Story for how my shipment of chicks went

[Melontine]

So this happened a few weeks back, it’s kind of old news now, but I wanna share my experience and wonder how your post office has been with mail orders chicks.

We ordered 10 appenzeller pullets online eventually the order was processed and went through. In that time I did call the post office to let them know and they assured me they’d call for us to come pick them up.
I get alerts on my phone to see where the chicks were and how they were doing. Finally I see they’ve arrived at the post office and my sister goes to pick them up once they open.
What’s strange was we didn’t get a call. Then another alert goes on off on my phone, it says the package is out for delivery.
I call the post office kind of in a panic. If the chicks go out, they’d spend about six hours on the mail truck before being left at our doorstep or in the mailbox or whatever they do with tiny packages of chirping chicks they don’t care about.
The lady doesn’t really understand at first, but checks in storage. They’re not there. Then she goes out to check the trucks if they haven’t left yet.
She finds the chicks. I’m so relieved and let her know we’ll be there in about ten minutes to get them.

My sister collects the chicks unaware of the ordeal, she told me how she’d gone in and asked for the chicks and the lady gave her the box she’d set right beside of with the noisy appenzeller babies.

One was dead on arrival and two died the following day, but our seven remaining chicks are thriving.
I don’t think I’d order chicks again.

 

[viennaproto]

Where did you order from?

 

[Acre4Me]

Shipping is hard on chicks. AlwAys best to pick up in person, if at all possible.

I got chicks shipped and all arrived DOA due to USPS mishandling -I did get a refund on the chicks from the hatchery.

second try from another hatchery, and I paid for express shipping. Chicks arrived at PO only 17 hours after being shipped. Still, 3 died And a few looked roughed up from travel. We gave them electrolytes and vitamins and they perked up within a few days.

now, we generally always try to drive and pick up chicks. Yes, I would mail order chicks if I had to to get what I needed, if I couldn’t drive to pick any up.

 

[Melontine]

Where did you order from?

Tractor supply / Hoover’s hatchery.

Shipping is hard on chicks. AlwAys best to pick up in person, if at all possible.

I got chicks shipped and all arrived DOA due to USPS mishandling -I did get a refund on the chicks from the hatchery.

second try from another hatchery, and I paid for express shipping. Chicks arrived at PO only 17 hours after being shipped. Still, 3 died And a few looked roughed up from travel. We gave them electrolytes and vitamins and they perked up within a few days.

now, we generally always try to drive and pick up chicks. Yes, I would mail order chicks if I had to to get what I needed, if I couldn’t drive to pick any up.

Oh I agree.
This year all the local places were sold out of chicks so we decided to try ordering a breed they don’t have locally. From what I’ve heard losing 3 is pretty standard, still stinks though. Poor chicks.

 

[viennaproto]

I just ordered ducks from poultry. I am nervous now haha! I am so sorry for your losses but very happy that your other chicks are doing well!!

 

[21hens-incharge]

My first and only time ordering was ducklings this year from Cackle.
Cackle did an awesome job packaging as they had a heat pack and grogel.

Our post office gets a lot of chicks rolling through. The day they should arrive here I was in a bit of a knot. Hubs has a friend that works at the post office. He called him at 6am and asked him to check. YES they had arrived......I showed up before the post office opened. That was 2.5 hours later!
A rather rude clerk asked "Well did you get a call?!?" Um no I had not. She went off in a huff to go look. After I was home with my babies hubs called to ask why I hadn't picked them up yet.... Um I had. They were nomming the noms and drinking a lot of water.

The PO never called my number which was listed first on the box but called hubs (listed second) over an hour after I had already picked them up.

It was an odd experience. I was lucky that 4 days after hatch all of mine were strong and lively.

I would have been sick if any were dead on arrival or super weak.

I am so sorry that your shipment was iffy at best.

 

[viennaproto]

My first and only time ordering was ducklings this year from Cackle.
Cackle did an awesome job packaging as they had a heat pack and grogel.

Our post office gets a lot of chicks rolling through. The day they should arrive here I was in a bit of a knot. Hubs has a friend that works at the post office. He called him at 6am and asked him to check. YES they had arrived......I showed up before the post office opened. That was 2.5 hours later!
A rather rude clerk asked "Well did you get a call?!?" Um no I had not. She went off in a huff to go look. After I was home with my babies hubs called to ask why I hadn't picked them up yet.... Um I had. They were nomming the noms and drinking a lot of water.

The PO never called my number which was listed first on the box but called hubs (listed second) over an hour after I had already picked them up.

It was an odd experience. I was lucky that 4 days after hatch all of mine were strong and lively.

I would have been sick if any were dead on arrival or super weak.

I am so sorry that your shipment was iffy at best.

Did you get a tracking number and everything? How did you know to call that morning? I am so nervous I won't be told when they deliver to the post office. Any advice??

 

[21hens-incharge]

Did you get a tracking number and everything? How did you know to call that morning? I am so nervous I won't be told when they deliver to the post office. Any advice??

I did get a tracking number. It seemed to lag or not update as much as I expected. I was going by Cackles estimated date of arrival.
Hubs called because I was pacing and upset that they hadn't called yet. The feed store we use said they get called at 5am. I was then expecting a call around 5am.

I was really expecting to open a box of dead ducklings with them in transit for 4 days.

All I can offer for comfort is the knowledge that chicks have been shipping by USPS for many many decades. They wouldn't be if most arrived dead.

Call your post office the day before the expected arrival and make sure they know you will be available to come get them and that you want a call as soon as the hey arrive. If they don't call before they open for the day....I would be there anyway and make them go look.

 

[viennaproto]

I did get a tracking number. It seemed to lag or not update as much as I expected. I was going by Cackles estimated date of arrival.
Hubs called because I was pacing and upset that they hadn't called yet. The feed store we use said they get called at 5am. I was then expecting a call around 5am.

I was really expecting to open a box of dead ducklings with them in transit for 4 days.

All I can offer for comfort is the knowledge that chicks have been shipping by USPS for many many decades. They wouldn't be if most arrived dead.

Call your post office the day before the expected arrival and make sure they know you will be available to come get them and that you want a call as soon as the hey arrive. If they don't call before they open for the day....I would be there anyway and make them go look.

You are awesome!! Thank you for all this great information. And trust me, my husband will be knocking pretty loud on that back door at 6 am if I don't get a call. I am so glad your chicks are doing well