How are pullets shipped safely?

[Carolyn252]

My local pet shop owner says that he receives adult pigeons in the mail via the regular post office and that I should have no problem getting point-of-lay pullets via the post office. Has anyone gotten adult hens shipped to them by mail? If so, does the post office have special boxes; is it done as overnight Express Mail service, is food and water supplied inside? etc., etc.

 

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

I think it is generally done by Express mail, because adult chickens can't last as long as chicks can without food or water.

There are special boxes used for shipping chickens:

http://www.randallburkey.com/prodinfo.asp?number=14025

Also, I know that sometimes Gro-Gel can be used to provide hydration. But, people also sometimes use grapes that are split open. These provide short-term nutrition and hydration, generally enough to last them the day or so that shipping takes.

I hope this helps

 

[Carolyn252]

Remarkable! I love learning new stuff! Awesome information. Thanks!!

 

[melissastraka]

I feel bad for my day olds. I couldnt do anything older...good for you and keep us posted. I would be a wreck!

 

[CovenantCreek]

My first pullets were shipped at about 17 weeks old. They arrived scared, but healthy. From what I understand, the shipper delivers them to the nearest PO that will accept live birds, the PO gets them to the FedEx terminal where they're transferred to a FedEx flight that's headed in the right direction, they arrive as soon as possible at the nearest airport to their final destination that will accept live birds. From there the process can take a couple different tracks: If there's a PO near the final destination (not necessarily the recipient's PO) that can/will accept the birds, they will be taken there and the recipient will be called to pick them up; if there isn't a PO that can accept the birds, the recipient may be required to pick them up at the air cargo terminal.

Laws regarding the shipment of live animals through the PO requires them to be delivered by the fastest means possible, which is why they are transferred to FedEx for the air travel portion of the journey. I don't remember all the other regulations, but they're all intended to keep the birds alive and safe.

 

[Carolyn252]

Quote:
If you got your pullets from a source that I can use too, may I ask for the name? That is, if your source is in the business of supplying pullets for sale, I would like to contact them. Of course, if you got your pullets from a private source, that's another story. I'm hoping to be able to purchase two EasterEgger hens at point-of-lay age. Village ordinances here in Freeport, Long Island, a suburb of NYC, will only allow me to keep two hens, and I'd love to have pretty green and blue eggs to show to the grandkids. They'll absolutely love the chickens as will DH and I. And the eggs will be wonderful for breakfast. We've already got a bunny rabbit that lives indoors with us, and she's a delight. All we get from her (besides the joy of being a loving and sweet pet friend) is lots and lots of the softest fur when she does her molts a couple of times a year. Eggs will be a practical bonus. I've already ordered 50 lbs of layer feed, 50lbs of scratch, 50lbs of Diatomaceous Earth, and 50lbs of grit. I'm sure that sounds crazy for only two hens, but that's what the excitement of a new adventure does to me. Waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy overboard.
As soon as DH is done doing the taxes (a two-week project every March), we'll go to Home Depot and buy all the materials to build a run and install a roost perch, a nesting box, feeder and a waterer into our Little Tykes playhouse. We're going to follow the suggestion of another BYC poster who put her playhouse right smack dab in the middle of her run. That way, we don't have to even try to predator-proof the playhouse coop. The walls of the playhouse are double-walled, so we'll just fill the hollow of the double-walls with insulating material. We'll use the deep litter method, so between the heat that's generated from that, and the insulated double walls, the hens should make it through our winters just fine. They'll be plenty of ventilation because of all the little windows and doors that are not sealed shut, just loosely closed. I'm also planning on attaching a hanging strip of one-inch felt from the top of the chicken door so it dangles down over the door open and the chickens have to push past it to come and go. Every few weeks, I'll add another strip, until by winter, the doorway is completely covered. That will keep the cold out a bit, and the chickens will (I hope) have learned to just push their way through the strips. We shall see. Meanwhile, I GOTTA FIND AND BUY AND TAKE DELIVERY OF SOME EE HENS.
(Sorry for the long post; got carried away again. My, this is indeed an easy addiction !)

 

[CovenantCreek]

The only places that I know of that sell pullets are hatcheries -- Meyer and McMurray -- and they only sell the most commonly desired layers, sex links and white Leghorns. Mine are red sex links that I got from McMurray (which they probably got from Meyer). To find EE at point of lay, check craigslist and other similar resources. Not only will you have a chance to find EEs, but they'll also be local and won't need to be shipped.

 

[McSpin]

You're looking at some very expensive shipping charges to ship two hens by Express Mail. You might find it easier and a lot less expensive to keep your eye on you local Craigslist and seek out some local auctions for farm animals and supplies. You can get laying hens dirt-cheap at these places and eastereggers are fairly common.