Many people ask us if chicks really come in the mail. Yes, they really do!
Interestingly, day-old chicks have been shipped in the mail for over 100 years.
How is it possible to do that safely?
The hatching of a chick out of an egg is a remarkable process. When a chick hatches, not all of the nutritious yolk material in the yolk sac has been used up. What remains is drawn into the chick’s abdomen and absorbed by the chick’s body during its first days of life.
This means that each chick enters the world with a built-in food supply which can sustain it for up to three days after it hatches. Therefore, chicks can be shipped in the mail and survive for two or three days with no care.
Mail order chicks make their journey in cardboard boxes with sloped sides that are specifically designed to keep the chicks safe and comfortable. Inside is a straw pad which keeps the chicks from sliding. They are also placed in different size boxes for different size orders.
On our farm it's always an exciting day when chicks come in the mail. We eagerly wait for the call from the post office telling us that our chicks have arrived.
Here is a video showing how we set up, unbox chicks, and manage our brooder.
Elizabeth at Flowered Cow Dairy raises three groups of chickens on pasture each year. She makes sure the chickens get excellent care from the day they come to the farm until the day of processing.
You won’t find better tasting, healthy chicken anywhere.