Question about shipping babies

[dandydoodle]

I have someone that wants me to do a hatch and ship them for them. I have never done this before. If I do it I want to make sure the babies make it there okay. At what age is the safest age to send them. Please any advice about shipping babies would be appreciated. Where is the best place to buy boxes? How do I make sure they have enough food and water to make it there. How should I ship them? ( overnight, express) and who should I ship them with? Please help.

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[dandydoodle]

Oh yea, another question. How do you figure out how much shipping is gonna cost. I am sure they decide the price by weight, do you have to take the chicks in to find the price? I mean you have to tell the person to get the price for shipping but, how do you find out the price before taking the birds to the post office?

I really appreciate the help.

 

[easttxchick]

You can order shipping boxes from most of the hatcheries. You can also get the grow gel and heat packs that are used for shipping through them. No water is necessary.
Chicks can only be shipped as day olds or as adults(several months old)-anything in between is dangerous.
They need to be shipped Express Mail only.
In my opinion, since you are hatching the chicks, it would be at least another 3 weeks before they would ship-that is pushing too hard up against winter and it's just too cold to ship them.
Wait until spring for best results.

 

[dandydoodle]

What is grow gel? It will be March before I could ship them anyway. At what age is the best age to send them? What kind of food do you put in the box with them. If I am gonna send 20 babies what kind of box would you suggest?

Thanks,

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
The babies should either be 1 day old, or older than 8 weeks. A lot depends on how many and what climate they go to. http://www.cutlersupply.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_101&products_id=661 has boxes for chicks, but you might have to buy several, like 12. Either size chick will not need food or water if shipped the quickest way possible. Before you take on this task, call your PO and ask to speak to the "Live Clerk" That person can tell you particulars on when to ship to whatever zip code. You must know the zip code. Good luck......Pop

 

[dandydoodle]

How can you ship at 1 day. When I did an incubator hatch they hatched over 3 days? If it takes them 3 days to hatch is it safe to ship them at that point? Why do I need 12 boxes can't they ride in a box together? Should I at least send oranges or something if they are 8 weeks old? What is the best way to ship them over night, express or what???

Thanks

Quote:
The babies should either be 1 day old, or older than 8 weeks. A lot depends on how many and what climate they go to. http://www.cutlersupply.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_101&products_id=661 has boxes for chicks, but you might have to buy several, like 12. Either size chick will not need food or water if shipped the quickest way possible. Before you take on this task, call your PO and ask to speak to the "Live Clerk" That person can tell you particulars on when to ship to whatever zip code. You must know the zip code. Good luck......Pop

 

[dandydoodle]

Does anyone else have any other advice.

 

[GrannysRoost]

They can stay in the bator while in lockdown for 2 to 3 days, not needing food or water as they get nutrition from the yolk they absorbed right before hatching. To be shipped as day olds, they should be dry, fluffed up...and you need to incubate enough eggs you can get the minimum quantity from quickly (within 1 day). As mentioned contact the PO to make sure they will ship that time of year.

 

[dandydoodle]

k thanks
Quote:

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Not just the time of year, but the Live Clerk can tell you when to have them at the PO so they catch the next truck going to the airport. Ship them express. You may get a hatchery to sell a single box, but most suppliers will have a dozen boxed together and won`t break the dozen. If you ship older chicks, like 8+ weeks. you can put some sliced apples in with them, but they aren`t needed and the birds probably won`t eat them. If you don`t live near a large airport, you probably shouldn`t undertake such a project. You never said how many you would ship, or the destination. Those are important facts..........Pop