I have ordered chicks twice from Meyer Hatchery in Ohio with very good results. They are 4-5 hours from me so that the chicks arrive the next day and aren't stressed. I would recommend getting them from the nearest hatchery in the more mild months--not too hot in summer and not too early in spring (march 1st and after.)
Lol.. i would rather buy healthy chicks from a good hatchery than to just deal with whatever is closer
I have gotten chicks shipped during the heat of the summer and also with freezing temps in the winter. If the hatchery knows how to pack them and they are healthy they should make it fine.
I have had packages here in Texas get lost when they should have been here within a day.. so just because a hatchery is close doesn't mean the post office won't lose them or leave them in a too hot or too cold location.
Like I said before the chicks from Ideal got to me a lot faster than the ones from Cackle did.. but the chicks from Cackle were much healthier chicks (those shipments were the same week and during the heat of the summer.. so the results SHOULD have been the other way round).
Another comment on the postal service.
A guy in New York sent me a package via Priority Mail on the 4th of this month.. it got to me on the 6th (needless to say I was in shock)
yet a package shipped from San Antonio (also shipped via Priority mail) on the 4th STILL has not shown up... so it doesn't matter where a package is being shipped from.. the postal service can lose them regardless...
Another was sent form California on the 2nd.. it is lost in transit somewhere in California... no idea if they will ever update tracking.... *sighs*