Shipping chicks

[ChickenWhisperer101]

I have 15 chicks plus a surprise chick coming from McMurray Hatchery and they have shipped today. I am really scared for them because they are shipping halfway across the country and they are so small. I know people do this all the time, but this is the first time I’ve had chicks shipped. Does anyone who has any experience with this have recommendations on how to make the chicks comfortable when they arrive, about how long it should take them to reach Tx, and how your experience was.

Thank you for any help,
-ChickenWhisperer101

 

[LavenderMotherHen]

I had 3 chicks ship from Ohio to Utah. They were happy and healthy, but I was worried. It seemed like a long way, but all was well.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I have 15 chicks plus a surprise chick coming from McMurray Hatchery and they have shipped today. I am really scared for them because they are shipping halfway across the country and they are so small. I know people do this all the time, but this is the first time I’ve had chicks shipped. Does anyone who has any experience with this have recommendations on how to make the chicks comfortable when they arrive, about how long it should take them to reach Tx, and how your experience was.

Thank you for any help,
-ChickenWhisperer101

Chicks usually arrive to their destination within 1-3 days.

 

[Sierra G]

The go from the hatcher into the packing box. It takes a day or two for them to arrive. They get priority, but currently the post office won't guaruntee on-time delivery of anything. You should get a tracking number when they ship. Your local post office will call when they arrive there. Unless you're the first person on the route they probably won't deliver them. Even if you are, a box of chicks is noisy and you still may have to pick them up at the post office.

Set your brooder up the day the chicks are shipped so it's ready when they arrive. You don't need to plug in the heat plate or heat lamp until the chicks arrive, but make sure they work and they reach the electric outlet when installed.

When you get them home take the chicks out one at a time, dip their beaks in the water so they know where it is, and let them loose in the brooder. Count the chicks and inspect them when putting them in the brooder to make sure you got what you ordered. If there are lots of fatalities take pictures and do whatever else is required to document the deaths for the hatchery or post office. If there are just a few, it's probably not worth perusing replacements unless they're very expensive corpses. Most hatcheries send a few extras, but often the extras are not great chicks. If there are fatalities you can hope they're the extras and not the expensive breeds you ordered.

You'll want to watch them closely for the first day or so to make sure they're all eating and active and that no one is getting bullied.

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

The go from the hatcher into the packing box. It takes a day or two for them to arrive. They get priority, but currently the post office won't guaruntee on-time delivery of anything. You should get a tracking number when they ship. Your local post office will call when they arrive there. Unless you're the first person on the route they probably won't deliver them. Even if you are, a box of chicks is noisy and you still may have to pick them up at the post office.

Set your brooder up the day the chicks are shipped so it's ready when they arrive. You don't need to plug in the heat plate or heat lamp until the chicks arrive, but make sure they work and they reach the electric outlet when installed.

When you get them home take the chicks out one at a time, dip their beaks in the water so they know where it is, and let them loose in the brooder. Count the chicks and inspect them when putting them in the brooder to make sure you got what you ordered. If there are lots of fatalities take pictures and do whatever else is required to document the deaths for the hatchery or post office. If there are just a few, it's probably not worth perusing replacements unless they're very expensive corpses. Most hatcheries send a few extras, but often the extras are not great chicks. If there are fatalities you can hope they're the extras and not the expensive breeds you ordered.

You'll want to watch them closely for the first day or so to make sure they're all eating and active and that no one is getting bullied.

Thank you so much for all of this info. I’ll keep this thread updated.

 

[ladybrasa]

I’ve ordered from McMurray last year and this year already, and I’m on the east coast. Both shipments were fine! Though it’s always standard to expect there may be a DOA or ‘failure to thrive’ with any chick shipment. Make sure your heat source is ready to go and make sure to dip their beaks in the water when you put them in your brooder. I dip and then pop them under the heat plate right away. They’ll come out if they are up for exploring.

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

I’ve ordered from McMurray last year and this year already, and I’m on the east coast. Both shipments were fine! Though it’s always standard to expect there may be a DOA or ‘failure to thrive’ with any chick shipment. Make sure your heat source is ready to go and make sure to dip their beaks in the water when you put them in your brooder. I dip and then pop them under the heat plate right away. They’ll come out if they are up for exploring.

Ok, thanks!

 

[Acre4Me]

Yay chicks!

we’ve gotten shipped chicks before.

be ready to get them warm, so have the brooder set up and heat source on and warmed up.

we always take each chick out individually, inspect, then have them drink some water. We often give them a drop (using a toothpick) of nutridrench, which is a liquid chicken vitamin available in TSC, and similar stores. We have them take another drink of water, then put them under the heat source. Usually they fall right to sleep once under the heat.

enjoy the new chicks!

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

Yay chicks!

we’ve gotten shipped chicks before.

be ready to get them warm, so have the brooder set up and heat source on and warmed up.

we always take each chick out individually, inspect, then have them drink some water. We often give them a drop (using a toothpick) of nutridrench, which is a liquid chicken vitamin available in TSC, and similar stores. We have them take another drink of water, then put them under the heat source. Usually they fall right to sleep once under the heat.

enjoy the new chicks!

I have some nutri drench on hand that I can use and they will have a 3 story brooder that will be split between 3 orders of chicks. Thanks for the help and info!

 

[3KillerBs]

be ready to get them warm, so have the brooder set up and heat source on and warmed up.

I had my brooder lamp running from the night before so that everything would be pre-warmed. Particularly important for me because it's an outdoor brooder.