USPS embargo on live animals (chicks) through Feb 26, 2021!

[TheAlrightyGina]

I don't know about his actions but he was appointed by the postal service board, not the previous presidential administration. So that'd mean he is probably still in charge.

Yeah, the Senate (afaik) appoints the postal service board members and they are responsible for appointing the Postmaster General. Five of them were appointed during the last administration--I think there are three openings or something? It's supposed to be nonpartisan, but it's the same kind of 'nonpartisan' as the Supreme Court...as in, not very. We're getting too deep in to things we shouldn't here but I personally long for the day when 'nonpartisan' means not affiliated with any party as best as can be determined, not staffed with partisans of both parties...since they don't represent the majority of Americans by far (something around 60% of Americans are non affiliated with any party, much less either of the two major ones).

 

[NatJ]

is it from the cold im so confused

It's either the weather, or because they have a backlog of packages that they could not deliver this past week.

The Post Office says they are not accepting any live animals that need to go by air, for an additional one week. They expect to start shipping live things again on Friday, February 26, unless they extend it further.

This is a problem for the hatcheries that have hundreds or thousands of chicks they cannot ship by the usual method, and it's a problem for the people expecting to receive those chicks. (Also anyone who was planning to ship honeybees, fish, lizards, crickets, and so forth.)

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I ordered soaps from one company and a Bible from another company before Thanksgiving and got them the middle of January. Of course it was Christmas scented soaps and a gift. Also the hatching eggs I ordered all last year from different places came in smashed boxes and had been scrambled like they did it on purpose.

 

[cluckingheck]

View attachment 2537504
this is what Meyer’s sent me last night. I have chicks ordered from them, but they’re for pickup in April. Now, cackle? I have chicks that are supposed to ship the 22nd and I haven’t heard anything from them. I don’t think the embargo will affect my chicks, though, because it’s just Missouri to West Virginia.

welp, never mind. it did affect it

 

[BindiFarms]

The biggest problem with USPS placing a shipping embargo on live animals until the 26th is that the chicks are still hatching... but the hatcheries can’t ship them. Legally, they are only allowed to ship chicks that are less than 24 hours old, or more than 6 weeks old. Most hatcheries are not set up to brood chicks. So all of these thousands upon thousands of chicks hatching now and next week will have nowhere to go. They will get dumped. It is truly tragic, thanks to USPS. We are talking millions of birds here. Every hatchery in the US.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I got my cancellation/reschedule notice from Cackle for next week.. Somehow the 1 or two week delay magically equals 3 months for my new ship date!

Copied and pasted from my email..

"Hi - The USPS has issued a LIVE Air Transportation Embargo for the upcoming week. This means that we have had to reschedule your order for the above date. We apologize for the inconvenience this causes.

If you would like, you have the option to pick up your order next week at our storefront in Lebanon, MO. To schedule your pickup, please let us know by giving us a call at 417-532-4581 . You must give us a call by 12pm Central Time on Monday, Feburary 22nd if you would like to pick up your order.

Weather based disruptions over the past several weeks have forced us to cancel and delay many hatches. This is at a time when the demand for live baby chicks has surged due to the pandemic. Many orders are being delayed by several weeks or even months, especially if there are rare or exotic chicks on the order. If you must cancel, please call, or email if you are absolutely sure you do not want this reserved date kept for you. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer any sooner shipping dates currently. We appreciate your flexibility in working with us to navigate these challenging delays."

I'm not above wondering WTF?!

Naturally its par for the course that chickens rarely comply with my time line and plans.. They ALWAYS show me that nature does what nature does regardless of what I expect or hope for!

Hatching continues EVERY week for my lav Wyandottes and Cemani.. So I will consider the delay in my Isabella laced project color to be destiny and enjoy focusing on the chicks currently at hand! How could THAT be a disappointment?!

Safety, comfort, and Joy to all my chicken friends, the peeps hatching and traveling, and those transporting them as well!

 

[TexasTurkeyMama]

Chick lovers all, the situation is that USPS will not fly live chicks, live anything, for an additional week. This was announced after the hatcheries around the USA set their incubators with chicks to hatch this week. Another chick lover asked what the hatcheries would do with the chicks they may not ship. The answer is obvious. If this bothers you at all and you want to exercise your right to complain loudly and bitterly, then call or email or otherwise contact your elected representatives to explain that it is an unfair business practice, it is unethical to instruct hatcheries around the USA to take on a political loss in the middle of a pandemic, and it is irresponsible to expect hatcheries to delay shipment of
chicks until after their first 24hours of hatch. You can find your elected representatives at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov. If you live near a local hatchery and were going to buy anyway this spring, perhaps you could buy from them and bring them home in your own vehicle. Otherwise, it is a crying shame.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Chick lovers all, the situation is that USPS will not fly live chicks, live anything, for an additional week. This was announced after the hatcheries around the USA set their incubators with chicks to hatch this week. Another chick lover asked what the hatcheries would do with the chicks they may not ship. The answer is obvious. If this bothers you at all and you want to exercise your right to complain loudly and bitterly, then call or email or otherwise contact your elected representatives to explain that it is an unfair business practice, it is unethical to instruct hatcheries around the USA to take on a political loss in the middle of a pandemic, and it is irresponsible to expect hatcheries to delay shipment of
chicks until after their first 24hours of hatch. You can find your elected representatives at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov. If you live near a local hatchery and were going to buy anyway this spring, perhaps you could buy from them and bring them home in your own vehicle. Otherwise, it is a crying shame.

Just don't take it out on USPS workers that you may interact with. They have absolutely no control over the situation--unless you happen to know people at the top...in which case, have at them!

ETA: This gets you to the contact info for Senators a little faster -> https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact

 

[ChickenRaiser15]

I strongly prefer to keep using USPS.

But someone had questioned whether it was even possible for some company to get chicks transported without the Post Office.

And the US may be big, but if you're willing to drive day & night it doesn't take all that many days to get from any place to any other place in the 48 contiguous states. Of course Alaska and Hawaii would be different.

also they can do 1 day air to AK and HI

 

[NatJ]

also they can do 1 day air to AK and HI

Usually, yes.
With the Post Office not sending chicks by air, not right now.
Unless someone else sends them by air without going through the Post Office.