounds great, 2 nice breeding trios. =D