Would You?

[novastar]

I have an order of 12 chicks and 4 ducklings shipping from Cackle on 2/12. This hatchery is about 13 hours from me. I was thinking about driving 5 hours to intercept them a day early (worried about the colder temps). Would you do this? I’d have to make some kind of brooder in the back of my car as we journey back home? Or, if I do go get them, should I just leave them in the box but offer the warmth of my car heater?
This is my first order of shipped poultry....and I just couldn’t wait any longer for my feed store to get their babies in (beginning of April). I need those fluffy butts now and fresh eggs when summer hits!

 

[cavemanrich]

I think if you transported them in your car with the heat on should be sufficient. The US mail does not have any type of special heated service that they use for chicks.
I know you are super excited about your chicks. I would contact the hatchery well in advance of your intentions. They may tell you that you could come in earlier.
WISHING YOU BEST.......

 

[azygous]

I did do what you are planning. I had a shipment of chicks that had a 24 hour transit to a postal sorting facility 150 miles from my town post office, and they were then doomed to spend the second 24 hours stored in that sorting facility before being placed on the delivery truck that would bring them to my post office, a long 150 mile trip in a bumpy mail truck.

But it turned out to not be so simple as collecting my chicks and sparing them that last 24 hours in postal custody. As it turned out, my shipment of chicks was delayed somewhere before getting to that sorting facility, and they weren't there when I went to collect them.

I had to drive all the way back home and then all the way back, covering the 300 mile round trip again, the next day. It turned out to be a very good thing I did go to the trouble as the chicks would have been in transit over three days by the time they got down to my local post office, and likely dead.

To drive them home, I just left them in their packing box and didn't do anything special other than give all the chicks a sip of Gatoraid before we began the final leg of their journey home.