What to expect when expecting order from hatchery......

[Chick CJ]

Hi all...
I have been hatching and raising my own chicks or buying from local people for years and I just ordered 20 barred rocks from Meyer's. Hoping my first experience with shipped chicks goes well, but I do understand it maybe a crap shoot this time of year. I was hoping for some advice on how to give them the best chance possible upon arrival. I have been hatching/raising chicks for years but feel like a newby with the shipping thing. They will be inside my house in a very large water/feed trough with a heat lamp and lots of room to either be in the heat or escape as needed. Any advice?
CJ

 

[Compost King]

I ordered Golden Buffs from Meyers one time when they had a special on them. All were healthy, all lived a long life and some are still alive I am sure but I had to give them away. I believe they sent 2 extra. I doubt they sell anything of show quality. Overall I was happy with I received and they integrated well into a flock of leghorns hatched earlier in the year.

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

Depending on how far away you are, sometimes a few will die in shipment, or be sick and die the next day. But overall, i've had pretty good luck with buying from hatcheries.

 

[SueT]

Where do you live, how far from the hatchery?

 

[Compost King]

I wish there was a hatchery in the South East USA, every hatchery is far from me, Meyers being the closest

 

[SomeChickinTN]

I got mine from Meyer. They arrived the next day. Two almost died in shipping, but that was probably my fault for ordering too few, but I alternated putting them directly under the lamp and dipping their beaks in sugar water, and they were coming around by that evening. Now they are all healthy. I imagine you probably won't have any problems with as many as you got. They seem to be a great company to order from.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi all...
I have been hatching and raising my own chicks or buying from local people for years and I just ordered 20 barred rocks from Meyer's. Hoping my first experience with shipped chicks goes well, but I do understand it maybe a crap shoot this time of year. I was hoping for some advice on how to give them the best chance possible upon arrival. I have been hatching/raising chicks for years but feel like a newby with the shipping thing. They will be inside my house in a very large water/feed trough with a heat lamp and lots of room to either be in the heat or escape as needed. Any advice?
CJ

How far are they going to have to travel?
Sounds like you have it all set up - just brood them like you normally do with the ones you hatch.
I've had good luck with getting from Meyers, but my orders have been smaller than yours, all chicks arrived happy, healthy and ready to go. Show them their water and food, watch to see that everybody is eating/drinking.
I usually give each chick 1-2drops of poultry vitamins for a couple of days too, but you can add that to your water if you wish, I've found my birds don't like "stuff" added to the water so they just get a direct dose.

Meyer ships with a heat pack underneath some type of bedding mat, with that many chicks they should all stay warm. The biggest worry, of course, is how they are handled during shipment. There's not much that can be done about that.
The last chicks I received got to ride in the USPS truck cab, the driver called me from somewhere in TN and was letting me know the chicks were all peeping and he had the heater and radio on LOL All were bouncing and happy when they arrived.

 

[Chickassan]

If the time of year you ordered them dosen't claim a few you should be fine. I didn't have any losses on a tiny order of four from Myer in the summer, they had to go to S.C. It took one day and the chicks were still pretty hatch drunk when they arrived. I halfed the first water with coconut water to give them a little boost, think I used harmless brand but any pure coconut water would work. I like using it better than save a chick since it gives a little caloric content too.

 

[SueT]

Please update us when they arrive!

 

[Chick CJ]

Hi everyone,
Thanks so much for all the posts. I forgot how much it means to have support in this endeavor! I live in California so I know this puts my chicks at a disadvantage as they have to come so far. I am praying they have an uneventful trip and with 20 of them they are able to keep warm enough. I really like the idea of mixing in coconut water with their water, thanks so much Chickassan for the recommendation!

And to Wyorp Rock, thanks for the encouragement and advice on keeping a close eye on them.

I will update when they arrive. (hopefully with good news)
CJ