Why are hatcheries shipping on Saturday?

[DoubletakeFarm]

I haven't ordered chicks for a few years, but before the hatcheries always shipped on Mondays and I got the chicks on Wednesday. I ordered from two different hatcheries this year, and the first one shipped on Saturday June 7th. When I got the text telling me they shipped, I said to my husband "why the heck are they shipping on a Saturday?? The post office is closed on Sunday." He said that even though the post office is closed, the mail still moves.

Got those chicks on Monday the 9th. Opened the box at the post office and 7 out of 15 were dead. By 7pm the rest had died. I have never had a loss like that. I don't remember having any shipped chicks die, much less the entire shipment.

Now I get a text from the second hatchery saying my order was shipped yesterday, Saturday the 14th. Is this the norm now?

 

[donrae]

I agree with your honey, just cause the offices are closed doesn't mean they don't move mail on Sunday. That said, my chicks from Ideal were shipped I think Tuesday, I got them on Thursday.

What hatcheries are you dealing with? I agree it's unusual, I've always had Monday or Tuesday ships.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

It is weird that they shipped them on a Saturday, but you still received them in time. I would think they died because of either rough handling by the PO or maybe just weakness (failure to thrive).

I just recently received a shipment of 15 guineas from Cackle. They shipped Wednesday and I picked them up Friday morning, all very active and healthy.

Sorry for your loss

 

[DoubletakeFarm]

I got the chicks this morning and only two were dead. Poor things. The rest were very thirsty so I'm wondering if it's just too hot this time of year. The girl I talked to at the hatchery said they usually have more problems with cold than heat though.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

In my (very humble) opinion, its the opposite. The chicks will die faster from too much heat than cold. There's a reason they have minimums, it for warmth. The last time I ordered from Ideal, in Feb, we were getting crazy wind and snow when I picked my chicks up from the PO. Everyone was fine. I do admit, with my latest shipment from Cackle, we were having some unusual cool weather. It was in the 70s while they were in the mail. Today its in the 90s, ugh!

 

[DoubletakeFarm]

Just an update: the order from the second hatchery that shipped on a Saturday had a loss of 7 chicks out of 20. Better, but still more than I've ever lost before. The first hatchery reshipped my chicks but sent them on a Monday this time. Didn't have a single loss!