shipping poultry

[lilly6849]

Im thinking of ordering one Dutch bantam chick from Ideal poultry,but I have to be sure my chick will arrive safely so If you have ever had poultry shiped cross country to you please reply and tell me about your experiance

 

[Country Chick]

I have not had any problems with shipping or receiving chickens. I have shipped about 40 birds through out the US. Only 3 times did they not arrive when guaranteed, so I got refunded, but the chickens arrived safe & sound. I have shipped more than I have received. But again no problems.

I place a little bit of straw in the box, with either a slice of an apple or an orange. I purchase my shipping boxes from Belle Farm, in NC.

Become friends with the post office! They now bring them to me instead of me picking them up.

Good Luck!

 

[lilly6849]

Thanks for your help!what kind of chicken is that in your avatar photo?its really pretty

 

[Country Chick]

Thank you! I agree with you! He is an EE Cockerel, he will be a year old the end of next month!

 

[speckledhen]

You can't order just one chick and have it arrive safely. There are minimums and it's pretty cold this time of year.

 

[Oregon Blues]

I think the chances of one solitary bantam chick surviving shipping are not so good. Shipping is harder on bantams to begin with and chicks are normally shipped in large numbers.

I suggest that you find someone local to you so you can drive and pick up your chick.

 

[lilly6849]

What about 2 chicks?Im really desprate to get this one breed,im not getting just any chicken

 

[keesmom]

Well, first of all NO hatchery will ship a single chick. There are some that will ship small quantities but it will come with a large shipping fee.

You do realize none of the bantams are sexed? So even if you could get one chick it could be a cockerel. So why not get several Dutch chicks and select the ones you want to keep. That way you'd also have extras in case of losses.

Only other alternative is to find a local breeder, and even then I would strongly suggest getting more than one chick. They need other chicks for company and warmth.

 

[CSWolffe]

I was looking for some rare breeds, Black Copper Marans and Wellsumers, as well as some EEs, and found only a couple hatcheries able to supply all three(I can get EEs from the local feed store, but not the chocolate layers). But the delivery date was in September. I had to give up my Marans. I only want two, maybe three more hens added to my small flock this spring, but I understand there may be some fatalities in shipping, and even in rearing them, and of course sexing is never 100% accurate. So I ordered 4 wellsummers and two EEs. I happen to be friends with someone who runs a small egg co-op in the hills nearby, and I know I can give her any hens I don't want to keep. I did this last year too, when I bought 8 chicks from the feed store, knowing I only wanted 4. One died, one was a roo, and we gave her two other hens who either weren't the breed we were told they were or were less than friendly. It's a good system, I get to pick the hens I want, and she gets some free layers for her flock, already reared and laying. I even sent her my aggressive cannibal hen who was trying to eat my sweet little RIR alive.
The cost is a bit more for me this way, but I am ok with that if I can get the breeds I want. I also went with a hatchery that is willing to ship small numbers of chicks, even though there is a rather nasty shipping cost. It came out to about ten bucks per chick, but for pet birds I thought this was ok. I'm not a breeder, and I'm not selling eggs. For my small flock of pet hens, that's not too bad.
It's a trade off, getting exactly what you want(when what you want is a rare breed) vs cheep.