USPS won't get me my chicks in under 72 hours!

[sfchixn]

I just got the tracking number for my chick order and it looks like they won't arrive until 8pm on Saturday. They have been in transit since yesterday afternoon! It seems to break the USPS rules. Has this happened to anyone else and what can be done about it? Freaking out as I have never mail ordered chicks before!

 

[ringramjr1]

Taken from the hatchery's shipping confirmation where we got our chicks: "The US Postal Service has added 1 day to the estimated delivery time for all Priority Mail packages. This change does not affect the actual delivery time for day old chicks and other birds. You may notice when you access tracking information on the USPS web site that the estimated delivery date is 3 - 4 days, but chicks will be delivered within 72 hours."

 

[sfchixn]

Thank you! The post office is several hours drive for me so I think I will be prepared to go on Friday vs Saturday now. Thank you, thank you!

 

[iwltfum]

I have a box of broilers coming to me that should have been here today by all accounts and it's still in the state it originated in! I've heard bee keepers are having a similar problem in the last couple weeks. I'm expecting most of my birds to be dead when they arrive since it will have been four days in the mail if they arrive tomorrow morning. I get multiple large orders of chicks every season from the same hatchery and this is the first time this has ever happen to any of my shipments. I guess the usps is stretched thin right now, but come on, a guarantee is a guarantee.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Blame the shipper not the post office

 

[NatJ]

The Post Office has changed the estimates, but chicks have been arriving sooner than the tracking predictions.

Here's one recent example:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/order-chicks-i-should-had-asked-questions.1377083/
(Shipped Tuesday, predicted arrival Saturday, actual arrival Thursday morning.)

 

[plaidpantsuit]

My April egg order was in the post 10 DAYS, although we paid for a one day priority label. Arrived scrambled/unviable. Considering current circumstances, I am trying to be reasonable, but shouldn't there be some kind of warning? Grr.

 

[sfchixn]

I have a box of broilers coming to me that should have been here today by all accounts and it's still in the state it originated in! I've heard bee keepers are having a similar problem in the last couple weeks. I'm expecting most of my birds to be dead when they arrive since it will have been four days in the mail if they arrive tomorrow morning. I get multiple large orders of chicks every season from the same hatchery and this is the first time this has ever happen to any of my shipments. I guess the usps is stretched thin right now, but come on, a guarantee is a guarantee.

That's terrible. Chicks are supposed to arrive no later than 72 hours and that's by USPS standard. I hope your chicks arrive ok, but if not, make sure to open the box at the Post Office and have them document the situation. Please keep us posted on the outcome and, if bad, who the hatchery is.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I've had great success and horror stories with shipping. I'm certainly hoping for the best for you!!!

 

[The Moonshiner]

Blame the shipper not the post office

Why would you blame the shipper? That makes no sense to me. Its the postal service thats job is to transfer the package.

A friend just got chicks shipped for the first time and was also freaking out because tracking said they would arrive Saturday which also would be 4 days. His arrived Thursday also before tracking showed them leaving the original state.