Due to USPS shipping delays to some states, we are not shipping Quick Chicks to the following states at this time: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, & Wyoming
*We ship Chicks the same day they hatch*
For safe handling and delivery of your birds, The Chick Hatchery has minimum order requirements.
These minimums help the birds stay warm and prevent them from shifting around during shipping.
SHIPPING COSTS – Free Shipping for Quick Chicks!
Chicks are shipped by USPS Priority Live Mail the same day that they hatch. When they arrive to you, your chicks will be 24-72 hours old. Day old chicks ship Monday thru Wednesday ONLY! Baby chicks ingest the yolk before they hatch, and this is enough nourishment for 72 hours. We add Gro Gel to the box to keep them happy and well-nourished until they arrive at their destination! Poultry Breeds and sexes will be mixed to ensure that your chicks arrive to you in optimum condition. Our chick boxes are designed to help keep chicks safe and warm while they are on their way to you.
How far in advance should I book my order?
As soon as you know when and how many birds you want to order you should book your order.
*We fill orders on a first come, first served basis. It is important to place your pre-paid order as soon as possible to get the best chance at earlier ship dates. Some breeds, especially rare breeds, sell out faster than others.
*You can pick the date you would like your poultry shipped to you or note ASAP. It is common practice to order 2-6 weeks prior to the date you want for delivery. When we receive your order, we look for the earliest possible date for all your breeds requested and are available together. Some breeds (rare turkeys, guineas, ducks, and game birds) are not available until later in the year.
*We then secure that date and take those birds off the market for sale and send you a confirmation of your hatch/ship date. Because live newly hatched chicks become perishable the day they hatch, it is necessary to have them all sold well before their hatch date.
*We hatch thousands of poultry each week and we do a pretty good job of counting our chicks before they hatch when we secure your order.
Will I receive Tracking Information?
*Tracking Information will be sent if you request it. Tracking Information is sent the evening your chicks ship out or the morning after the chicks leave the Hatchery. We do not Guarantee you will receive Tracking the same day your order ships out.
The USPS Tracking information could show inaccurate or dated information. It is a bit tricky when shipping live poultry.
- The USPS sometimes reuses tracking numbers. If you see tracking information that has dated or completely incorrect information, this may be why. The correct information will appear when the package is scanned at the originating postal facility. Please recheck your Tracking ID later.
- The Tracking ID system that the USPS uses is NOT a complete, real-time report of the package’s location, and the system is still in its infancy. Please do not panic if the Tracking ID information shows that the package has not moved, doesn’t appear to be making progress, or the tracking shows a 3 – 5-day transit time Rest assured, most packages arrive in 1-2 days, some may take 3 days depending on your location.
Tracking Information is provided by the USPS. We do what we can, but ultimately, we are not responsible for the accuracy of the tracking information.
How long will it take for my chicks to arrive at the post office after they have been shipped?
*After you have received your “Chicks Have Shipped” email, this means that your birds have been shipped. It should take 1-3 business days to get to your Post Office after they have left our facility. Most orders arrive in 2 days, but some orders may take 3 days, but this is usually to Rural areas. Baby chickens are perishable, and you are expected to be available at any time of any day, the week your chicks hatch and ship.
Will the Post Office deliver the chicks to my home?
*Chicks are shipped to your local Post Office. You will have to work something out with your Post Office if you want them to be delivered to your home. We put your phone number on the shipping box, and we instruct the post office to call you to come and pick them up at the post office. If you request the USPS to deliver to your home, our Live Arrival Guarantee is null and void. Make sure you are available for the anticipated day and days around the arrival date and that you have someone to care for chicks the first 24 hours in the brooder.
What if I cannot request the ship date that I want?
*This may occur because we have sold out of a particular sex/breed of chicks for that day. Keep in mind when ordering multiple Breeds, we need to find a common available hatch date for all breeds selected which may cause a desired ship date to be different from what you have selected.
Internet orders are processed in the order received. When ordering through the website you will receive an immediate e-mail response notifying you that your order has been received. The email will tell you that your order is on hold until we have finished processing it. You will receive a second e-mail in 1-3 business days that includes your confirmed ship date or estimated date of arrival. If the e-mail address you listed on your order is correct and you have not heard from us in 7 days, check that your Spam/Junk folder has not blocked our e-mail.
We are hatching around 15,000 birds weekly and securing your order and Hatch/Ship Date is done as quickly as humanly possible.
Expect your order to arrive at your Post Office in 1 to 3 days from the ship date. Be aware that 98% of orders arrive within two days. 2% of Orders may take 3 days to get to you. We do our best to meet the scheduled shipment date. If we are unable to provide chicks on the scheduled hatch date, we will notify you and you can choose to reschedule or receive a refund. We ship chicks Mondays – Wednesdays. We fill orders on a first come, first served basis. It is important to place your pre-paid order as soon as possible to get the best chance at earlier ship dates. Typically, an order can take anywhere from 1-4 weeks to ship out. *Please let us know if you are willing to accept any substitutions to have an earlier ship date*
If a loss occurs during shipment or shortly thereafter, our policy requires that we are notified within 24 hours of arrival. Please submit our Hatchery Loss Reporting Form. We will offer a refund for properly cared for poultry that deceased within 24 hours of the time of arrival to your post office. While we appreciate notification of losses as they happen, we ask that you report your total losses one time, at the end of the 24-hour period.
Please provide a Total Count of all birds received, a Live Count and a Loss Count. Pictures of dead chicks are REQUIRED. Please fill out our Loss Reporting Form.
Reimbursements are limited to the cost of the birds ONLY and will NOT include cost of Vaccination Services or Shipping Charges as these are considered Services, not products.