Shipping Chickens???

[WindyOaksYokes]

Hey does anyone know if an older chicken (17-18 weeks old) can be shipped??? How would one go about doing this???? Any info would be appreciated... I was told by a hatchery that they can not be... BUT, then I saw on a couple of sights that they ship laying hens... what gives??? hmmmm

Tes

 

[Napalongtail]

Yup , you can ship em. There is a company called Horizon that makes a cat carrier type box with Bio- filters covering the holes. These can be shipped using Express mail and fed ex. I recently had the opportunity to see if the airlines would allow a chicken carry on and they did. We had to provide a health certificate and pay for a pet just like a dog or a cat. Regardless of method it is never cheap...

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

I guess maybe I should have explained better... What I want to do is just ship them threw US Mail or overnight... The person I want to ship too is about 4 1/2 hrs away. Should I call the post office... or does anyone know the answer???

Tes

 

[eggcetra_farms]

You can ask the post office by going to their Contact Form and filling it out. Just ask them what the procedure is for shipping live poultry, and whether their is any age limit, such as you may only ship day-old chicks. I honestly have no idea about shipping older chickens. Good luck! Let us all know what you find out.

I just wanted to add that I suggested emailing because this is the info it gives for calling (I avoid calling if I can email, that's just my opinion):

General Information / Complaints (24 Hour/Live Person)

The Integrated Voice Response (IVR) system is the telephone system that provides automated USPS

information.Call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) if you need to put your mail on Hold, if you would like to schedule a Redelivery, if you have a question, compliment, complaint, or suggestion , or help you find whatever you may be looking for, you go through the following options:

Greeting - "Thank you for calling the United States Postal Service."
Language Choice –Press 2 for Spanish; if you press nothing, it defaults to English.
You then go into the main IVR menu. The system prompts you for a verbal response (where you state the phrase and the system translates the vocal choice).
The five (5) main IVR menu options and a couple of sub-options are as follows:
Find a ZIP Code
Get Mailing Rates
Track and Confirm a Package
Delivery Services
Hold Mail
Change of Address
Request a Redelivery
Post Office Information (Post Office Hours and Locations)
Delivery Assistance (For Assistance With Delivery of Your Mail)
More Options
Change of Address
Passport Information
Buy Stamps
Post Office Information (Post Office Hours and Locations)
Other Information (For Complaint, Compliment or Suggestion) [this transfers to an Agent]
Live Person Hours of Operation-

8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time (7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. CST) Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time (7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST) Saturdays
Closed Sundays and Holidays (2007 Postal Holidays )

 

[EweSheep]

shipping older chickens is simple but need to call the post office first before you bring your birds in. Let them know of the dates they will get to their destination and time you need to be at the post office to drop the birds off.

Once you get the proper Horizon box WITH filters (yes, we found that out it is mandatory) and put a little bit of bedding down like shavings. Put in slices of apples or plenty of grapes in the box that you always put a little more than you think they really need. For example if it is only four hours away, take an apple or an apple and half sliced as if the bird is going to go on a two day trip. You never know what might happen at the post office what kind of delays they will have or break downs as well. Put your bird in the box and close it up and put in the correct address and phone number of the person receiving the birds.

One standard size bird...for one box
Two bantam size birds ...for one box

Also keep in consideration of the temperatures from your place to theirs, making sure it is not above 90 degrees.

I have shipped birds all over the country and have not yet had a problem shipping them but sometimes the post office can give you a hard time because they dont want to deal with it. I had to ship all my birds in the next town because my own post office gave me the run arounds and no flights out of O'Hare or St Louis airport going to New York, blah blah blah. I got fed up and email to my good friend who is a postal inspector of my state and get keeps me up to date on sending my birds out and what requirements needed to be shipped.

Good luck and you will be fine, so will the bird.

 

[EweSheep]

ALL birds should be shipped ONE DAY EXPRESS mail. The Post office will not ship birds in Priority...dunno why but I had one package returned back to me saying we dont do Priority, must be shipped Next Day Express services.....heck, many of the birds got their destination in two to three days and one time, it was five days...luckily the birds were fine but thirsty and hungry.

 

[eggcetra_farms]

The website that sells the Horizon boxes is here http://www.hm-e.net/ and if you go to http://www.hm-e.net/po.htm it gives you USPS rules for shipping adult poulty.

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

Thank you so much for the information... I will definatly check into all that was said. I will let you know what we decide to do... Might just be cheaper to drive LOL... Anyways, thanks again

Tes