Hatching Egg Shipments
All Chicken and Quail Hatching Eggs are shipped via USPS Priority Mail and delivered by USPS within 2-3 days of shipment. Understanding the possibility of rare delivery delays, we ensure that we ship only fertilized eggs that are less than 3 days old to our customers. We typically ship early in the week to prevent unnecessary delays over the weekend, depending on delivery distance.
We take great care to use only the best packaging components and follow the best processes to prevent damage during shipping. However there are many variables outside of our control after the package has shipped. Extreme temperatures, poor handling of packages, and vibration/jostling of packages can all be hard on hatching eggs and potentially impact hatch rates.
Unfortunately, damaged eggs can be the result of poor handling during the shipping process. For this reason we always ship 20% extra hatching eggs in with your order to adequately offset any potential damage that may happen during shipping.
If you receive an excessively large amount of damaged eggs, please contact us immediately by emailing info@sandysoilfarms.com, upon receipt of your package. Please provide pictures of the damaged eggs and/or packaging so we can deal with USPS. We will work with you to assist in correcting the issue, either through a partial refund or by providing replacement Hatching Eggs.
All Hatching Eggs from Sandy Soil Farms are reviewed regularly for fertility with the expectation of 95%+ fertility for all breeder birds. We will only collect and ship Hatching Eggs that have been reviewed for this high fertility rate. Although we see hatch rates well above 90% on farm, you can expect a hatch rate anywhere between 45%-65% on average for shipped eggs. All orders will be delivered with detailed Hatching Instructions to ensure you the best possible hatch rates, please read these instructions prior to placing eggs in your incubator.
Live Bird Shipping
Chicks and mature birds will be shipped with USPS Priority Express Mail, delivered in 1-3 days from shipment. If you do not receive your package within this timeframe, please email us immediately with the details so that we can file a claim with USPS and resolve the issue for you.
If you order live birds, Please ensure that you select the Priority Express shipping option as this is the only shipping method we will use for live birds.
Live quail and chickens are shipped in packaging specifically designed to protect poultry during shipment. Packages are strong to hold up during the shipping process, provide adequate oxygen to the birds, and provide any necessary heat for the birds.
Live birds will be packaged and delivered to USPS late in the day to minimize their time spent in the box. Shipped birds will sometimes be provided sliced vegetables/fruits to provide food and hydration during shipping, depending on the specific needs of the birds and the shipping distance. Supplemental heater packs may also be provided for chicks shipped during colder times of the year.
Chicken and quail chicks will be shipped with an adequate amount of extra chicks to offset any possible losses during shipping. If you receive a package that doesn’t have the amount of living birds you ordered, please Email us at info@sandysoilfarms.com with pictures and details. We will work with you to correct the issue, either by providing a partial refund or providing replacement birds.