Post office won't let me ship chicks priority

[Serina81]

I've always shipped chicks priority mail, but now the post office is saying they messed up and should have sent them express and that it's illegal to send them priority. Does that sound right?

 

[Ladybird CA]

Sometimes post office employees make their own rules regarding live animals...I came at 7 this week to pick up my chicks and the postal worker there tried telling me that I didn't have permission and to come back when they open. She said "only this time ok?"

 

[Serina81]

That's crazy lol!

The person I spoke to said she got in trouble and now I have to call "some lady" to get permission to ship the chicks every time I ship.

Does anyone have the shipping rules that say how you can ship poultry? Does it say priority is okay?

 

[GiddyMoon]

As usual, the post office worker doesn't have a clue..


http://www.usps.com/send/waystosendmail/extraservices/specialhandlingservice.htm


Most hatcheries offer priority shipping. Print out a few copies of hatchery guidelines when you go back in.

 

[galanie]

I think you can find the Domestic Mail Manual online somewhere, that is where the rules and regulations are about mailing... anything. But yeah, I have no idea why that person told you this but I'd consider notifying someone that you were told this (maybe 1-800-ASK USPS), because the US Postal Service has a bad enough rap w/out having their employees giving out false information.

 

[Serina81]

I want my money back too because they charged me an arm and a leg. I shipped a whole 11 chicks and paid $35. Almost as much as I made off the chicks

 

[Ladybird CA]

and they tried to make me late for work! I'm going to call that number and complain about the egotistical one I dealt with. I hope they give you your money back.

 

[Funky Feathers]

You can only ship DAY-OLD chicks Priority. Anything older goes Express. I know this as I ship a lot of birds/chicks and am good friends with my Postmaster.

 

[GiddyMoon]

Quote:
Call the 1-800 number and tell them what happened. We had an incident recently where our mail was returned to sender with the words DOES NOT LIVE HERE NO SUCH ADDRESS...and the temp was completely wrong..they did make it right..stand firm, tell them it really hurt to pay that but they told you that you had to..don't back down...

 

[Serina81]

526 Mailable Live Animals

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

Indemnity claims (see DMM 609) for damage, partial loss, and loss of insured shipments of mailable, live, day–old poultry are accepted only in the following situations:
Death of the live, day–old poultry resulted from Postal Service handling after conditions for mailability were met and when there was strong likelihood that the shipment could have been safely transported.
Contents were lost because of damage to the container while in Postal Service custody.
The complete package was lost in the mail.
Special handling was purchased as required under DMM 601.9.3.2f.

Exhibit 526.33Requirements for Mailing Live, Day–Old Poultry
Answer each question and follow the instruction as indicated.
YES
NO
1.
Is poultry live, day–old poultry, as listed in DMM 601.9.3.2?
If pheasants, they are mailable only during April through August.
Go to No. 2.
If not day–old poultry, item is NONMAILABLE. If not poultry or not day–old, check other mailable animal types in DMM 601.9 to determine mailability.
2.
Was hatching time 24 hours ago or less?
Go to No. 3.
NONMAILABLE.
3.
Was poultry presented for mailing in original, unopened hatchery box from hatchery of origin?
Go to No. 4.
Do not accept.
4.
Are boxes properly ventilated and of proper construction and strength to bear safe transport in mail?
Note: Boxes of approximately identical size, securely fastened to prevent separation in transit, may be accepted for mailing as a single parcel if the mailpiece does not exceed DMM limits for combined length and girth or exceed 70 pounds in weight.
Boxes are not to be stacked more than 10 units high.
Go to No. 5.
Do not accept.
5.
Are the date and hour of hatching noted on box by representative of hatchery who has personal knowledge of facts?
Go to No. 6.
Do not accept.
6.
Did shipment originate at other office, or was it sent by air express or air cargo and then presented for mailing?
Before accepting, take special precautions to ensure that shipment is in excellent condition.
Go to No. 7.
Go to No. 7.
7.
Is the shipment being mailed with special handling service charge in addition to regular postage, or at the First–Class Mail rate?
Go to No. 8.
Shipment must bear special handling service to be mailable, unless sent at the First–Class Mail rate.
8.
If shipment is COD, have all conditions for using COD service (as required in DMM 503.11) been met? If not COD, go to No. 9.
Go to No. 9.
If COD, do not accept unless all applicable requirements in DMM 503.11 are met.
9.
Is poultry being mailed sufficiently early in week to avoid arrival at the delivery post office on Sunday or holiday, or on afternoon preceding Sunday or holiday?
Go to No. 10.
Do not accept.
10.
Can poultry be delivered to addressee within 72 hours of time of hatching, regardless of whether addressee resides in town or on rural or highway contract route?
Accept for mailing.
Do not accept.
http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_007.htm