I made a HORRIBLE mistake ordering from a hatchery! (Graphic Photos)

[AGeese]

I'm sorry to hear they are being like this. I would honestly try a different hatchery, I recommend Meyer Hatchery, I've never had a problem with birds dying in shipping, or them getting the gender wrong.

MH has always been good to me, never had any dead arrivals, and when I had an issue with one order (after arrival) they even offered to replace after their garauntee was up. Highly recommended. That said I also have a post office that is experienced with chick deliveries.

 

[McChooky]

Hello everyone.

I am just devastated at the events of the past 2-1/2 weeks that have seen two (2) orders for specialty Silkie hatchery chicks arrive dead or dying. Initially, I thought this was the fault of the USPS, but I've come to discover that this falls squarely on the hatchery, Valley Hatchery, and their shipping practices. For reasons I can't explain, they will only ship USPS Priority Mail, not Priority Mail EXPRESS, the latter guaranteeing quick and careful shipping. Worse, they don't even bother to put any notification on the container that there are "LIVE ANIMALS" in the box. WTH?

Valley Hatchery has locations in OH, MO, TN, CA and MT and can be found at www.valleyhatchery.com online. I've cried for days over this! Opening the box I had to retrieve at the local post office today was absolutely heartbreaking, sixteen (16) dead birds all because this hatchery couldn't be bothered with shipping EXPRESS, a service we requested several times after their 1st shipment of eighteen (18) birds saw only 6 survive (8 were dead in the box, 4 more died over the ensuing days), and the 6 survivors required near round-the-clock ICU-type care to make it.

As I write this, my husband is taking up the cause to try to get some rules/guidelines/laws changed regarding the shipping of live chicks. He's reaching out to the MO AG's office, the USPS Board of Governors in Washington, DC, our senators and representative, and more. No bird should have to suffer the way the birds in these two shipments suffered! What a horrible way to die!

I will never order hatchery chicks again, NEVER. We placed another order between these two horrific orders, and they were shipped twice the distance to our home as the Missouri orders, but they were shipped Priority EXPRESS, and they arrived in less than 2 days healthy and happy, but I still feel VERY guilty about subjecting the chicks to the trip from CA to NC. For that reason, I won't do it again; it's just not worth it.

If you're going to order chicks from a hatchery, be sure you get Priority Mail EXPRESS shipping. Without it, you'll likely get to suffer through the same scenes that we've had to endure... :-(

Spoiler: Graphic Photos

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The only reason we keep buying chicks from hatcheries is they keep guaranteeing they'll arrive alive.I ordered from a hatchery in Texas this time because they're the only hatchery that has the chicks I want.I hope you can find a closer place and sorry you're going thru this

 

[AGeese]

The only reason we keep buying chicks from hatcheries is they keep guaranteeing they'll arrive alive.I ordered from a hatchery in Texas this time because they're the only hatchery that has the chicks I want.I hope you can find a closer place and sorry you're going thru this

Phase two of chicken hobbists, extended 2020 edition. Learn to breed your own chicks. Cities will return to the old ways.

 

[Kimwao]

I have gotten chicks from tractor supply,never ordered online this is so sad you had to deal with them being so unconcerned with the lives of the chicks they ship.I have saw my local feed store had local chicks for sale and have heard they were extremely healthy and buying local always is a plus but if you can't then these hatcheries MUST do better!! Again I'm sorry

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Express shipping is useless for USPS. Many hatcheries that do offer Express as an option will add a note below the option that it often does not come any sooner. I stopped using Express for usps a couple of years back because every time I paid extra for express regardless of what I had ordered it actually took longer for it to arrive. Express packages would often be held for extended periods of time at the main USPS hub before it was taken to my local USPS. Your issue lies with the new General Postmaster that was appointed back in 2020. He has made every attempt to cut spending which has resulted in packages being re-routed through longer delivery routes and being held longer at hubs. Also writing live birds does not necessarily do anything. After speaking with several postman over the years they have made comments how packages marked “fragile” etc. mean nothing and in general to not change how the packages are handled while packages marked “live birds” does nothing to expedite arrival.

 

[McChooky]

I have gotten chicks from tractor supply,never ordered online this is so sad you had to deal with them being so unconcerned with the lives of the chicks they ship.I have saw my local feed store had local chicks for sale and have heard they were extremely healthy and buying local always is a plus but if you can't then these hatcheries MUST do better!! Again I'm sorry

Some hatcheries will use a closer hatchery to fill a buyer's order(even a competitor) Buying chicks from larger hatcheries is safer sometimes

 

[AGeese]

Also if you have a specific breed in mind never hurts to search the breeders up in your area: https://livestockconservancy.org/

 

[Karmachine]

Not all hatcheries are created equal.

 

[paddock36]

I just received chicks today from Valley Hatchery and all, except one, was fine. Unfortunately somehow the heating pad fell on it. I dint believe that had anything to do with the hatchery. This is the first time I ordered from them as well. I did notice on my paperwork that it is documented, "If upon arrival you have lost more than your extras, contact us within 24 hours to receive credit".

I have ordered from McMurray before and lost chicks that began dying immediately after they arrived, but I contacted them and they replaced them. Overall, I am happy with both hatcheries. I hope things work out for you and you are able to get the chicks you want without any further problems.