Stupid Canada Post?...wait till you hear about UPS!

Had an order come from McMurray today, approx. 1100 chicks. Arrived at the Sweetgrass (US) post office at around 9am, which is when the delivery truck usually shows up... Waited till 9:30, they were running a bit late, no problem. I see a blue 4 door ford truck unloading parcels from the back...cant be??! Yes, UPS delivered my chicks from Great Falls to Sweetgrass, a 2hr 20min drive IN THE BACK OF A PICKUP TRUCK! -14 and blowing snow! You can only imagine that the chicks are not fairing to well..... Will be up early and on the phone tomorrow! Not to mention that ALL the holes in the boxes were poked out, fairly common knowledge that hot air rises, and flows out the top!...

Is that UPS or USPS? Sounds more like USPS to me.

Oh my gosh Ty, that is terrible. And so un called for and inhumane. I would be on the phone with UPS or USPS, whichever it was and report animal abuse. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to know you don't put babies in the back of a pick up truck, even in above zero that is crazy, and they did it at -14! I woudl like the driver to sit back there for 2 1/2 hrs at road speed and see how he feels.

Hopefully your order was not a complete loss, but I do know that it can affect them for quite some time from getting chilled, even the ones that did survive the trip... Poor things.

That is just terrible!! I can't believe it's their first chick delivery - inexcusable - and what's up with McMurray for releasing the chicks to that kind of transport? Unbelievable!

Definitely inexcusable on the one drivers part. Mcmurray would have had no clue as to how its shipment arrived. See my post in useful info on couriers for some insight.

He Ty, you must have been there just before I came.
The post office guy told me that someone had just picked up an order of 1000+.
I was already thinking, maybe it was Ty

Well, I didn't have that many, but I have also many dead ones. I think it's the last time I ordered from them. The hatching date on the box was Feb. 3, today it's the 6th.!
That's to long already and than delivered like that I'm not happy.

Chicks are doing very poorly right now, still. Like Jayme said, once they are chilled, its a tough road back. Ill be lucky if I end up with a 40 -50% survival.

Very irresponsible - the lady driving the truck had NO concern whatsoever, for the chicks or the parcels clearly marked FRAGILE, throwing them off the truck and landing on the metal trolleys, I could not believe it, almost wanted to video tape the whole thing.

Anna - I seen you driving south! haha. I though, na, couldn't be... lol I was there at 9am, waiting for the chicks to arrive...

OMG!
Im so freaking ANGRY to read this!

The woman should be fired and far far worse! Call the SPCA down there on that one and Ride McMurray's butt about it. This is a total outrage!!!!!! HOw HORRIBLE for her to basticly intentionally freeze baby chicks, any animal at all!!!!

I wonder if McMurray has a FB Page. I will be all over that dang thing if they do. I dont care if it is "not thier fault" They need to know about this screw up. For our shipment they sent out babies on a day that the postal planes didnt fly, that added another day of the chicks sitting somewhere.

Loosing a few chicks is to be expected Having 500 chicks die because of somenes stupid and callous decision is action worthy, everyone in that hcain needs to pay, the driver, the person who decided to deliver that way etc etc etc.

I am beyond angry. I can't believe people. That is just so wrong on so many levels. I would love to put that woman in the back of that pick up. Is she that stupid or that incompassionate? Please Ty make sure you let Mcmurray know exactly what happened to those chicks. I am totally disgusted. Lou

Shameful, too bad you didn't video it. Youtube is an amazing thing!

Not a happy start of the day, more dead chickies
It's now 40% dead ones and there will follow a few more.
I know the way they got to Sweet Grass was the death-blow, but what is your opinion about
the time between hatching and delivery. Isn't 3 days not already to much for those little ones.
If they didn't ship them in the weekend it may save a day.
Like Ideal, they ship on Tuesday, you can pick them up on Wednesday.

I just looked at the tracking #, it could have even been worse, expected delivery by...FEB 7!
And by the way, it was delivered to Billings MT, isn't that way south of Great Falls? The ttracking doesn't mention Great Falls at all. It came from Billings straight to Sweet Grass.

I'm getting a very sick feeling........

Priority Mail®
Delivered
February 06, 2012, 11:30 am
SWEET GRASS, MT 59484
Expected Delivery By:
February 7, 2012


Delivery Confirmation™


Arrival at Post Office
February 06, 2012, 9:37 am
SWEET GRASS, MT 59484

Processed through USPS Sort Facility
February 05, 2012, 8:04 am
BILLINGS, MT 59101

Depart USPS Sort Facility
February 04, 2012
SAINT PAUL, MN 55121

Processed through USPS Sort Facility
February 04, 2012, 6:20 am
SAINT PAUL, MN 55121

Shipment Accepted
February 04, 2012, 2:15 am
SAINT PAUL, MN 55111

Electronic Shipping Info Received
February 03, 2012

wow that is very sad and discouraging for sure...I hope that if you let them know the disastrous results they can avoid this in the future....but really tough on the chicks and you guys right now.

I had a Cackle order miss a plane before so it was 3 days by the time I got them. My only losses were all 4 sultans. They must have either been weaker or perhaps a slight touch older than the others, but ALL of my other chicks, around 30 or so, (Ameraucanas, Dominiques, Lakenvelders, Speckled Sussex, Sultan, can't even remember what else) did well. They were hungry and thirsty, never saw chicks learn to eat and drink so fast in my life, but they did well.

I am so sorry for you Ty, It is inexcusable to treat babies this way. And no we should not blame McMurray in any way . They should be able to trust a large shipper like USPS. If I were you I would threaten the USPS dept that if they don't refund you for your entire loss then they will have to explane to the proper authorities why they did treat these critters so inhumanely. I can see why some hatcheries won't ship this time of the year because you can never be sure that there won't be some thoughtless driver involved that could do something like this. Chicke are supposed to be able to survive for up to 72 hours without food and water from the time that they hatch so it is not so much the time as it was the way that they were treated. Good luck.

Inexcusable is right!! Poor chickies.

OHH MAN I WOULD HAVE RIPPED HER A NEW ONE!! ..THATS HORRIBLE!

Dan Smith wrote:Chicke are supposed to be able to survive for up to 72 hours without food and water from the time that they hatch so it is not so much the time as it was the way that they were treated. Good luck.

Well, they might survive those 72 hours, but they become quite weak, to weak in my opinion.
I tried to give them water with super booster in it, but when it was 11.30pm. I wanted to go to bed. And the weak ones that were doing a bit better were weak again this morning. (or dead). I searched the dutch sites (sorry, it's still easier for me ) and most of those site say that a chick can go without water/food for 36 hours, 48 is actually to long already. Are the dutch crazy or am I

TysExotics wrote: I see a blue 4 door ford truck unloading parcels from the back...cant be??! Yes, UPS delivered my chicks from Great Falls to Sweetgrass, a 2hr 20min drive IN THE BACK OF A PICKUP TRUCK! -14 and blowing snow!

Just wondering, was there a cover on the back of the truck, or really totally in the open?
I emailed McMurray and I have to call them tomorrow (after 48 hours of delivery).

Anna wrote:

Dan Smith wrote:Chicke are supposed to be able to survive for up to 72 hours without food and water from the time that they hatch so it is not so much the time as it was the way that they were treated. Good luck.

Well, they might survive those 72 hours, but they become quite weak, to weak in my opinion.
I tried to give them water with super booster in it, but when it was 11.30pm. I wanted to go to bed. And the weak ones that were doing a bit better were weak again this morning. (or dead). I searched the dutch sites (sorry, it's still easier for me ) and most of those site say that a chick can go without water/food for 36 hours, 48 is actually to long already. Are the dutch crazy or am I

Day olds will drink and eat as soon as they are able to, which is right after their nap when they are dried up and so it should be. They can do without for a short time just in case, but it is not meant to be without food or water for that long. It is a reserve that nature provided them with, but is best when the chick does not have to reley on it. It will take strength out of them when chicks have to dig in their savings, which is irreversible and does not provide the best "start" in life.
Anna, you are darn right.

Piet

Anna, When I get chicks shipped I also order gro jel so as soon as I cross the border I give it to them and it does a lot more than super booster. It replenishes the electrolites and vitamins as well as other essential stuff. They ship it( a powder) in a small baggie and you add water and it expands into a large lime green jello like substance so it doesn't get the chicks wet and it is even recommended to give chicks the moment they hatch even when they are not being shipped. I have used it when I have ordered chicks and I have also sent it with chicks that I have shipped.

McMurray now sends all the chicks with grow jell in the compartments, they have access to it throughout shipment. They failed to put the heat packs under the straw mats in the boxes - that would have made a huge difference.

Called them today, they said there is nothing they can do about the USPS policies... which I understand. They didn't question my loss's at all and are sending a replacement order.

Fingers crossed this one if more of a success.

TysExotics wrote:McMurray now sends all the chicks with grow jell in the compartments, they have access to it throughout shipment. They failed to put the heat packs under the straw mats in the boxes - that would have made a huge difference.

Called them today, they said there is nothing they can do about the USPS policies... which I understand. They didn't question my loss's at all and are sending a replacement order.

Fingers crossed this one if more of a success.

I would now be calling ups and complain mention SPCA and
inform them of replacment shipment. And if the same thing happens I would be calling the SPCA. But that being said if McMurry's want to keep shipping replacements and not take action on ups how long before their losses add up to where they will take action?

As bad as this was, I don't want to be to hard on, or cause any grief towards McMurray. Or they will stop sending chicks to Canada like the other 4 hatcheries that we have lost in the last 4 years...

TysExotics wrote:As bad as this was, I don't want to be to hard on, or cause any grief towards McMurray. Or they will stop sending chicks to Canada like the other 4 hatcheries that we have lost in the last 4 years...

I was thinking the same thing.
Geri