How to ship started chicks and adult chickens?

[SundownWaterfowl]

Not sure if this is in the right place, so feel free to move it.

Okay, how do I go about shipping birds? My local post office accepts live birds, so they must ship them also. I know that they must be in one of those approved boxes with the filters, and must be shipped express.

How do I find out if my post office ships them? I asked them a couple months ago, and nobody had any answers.

I am looking to sell some birds this comming Spring of 2009. But I dont know where to start.

Where do you buy your boxes?

Also, do they need to be NPIP certified to ship them?

 

[JennsPeeps]

There was a recent post with a link to shipping boxes for chicks. Have you tried the BYC search yet?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I know where to buy the boxes. I found them on eggbid.com

 

[JennsPeeps]

AH, ok.

I have read on here that it's pretty pricey to ship adult birds.

But that's as far as my usefulness goes today!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
lol. I heard its pretty expensive also.

 

[LynneP]

I'm gasping with anxiety because these birds need water.
Is there no way they can be picked up by the purchaser?

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

The suggestions that I read from a site that sells the boxes recommends adding slices of fruit...specifically watermelon...that they can eat while enroute. It gives them sugar for energy/calories and lots of liquid. I was thinking about duct taping inside one of those waterers for hamsters with the little stainless steel ball on the end. It should be relatively leak-free. The boxes need to have a pointed top with a handle. This prevents other boxes from being able to be stacked on top.

They said to find out from your postmaster when the mail is picked up and plan to be there about 30-45 minutes prior to complete all the Express Mail paperwork. You can hang onto the birds until the truck gets there for pickup and even hand them to the truck driver for special placement.

ETA: No, they do not have to be NPIP certified to ship them.

 

[silkiechicken]

Don't know anything about shipping live birds, but I do know that hamster type water bottles with a gravity held ball on a 300 mile trip on the freeway will lose a large amount of water all over the cage. This goes for the tubes that hang straight down and the tubes that are angled. I've had at least two damp unhappy hamsters to show for it when they travel with me.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

'bout the NPIP certs, you'll need to check with your state agricultural department on exporting poultry across the state line.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Quote:
Good to know...thanks! I'll have to think up something else.