Should I Be Worried?

[Stacykins]

Last week, chicks I ordered from Meyer hatchery were shipped on Wednesday, and arrived to me on Saturday. Unfortunately, they arrived DOA. I knew things weren't good when I was called two hours before the post office opened with the post master sounding very worried. A new shipment of chicks went in the mail yesterday, and the USPS track and confirm (we all know it lies about the tracking part, hah) says they will arrive on Thursday. They will spend the same amount of time in the mail if that is accurate, so I am concerned I will get another box of dead chicks, it is so sad to think that their only days of life were miserable. I was hoping that since the hatchery is only a state away, they'd have less time in transit, but apparently this isn't the case? I know it isn't the hatchery's fault, and it seems the USPS is getting less and less reliable.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Gosh, only a state away and it takes that long to get to you?
I ordered ducklings from across the entire US, practically coast to coast and got them in about 24 hours.
Something odd with that.
I always get my order of chicks from Meyer within 48 hours so I feel there is an internal break somewhere in PO system between you and them.

 

[Stacykins]

There must be something with the USPS between here and there, you're right. Maybe they get to you faster since they are put right on a plane because you are across the country...as opposed to getting put on a truck the entire time, which must happen with the chicks coming here.

 

[Pele]

What you are running into is the USPS trying to make money at the expense of reasonable shipping. They now use a scattered shipping method that is centered around cheap transport, not straight-line shipping. This means that they load the package on the most convenient shipment- no matter where it's going.

For example, I just ordered something from CA, and I live in ID. This should be a straight flight as it is not far from me. My package went to Colorado, Kentucky, back to Colorado, and then to ID.

I'm sorry about your chicks. You might want to ask the hatchery if they can FedEx. Thats MUCH more reliable.

 

[Stacykins]

That is pretty depressing, Pele. I know the post office is hurting for money, but it seems like they take a loss when a package goes back and forth, back and forth, since it travels a farther distance, takes more storage space, and more weight on the vehicles that could have been avoided with just one trip. Oh well. I sure do hope the chicks make it safely, they shouldn't have to suffer.

 

[Stacykins]

Since the chicks didn't arrive today as I was hoping they would (I was trying to be optimistic), fairly certain I'm going to pick up another box of chick genocide tomorrow. I think I am sticking to hatching eggs only now, no hatcheries and day old chicks. At least if an egg doesn't develop because of shipping, it didn't have to suffer. I hope I'm wrong though, and the chicks are healthy and alive.

 

[Pele]

I'm sorry about the chickies. You have a very kind heart to be thinking so much about their comfort. I myself quit trying to ship chicks as well, and did some research to find a local hatchery in my state. Luckily there was one within 45 minutes of me, so every time I order chicks, I tell them I'll just pick them up.

I've never lost a single chick since I switched to pickup. Hopefully it might be an option for you too. You won't get the exotic birds, but you'll get healthy ones.

 

[Stacykins]

Happy to note that only three arrived DOA, and the rest are doing quite well. I am definitely relieved, to say the least.

 

[bantiebabe1200]

I'm so sorry to hear about your chicks. I don't know where your shippment is going wrong, but my own experience with chick shippments has been, mostly good. The two bad experiences I had were some hartless postal ppl along the way who decided the constant peeping was annoying them and they put the chicks outside, so they got too cold and died. The other experience we had was very much the same except they left the chicks in the truck over night when it was cold and they died again. We found out who was doing this and complained bitterly. They've seemed to arrive ok ever since. I was a kid at the time and I'm not sure how my mother found out wich post office this was, or I would relay that information to you. My first guess was that she talked to our own postmaster and found out what rout was taken from the hatchery.

I sure hope you have better luck with your shippments.

I only hope that was a one time fluke. Good luck.

 

[Stacykins]

Wow, I am glad you were able to find out who was doing such horrible things to your chicks. I bet if that happened during travel to the destination, nobody would be any wiser.

I guess getting the chicks wasn't all roses. There were the three initial DOAs, but five more have since died. So eight total. Shipping must have been so stressful. They've all drank, eaten, have no sign of poopy butt, and are being kept at the proper temps. They ones that died just perished suddenly. And since no extras were sent, that is all I have. I'm definitely not pleased. I am going to wait the full 48 hours before I contact Meyer with the losses, since I am thinking I will lose a few more, considering how things are going.