Advice for those ordering chicken chicks this year.

I am so devastated I can hardly type.

I ordered 30 chicks from Strombergs and all 30 arrived dead.

I had to drive an hour to go pick them up when I was alerted the box wasn't making any 'peeping' noise when it arrived at the 'hub' Postal Office.

The company didn't add anything to the plain brown box to keep them warm.

30 dead chicks.

Be warned.



PayPal and/or the BBB will get me my money back - but this is just so wrong on so many levels.

Animal cruelty at the least.

a reply to: silo13

I get my chickens from the Tractor supply company, I only buy 6 at a time. It is a shame that the chicks died. Order more and when it isn't cold out.

Sad to see with winter storms across most of the continent in the middle of winter, people are shipping live animals in the mail and hoping for the best since its priority or express - any year.

I don't even risk hatching eggs this time of year. Spring and Fall, only.

RIP

a reply to: silo13
Its cold out man! Is there no local supplier??? It kills me to have to order live critters in the mail. But then again the only ones I ever did order were coral frags and exotic fish not available at the dozen or so aquarium stores. Sometimes i just have to have that specific species because they are hardier and friendlier in the system. Back when I had a marine reef tank system.

There is a feed store in town though that also sells live chicks, ducklings, and other livestock. I love the little piggies the best.

a reply to: silo13

Very sad.



This is why I buy my chicks locally. I'm able to take them straight home and make sure they grow up.

I'll second the Tractor Supply. If they are not selling yet, then there's a reason....cold.

silo13, I'm going to say a long prayer to the Lord on your behalf, you have reached the threshold, may your future become much much brighter....

originally posted by: worldstarcountry
a reply to: silo13
Its cold out man! Is there no local supplier??? It kills me to have to order live critters in the mail. But then again the only ones I ever did order were coral frags and exotic fish not available at the dozen or so aquarium stores. Sometimes i just have to have that specific species because they are hardier and friendlier in the system. Back when I had a marine reef tank system.

There is a feed store in town though that also sells live chicks, ducklings, and other livestock. I love the little piggies the best.

These chicks are a special breed. I had no idea the weather was so bad and that is NOT on my shoulders to know but Strombergs - who shipped. They should have told me they couldn't do it and I would have been fine to wait.

And yes, little piggies are a riot!

a reply to: Plotus

I sure need it hun and God Bless you too - returned prayers for your needs and peace.

There's something that's about to change your life. I don't know what it is but you seem to be struggling with something. A choice?

I've never done this - going out on a limb here - but it struck me hard.

Call it I've had a bad day, or - you need prayer too.

Much love to you and yours.

~ grace

a reply to: seasonal

No one has the chicks I ordered but these people and I didn't know any private breeders.

Belgian Bearded D'Anvers.

Many hatcheries say they have them and do not.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

I'm a chick, not a man.

And, if the weather was bad - they should not have shipped.

That's all on them.

Thank you though.

a reply to: silo13
Forgive me fair lady, I just tend to say man as an expression. I guess thats very misogynistic of me lol! I can understand having to mail order a particular species/breed as I have been in that boat not only with fish and coral, but tarantula's as well.

Assuming their shipping department was not just being callous and wanting to get your money at whatever cost, there are methods they could have taken to ship even in the cold.

You know those hand warmer things that you bust open, shake and are warm for like ten hours?? You should let them know those would be something to at least help keep the temperature up. Those things really can stay quite nice for some time. I used to use them at an old job when I had to work in freezers stocking and organizing frozen foods. I would stick them in my sleeves right at the wrist, my lower back, and sometimes on my chest in the shirt pocket.

Perhaps you could give them that recommendation to throw a couple of those in there with like that insulation type stuffing looking stuff I see in pet stores sometime???

They get chicks at Tractor supply here every year. We go look at them, they run about three bucks or less apiece for them, A friend of mine, my egg supplier, picked up fifteen of them for fifty cents apiece when they clearanced them out. They were all females too, they will be boosting egg production next year, they had twenty five before that.

The NWO doesn't give a flying # so long as we all have one in our pot.


Sad for the chickens though, my condolences.

Awwww, poor little chicks. That is so sad and so unnecessary. I blame the company for shipping them in cold weather.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

I followed your advice and told them in an email 1) NEVER SHIP again in cold weather. And if there is any question use the hand warmers and some type of insulating material.

Thank you Kind Sir!

a reply to: silo13

When I was really into the aquarium hobby, I was getting fish in through overnight shipping. Had to go direct to the airport to pick many of them up.

A lot of shippers won't ship when it's this cold, but with those who will, you have to do your research and keep good communication to make sure they'll be sent promptly through a reliable shipper and with lots of heat packs but not too many so they arrive alive.

It's tragic, but with delicate animals, shipping in the cold is dangerous.

a reply to: ketsuko
I used to have to pick up at the airport as well. Eventually I found what is regarded as the best reef store in central Florida by hobbyists in the area. They will personally import any species you request, and quarantine them there for an acclimation period to ensure they are hearty and healthy for you to take home.

FAOIS (Fish and Other Itchy Stuff) . The man will turn down sales if he can tell a jackass moron has no regard or intention of doing the hobby right. He does not like people who just buys fish to replace them. He wants to ensure they will go to a good home that will be taken care of. Kind of like dog breeders.

But what am I talking about, this topic is about chicks!

I get my chickens from the Tractor supply company, I only buy 6 at a time. It is a shame that the chicks died. Order more and when it isn't cold out.

Going to echo that. I get mine in the Spring.

Why would you get them when it's so cold out?

a reply to: Gazrok

Because people who don't have their heads up their arses ship them overnight in insulated boxes with heat.

I've ordered from another company for over 30 years and never had a problem - always got them in Jan/Feb.

And before you come back with another inane question?

It's the responsibility of the shipper to know if it's a good time to ship or no. Not me.