What to Expect When Getting Chicks in the Mail

My very first flock by mail!

If you're wondering what it's really like to receive baby chicks shipped through the mail, you're not alone. This is one of the most common questions new backyard chicken owners ask. Growing up, I really thought chicks just came right from the farm store or farmer. I had no clue they could be shipped in the mail. After years of raising backyard chickens, I’ve gotten baby chicks in the mail multiple times and have it down to a science. Here’s what you need to know!

Is it Safe to Have Baby Chicks Shipped in the Mail?

The short answer is yes. Before a chick hatches, it eats the yolk which provides up to 72 hours of hydration and nourishment. From the time they hatch to get them to their new home shouldn’t exceed this time frame. Hatcheries have a system when shipping chicks. Depending on the time of year, most hatcheries have quantity requirements. During colder months, they require more chicks to be shipped at the same time so they can try and keep each other warm. During warmer months, the quantity requirements usually drop, depending on the hatchery.

How to Prepare Before Your Chicks Arrive

It is extremely important to get your baby chicks’ home set up before they arrive! A brooder is a fancy word for their home. You can read more in depth on how to set up a brooder, but the main things to consider are a safe space free from drafts and predators, temperature, food and water.

The brooder temp needs to be a steady 95 degrees Fahrenheit the first week of life. It can then drop 5 degrees each week after that until you reach 75 degrees. This is a comfortable temperature drop until the chicks are fully feathered and can be moved to the coop. Chicks can’t regulate body temperature until they’re fully feathered, so don’t put them in the coop too early! Please read this before integrating new chicks into your existing flock.

When ordering chicks from a hatchery, they will provide updates on when your chicks will ship and then when they actually ship. It is really important to let your local post office know ahead of time they'll be receiving a live baby chick shipment and ensure they know how to reach you. That way, you can pick them up from the post office as soon as they arrive.

What to Do Once Your Mailed Chicks Arrive

There’s something so exciting about going to the post office and hearing your little chicks peeping loudly out of their box. They come in an enclosed shipping box with holes obviously for them to breathe. Once you pick them up, head straight home to the brooder. Gently open the box and carefully place them in the brooder. They will likely go directly to the heat source to warm up.

After a few minutes under the heat, I carefully dip their beaks into warm water mixed with Chick E-lixir. I give them warm water the first day to help their systems warm up. Then, I sprinkle First Peep on top of their unmedicated chick crumble. It’s extremely important to get your chicks eating and drinking as soon as possible when you first bring them home. If they are a bit lethargic, they probably are cold and dehydrated. Once you get their systems warmed up, they should start eating and drinking right away. Chick E-lixir and First Peep help tremendously with this. Did you know that if you use Strong Animals Chicken Essential products you can use unmedicated feed? Strong Animals uses organic essential oils and other awesome things to grow your chicks healthy and strong the natural way. It keeps them healthy naturally as well.

Baby Chicks are messy little birds! I always put puppy pads under the pine shavings. Then I sprinkle Coop Recuperate often. This helps cut the moisture from them spilling their water and the ammonia smell from their poop. It lengthens the life of their bedding and realllllly helps cut the smell. Once you use Coop Recuperate, there will be no turning back! It has changed my view (and smell!) of raising backyard chickens for the long haul. You can find Chick E-lixir, First Peep, and Coop Recuperate all inside the Baby Chick Care Kit which will last your tiny flock for their first month.

Once all of your chicks are eating and drinking and cozy, you can sit and watch them (for hours). Don’t plan on getting much else done! Their days of being tiny and cute are short lived! It’s not long until they get a gnarly look for a couple weeks before they’re fully feathered. I usually have some names prepicked, but I use this time to name them and tell them how I’m going to be their favorite person, etc. Haha!

Whether you pick up your chicks from the farm store or you decide to take the plunge and order your favorites from a hatchery, it’s important to get them home to their brooder right away. Both options are fun. There’s really nothing like bringing home your new chicks.

Dreaming of Chick Days,

–The Wing Lady