Outragious Cost of Shipping a Live Bird

Oops, I meant to say...made the cost of shipping birds a little LESS shocking.

Thanks for the info, previous poster. There really is lots to consider when purchasing a chicken.

Hi everyone,

I've jumped into this late, but I have a situation that's really stressing me out and it looks like you guys might be the ones to ask.

Short version: I need to get my beloved house pet, an adult Serama rooster, from NC to NY. He's a house pet (lives inside) rather than a farm bird, but because he's poultry, I'm having a hell of a time trying to find a way to move him from North Carolina to New York State (No airlines, trains, or buses will take him because he's poultry, and I don't have a drivers' license. I've also been looking into pet relocation services, but the quote I got was $1900-2100.). I am looking into USPS, but is it really as simple as:

-buy a box
-pack bird
-take to post office?

Am I missing something? Could someone who has shipped live adult chickens please walk me through the process in a bit more detail? I would be most appreciative of ANY help, advice, or info.



From my research, the USPS info is the following:

The requirements for this (according to their website) are:
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 are mailable subject to the following requirements:

1. 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.​
2. The date and hour of hatching is noted on the box by a representative of the hatchery who has personal knowledge thereof. (For Collect on Delivery (COD) shipments made by a hatchery for the account of others, the name or initials and address of the hatchery or the Post Office box number and address of the hatchery must be prominently shown for this standard.)​
3. 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.​
4. 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.​
5. Day–old poultry can be delivered to the addressee within 72 hours of the time of hatching.​
6. Day-old poultry sent via surface transportation, must include special handling service fees, in addition to regular postage.​
7. Day-old poultry sent via air transportation must meet all provisions of the airlines. 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.​
8. 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.​
9. 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.​

See Exhibit 526.33, Requirements for Mailing Live, Day–Old Poultry. See Chapter 7 regarding domestic mail shipments sent via air transportation.


I also called USPS, but they didn't really have more info than this. The woman basically told me to get a carrier and show up at the post office with it. Is that really true? I'm so nervous about this as is, and if I have to do this, I really want to do it right. I would appreciate any and all help on this; I love my little guy so much and am starting to get really panicked about how to travel with him.

In advance, thank you so much.

ChickenCyril said:

I also called USPS, but they didn't really have more info than this. The woman basically told me to get a carrier and show up at the post office with it. Is that really true? I'm so nervous about this as is, and if I have to do this, I really want to do it right. I would appreciate any and all help on this; I love my little guy so much and am starting to get really panicked about how to travel with him.

In advance, thank you so much.

Click to expand...

I am confused, are you sending him to someone new, or sending him to a new location where you will be?

My apologies! I should've clarified -- I'm moving and trying to bring him with me. I'm trying to get him from my home in NC to my parents' in NY.