USPS embargo on live animals (chicks) through Feb 26, 2021!

[sfchixn]

I'm sorry. Any idea what was wrong?

No, just cold and trampled. McMurray gives a free chick of what you buy plus a free surprise chicks. In the last two shipments I received, I lost the free extra chick (not the surprise chick) so I wonder if they just throw in a weak extra one to help keep the box warm?

 

[NatJ]

I wonder if they just throw in a weak extra one to help keep the box warm?

I would expect them to just count in the right number plus one, and not make any effort to spot which ones might be weak, because I'm sure they have to work fast to get all the chicks packed up on hatch day. I think the extra is because it's fairly common for a chick to die in shipping, and this way the customer isn't short by one.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Agreed. Wondering if I should switch to producing hatching eggs instead of table eggs

Why not both? That's what this year did to me. Just hatched 10, 10 more eggs from today already in the incubator, will check for more to add in an hour, and more than 8 dozen eggs to neighbors in the past week. Plus eggs for my wife and I.

Waiting on NPIP certification and a limited license for eggs/poultry for consumption

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

The black & yellow one in the front right?
I can't see comb type, which would rule out some of these, but it might be one of these breeds:
Lakenvelder https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/lakenvelders.html
Columbian Wyandotte https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/columbian_wyandottes.html
Ancona https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/anconas.html

Or any of the black breeds, or the blacks that hatch from Blue breedings.
That could include Black Giant, Sumatra, Black Minorca, White Faced Black Spanish, "Blue" Andalusian, Black Australorp.

Or any of the breeds that come in a variety of colors, like "Ameraucana" (Easter Eggers) or Whiting True Blue.

It has clean legs, so not any kind of Cochin or Brahma or Langshan.

I think it looks more like the Lakenvelder pictures than any of the other breeds, but so many chicks can look alike that I wouldn't be sure until it grows some feathers and a bigger comb.

I thought Lakenvelder immediately when I saw them. I've gotten Lakenvelders from McMurray before, so I think you're onto something.

 

[cluckingheck]

wow. i was supposed to get salmon faverolle chicks from cackle and now they’re rescheduled for March 8th. I figured they would still truck mine since it was Missouri to West Virginia. kind of wild OP was able to get their chicks from Iowa to CA which is longer than the trip mine would’ve made. Wonder if there’s some exceptions? I know one of my local TSCs was able to get chicks for Chick Days from Townline poultry in Michigan.

 

[springvalley123]

wow. i was supposed to get salmon faverolle chicks from cackle and now they’re rescheduled for March 8th. I figured they would still truck mine since it was Missouri to West Virginia. kind of wild OP was able to get their chicks from Iowa to CA which is longer than the trip mine would’ve made. Wonder if there’s some exceptions? I know one of my local TSCs was able to get chicks for Chick Days from Townline poultry in Michigan.

FWIW, the OP's chicks arrived every bit as fast as the shipments I've gotten by (presumably) air from Iowa or New Mexico, to Phoenix area.

 

[sfchixn]

I am sorry. Sometimes they just don't make that trip.

Sadly we lost a bunch more. A total of six have expired when I called McMurray who were happy to refund us for the losses but this has never happened to me before that we've lost this many chicks.

There are a few more chicks on their way out. The staff member I spoke to suggested that I give the weak chicks some warm sugar or honey water. I did that and they did perk up, but have gone back to being weak and not eating. I think I should have let them expire instead of prolong it and we could have gotten a refund on these as well.

Gave all the chicks some scrambled egg and they went nuts, running around with the bits like it was a worm. It is easy to spot the weak chicks -- completely disinterested.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Just got an email from Freedom Ranger. All is well and chicks are shipping Monday!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Just got an email from Freedom Ranger. All is well and chicks are shipping Monday!

Great news!!!!

Acceptance of live animals​

The Postal Service will resume acceptance of live animals on Feb. 26 for air transportation and movement on Feb. 27 following temporary disruptions due to severe winter storms.


Link here

 

[Winter Creek Coop]

Wooohooo