However, planting in a container now does pose some concerns. Until planted, the bulbs don't develop roots and I'd be cautious about exposing freshly planted bulbs (rootless) to the type of cold weather we are experiencing now. OTOH, it won't hurt to just hold the bulbs in a cool dark area until the soil thaws sufficiently to plant, in the next few days. Once they are safely tucked into the ground, they'll be fine.

Many hardy bulbs are also able to use the bulb as a reproductive organ, surviving being uprooted and moved about, broken into pieces. In the climate here partially or completely unearthed bulbs may be seen sprouting after spending sometimes months out of the ground.

If the bulb collection was in squat or shallow containers ("bulb pans") there may have been soggy potting medium around or just beneath them when it was cold. When the top half of a planted container is moist, the bottom half may be wet - due to how water drains through a column of soil when there is a container bottom beneath it. The bottom half does not drain until field capacity (saturation) is reached, due to water not readily crossing from one texture into another. When the water encounters the bottom of the pot, it backs up until the potting material above it is almost flooded, then rushes out.

My youngest son's birthday is the day before Halloween. I don't know what made me think I could plant bulbs that fall. I was too big before he was born,and too busy afterward. The bulbs I'd ordered in a fit of madness didn't get planted until February. They came up late, but they came up. They bloomed normally in the years after, too. Bulbs are remarkably tough.

Now,stop trying to tell me the bulbs I spent a small fortune on are doomed, Lilydude!

Might be a need for supplier to increase sanitation also.