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What they promise if it goes wrong

Birds are posted in a box, and sometimes they do not survive the journey or turn out to be the sex you paid for. Every hatchery answers that differently, and the answer is usually several clicks into a policy page. Here they are side by side, quoted rather than summarised, each linking to the page it was read from.

Live arrival and sexing

Hatchery	NPIP	Sexing accuracy	If they arrive dead
Cackle Hatchery	NPIP	90%	Full count of live, healthy poultry within 1 to 3 days by USPS Priority Mail. Verified transit losses are refunded for the poultry price only. Report within 24 hours of delivery.
The Chick Hatchery	NPIP	90%	Full count of live, healthy poultry on arrival. Losses may be refunded or replaced, subject to availability and shipping minimums. Shipping and vaccination costs are excluded. Report within 24 hours of receipt.
Purely Poultry	NPIP	90%	Birds are guaranteed healthy on arrival. Transit losses are refunded for the poultry price, and a total loss may receive one replacement shipment. Shipping is not refundable. Report within 24 hours of delivery.
Townline Hatchery		Not stated	Live and healthy arrival is guaranteed. Depending on the loss and shipping minimums, Townline may reship, refund, or issue credit. Report within 48 hours of arrival.
Freedom Ranger Hatcheries	NPIP	Not stated	Live arrival is guaranteed. Chicks lost in shipping are replaced or their cost is refunded when reported immediately. Report within immediately after arrival.
Valley Hatchery	NPIP	90%	Verified transit losses are refunded for the poultry price only. Shipping is excluded, photographs are required, and home delivery voids the guarantee. Report within 24 hours of arrival, with losses reported within 8 hours of pickup.
Alchemist Farm	NPIP	Not stated	Shipped chicks are guaranteed alive on arrival. Transit losses documented with photos within the reporting window receive chick credit valid for one year. Report within 24 hours of delivery.
Wild Type Hatchery	NPIP	Not stated	The purchase price is refunded for chicks that do not survive shipping when photographic documentation is provided. Report within 12 hours of receipt.
Shirlock Acres	NPIP	Not stated	Ducklings arriving dead or not surviving within 24 hours are eligible for refund or replacement with a photograph. Report within 24 hours of arrival.
Chesapeake Hatchery	NPIP 51-770	90%	Chicks arriving deceased are eligible for refund or store credit for the bird price. Shipping is excluded, immediate post office pickup and photographs are required, and individual replacements are not shipped. Report within 24 hours of delivery.

Shipping

Hatchery	Stated shipping terms	Policy read
Cackle Hatchery	Ships live poultry within the United States. Hawaii is excluded, and Alaska orders carry a non-refundable $25 fee.	August 4, 2026
The Chick Hatchery	Day-old poultry ships by USPS Priority Mail and must be picked up at the post office. Home delivery voids the guarantee.	August 4, 2026
Purely Poultry	Free shipping on live day-old poultry. Birds must be collected from the post office within 8 hours.	August 4, 2026
Townline Hatchery	Townline monitors destination weather, packs chicks for conditions, and does not guarantee an exact arrival day.	August 4, 2026
Freedom Ranger Hatcheries	Priority Mail usually arrives in 1 to 3 days. The hatchery says it ships across the continental US, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.	August 4, 2026
Valley Hatchery	Live day-old poultry ships by USPS Priority Mail to the lower 48 states and is held for post office pickup.	August 4, 2026
Alchemist Farm	Chicks ship on Tuesdays by USPS Express when destination nighttime temperatures are above 40 degrees. Flat-rate chick shipping is $60.	August 4, 2026
Wild Type Hatchery	Ships hatching eggs and day-old chicks across the United States.	August 4, 2026
Shirlock Acres	USPS Priority Mail serves the lower 48 states, Alaska, and the US Virgin Islands. Orders of 200 or more may use Delta Cargo.	August 4, 2026
Chesapeake Hatchery	USPS Priority Express nationwide, generally reaching the destination post office in 1 to 2 days and rural areas in up to 3 days.	August 4, 2026

What these mean

A sexing figure of 90% means roughly one bird in ten of a group of sexed pullets may turn out to be a cockerel. Hatcheries differ on whether they refund, credit or replace, and most require the claim before the bird reaches a stated age.

The National Poultry Improvement Plan is a USDA-run federal and state programme. A tick appears only where the hatchery's own current page states that it or its source flocks participate; no tick means the pages reviewed did not say.

Every line above is quoted from a hatchery's own page on the date shown. Policies change without notice, so read the source before you rely on one. Hatch Index is independent and takes no payment from any hatchery listed.