Rec'd Two Orders w/High losses - Help anyone!

[goosemama]

Would like your input as I am baffled at this experience. Been ordering and raising chicks for many years but first time from McMurray Hatchery as they were only ones with breed I wanted - all rest sold out. First order of 25 arrived 4/20 (4 days after hatch date on box). One was dead and they kept dropping rapidly 4 or 5 per day. Finally left with 6 live. McMurray's were very nice and said they would send full replacement order immediately. They always ship on Saturday I was told so again I received them 4 days from hatch today. (Hatched Friday received Tuesday morning). One was dead and 5 more have died today. I provide sugar water w/electrolytes & vitamins and I dip their beaks before putting under heat lamp in large bird cage. Have newspaper w/paper towelling on floor and sprinkle medicated chick started & grit on floor and have it in hoppers for them to reach easily. I also put fresh grated hardboiled egg sprinkled on floor and on top of feed. Some went for that immediately and started eating and then drinking. I redip the beaks of those who do not seem active - I don't know what else to do!!! It is distressing and I have NEVER had a high chick loss like this - especially on two identical orders. In the past I've lost one or two and that was usually lst or 2nd day and often from pasting - none of these have pasting. Anyone have similar experience with McMurray or getting chicks after the 72 hours recommended? I was going to order from Nature's Hatchery which is closer to me but they were sold out and Ideal is the only other hatchery that carried this breed and they are in Texas (even further than McMurray) but they were sold out as well. Would appreciate your feedback!

 

[zrachie]

Hello there...sorry for such a terrible experience.

I ordered from McMurray and received them on April 5 this year...I did have one DOA that was trampled but zero losses and all were very healthy and still are at 3.5wks old.... I received them on a Monday so they were not in transit for too long and I picked them up at 5:30 am from my PO. I am in NY too. That's terrible that it took so long to receive them. Have you checked with your PO to confirm when they were received? I am thinking that that was too long for them to be in transit. What kind did you order? I got the brown egg layer assortment and some EEs. Again, sorry that you had to experience this not once, but twice.

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

It may have some thing to do with how each post office handled the box. On its route to you. There may have been one careless postal worker(s).

 

[Alaska animal lover]

That's too long to be in transit! Why do they ship on Saturday?
I'm sorry for your losses. What breed are they?

 

[HEChicken]

I'm sorry you've had such a poor experience. I've heard before that MM only ships on Saturdays and honestly, I just don't get that. If they ship Saturday, the very earliest the chicks can get to you is 48 hours later, and depending on the distance the chicks have to travel, it could easily be 72-96 hours after hatch. Each additional day causes additional stress to the chicks and the losses are going to be higher the longer they go without nourishment and hydration.

The only time I have mail ordered chicks, I got them from MPC. They ship on Monday morning. The first shipment arrived less than 24 hours after shipping - around 10am Tuesday morning. It was a small order of 4 chicks so had had the special handling MPC does. The second order was 26 chicks and went priority mail. Even so, they arrived early on Wednesday morning. I had zero losses from either shipment.

In my opinion, it is the Saturday shipment that is a big part of the problem.

 

[goosemama]

Thanks so much for all your input - I don't think it was our local post office as we are a small rural village and they know us so call immediately, and knew Monday that we were expecting chicks. The truck comes in at 7:00am and they always call me no later than 7:30am. I think as some of you do, that it was in transit that the slow down occurred. One Forum reply was from Long Island and that actually would be further than we are - we are just south of Buffalo, right on the Lake Erie shore so closer to Iowa. I have had 2 day delivery from MPC too but they are in Connecticut and so closer to New York state than McMurray. I was told by McMurrays that the post office doesn't stop on Sunday - trucks keep on running etc. . My son has a small car parts business and he has noticed when he ships on Saturday it is usually received Monday - (faster than usual) its almost as if they ramp up the delivery when its done on Saturday. That was his experience.

But the main point is these chicks hatched on Friday were 4 days old when received here on Tuesday so that's a day they have not had nutrition as the yolk sac would be used up by day three. The breed was Dorkings, only carried by Ideal, Nature's Hatchery and McMurray. The first two were sold old early in the year and no plan to have more. McMurray online shows them sold out too except for males for the rest of the year, yet they honored their guarantee to fill a replacement order. So far today I've lost 8 of the 25 but keep dipping the beaks of the quieter ones every hour or so and I've actually seen some of these start to drink on their own and eat - so I'm hopeful the losses have stopped, but boy its frustrating and sad!

 

[wildorchid053]

mypetchickens main office is conneticut but they ship from ohio.. might be better for you.. they shipped mine monday and i got them at 6 am wed others got them tues.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

I agree, those babies were in transit too long. Sorry about the loss of your chickies. What a disappointment!

Does anyone know...has Murray McMurray always shipped on Saturday? I ordered from them last year and didn't have any losses. The thing is...I may live closer to McMurray than the OP. That might be the difference.

 

[mlove]

I'm so sorry you and the chicks had to go through that.

 

[pdsavage]

You can order from hatcheries closer to you sure you will be on a waiting list but at least chicks wont stay 4 days in shipping...
I have almost allways had chicks the next day the longest was 2 days....