I was thinking about getting into shipping day old Pheasants or Turkeys maybe this spring and I am looking for any suggestions from people who have shipped before. I have looked up the requirements from the usps.com and I was wondering if I could use there flat rate boxes. I went to the post office and asked the lady behind the counter and she didn't know, she took my name and # and would have her boss call me back. Here is the requirements that they have on there web site
526.3 Live, Day–Old Poultry
526.31 General
The following live, day–old animals are acceptable for mailing when properly packaged: chickens, ducks, emus, geese, guinea fowl, partridges, pheasants (only during April through August), quail, and turkeys. All other types of live, day–old poultry are nonmailable. Day–old poultry vaccinated with Newcastle disease (live virus) also is nonmailable.
526.32 Mailability Requirements
The specific types of day–old poultry named in 526.31 and DMM 601.9.3.2 are mailable subject to the following requirements:
- Poultry that is not more than 24 hours old and is presented for mailing in the original, unopened hatchery box from the hatchery of origin.
- Date and hour of hatching is noted on the box.
- Box is properly ventilated, of proper construction and strength to bear safe transport in the mail, and is not stacked more than 10 units high.
- Day–old poultry is mailed early enough in the week to avoid receipt at the office of address (in case of missed connections) on a Sunday, a national holiday, or the afternoon before a Sunday or national holiday.
- Day–old poultry can be delivered to the addressee within 72 hours of the time of hatching.
- If day–old poultry is sent at a Parcel Post rate, special handling postage must also be paid.
- If day–old poultry is sent via air transportation (i.e., Express Mail, Priority Mail, or First–Class Mail), all provisions of the airlines must be met. Delivery of the mailpiece is dependent on the availability of air carriers having available equipment to safely deliver the day–old poultry within the specified time limit.
- Day–old poultry that is first shipped via a commercial air express or air cargo service and then presented for mailing to a final destination must be in good condition and properly packaged as specified in 526.32a-e.
- Boxes of day–old poultry of about identical size, securely fastened together to prevent separation in transit, may be accepted for mailing as a single parcel, provided the total length and girth combined does not exceed Postal Service limits.
Here is what I was thinking, Do you think it is a good idea or bad? Nothing say I can't use the usps flat rate box in there web site, going this route the box would be free and the shipping rates would be the same no matter where I ship it and I can add more holes for hot weather and less if it is a little cool. Box is 12"x12"x8"h with 1/2" holes should fit 25 Pheasant chicks or 15 Turkey chicks.
