People out here don’t order chicks/other live creatures shipped directly to them-they order the critters through the feed and ranch stores-the chicks are delivered there-but NOT by USPS-you drive there and pick up your poultry-and it is guaranteed to be alive, or you are paid for the loss...
I don’t know anyone who orders chicks to be delivered by USPS any more..
USPS now either drops packages at the edge of the road by your driveway-where they can be run over or stolen-or throws them at your closed gate-I happened to be outside, heard and saw the package I was expecting hit the gate-both of the bottles of perfume I’d ordered were broken-that was months ago-I only use FedEx or UPS now for packages, even when it costs more...
I guess it depends where you live. Here the tractor supply or local feed and seed chicks are poor quality. I ordered barred rocks from Cackle Hatchery and they are healthy and robust. Now others buy chicks from me and other farmers from time to time, but only the Easter chick people buy them from the retailers.
I order my chiks by mail. I drive to the po to pick them up.
Better than feed store birds