Shipping chicks and birds - ARRIVING DOA

[HatTrickSilkies]

Sellers and buyers need to be sensible and responsible when it comes to shipping. We are shipping chickens via the US MAIL, not a transport company that exclusively caters to Lives. It is our responsibility to use common sense, consider the risks, act appropriately and be held accountable. After all we've gone through over the past few years with nearly losing our shipping privileges, I would hope we would all be a bit more cognizant.

The same applies to shipping eggs. HELLO we're putting EGGS in the US Mail. EGGS. You can't guarantee a broody hen isn't going to mishandle her eggs, yet we expect thousands of postal employees to don kid gloves for them. Come on.

The bottom line is this is OUR responsibility...shipping lives via the US Mail is a privilege, not a right.

Who decided July 1 was acceptable ship date?

~ Nikki

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Its really the airline they ship on will not take them except Monday thru Wednesday...so it is a rule...they still do the truck shipping few state away.

 

[call ducks]

why would some one ship on a thursday anyway? in canada our PO will not ship birds, we some how got them to let us ship eggs but shipping is a killer (most times 30-100 to ship eggs, depending where they are going)

 

[deerman]

Quote:
reason I think they do a great job. I have shipped 4 3 month old peafowl from Ohio to CA. for 60.00. thats was box and shipping cost.

Hate to see shipping bird stop , because of a few complains.

I ship eggs all over for 10.00.

 

[JetBlack]

Odds are, the chickens did not ship. They are still at the hatchery. You may be able to call the hatchery, even though it's a holiday, and find out. Chickens don't take holidays and neither do their feeders/waterers, etc..

I have occasionally had sites tell me "the item shipped today" when it's Sunday. Uh... no it didn't. I always think it's a scam but I think it's just an automated response, not an actual human one.

 

[redhen]

Which hatchery was it?

 

[barngodess]

Thank you for all of your comments. What an interesting mix of thoughts.
This transaction was between two private breeders, neither of us irresponsible or dumb. The sender did speak directly to their POSTMASTER and was assured they would arrive on Saturday (GA to TX). His assurance was based on the new two day delivery regulations that are in place now. Lessons learned the hard way, as I am sure neither of us will make the error twice.
The other issue of "be grateful for what you have, it's a priviledge, shut up and accept things as they are, don't rock the boat, they'll take it all away, does not work well for me. Nor for the thousands of TOYOTA owners losing their lives or incurring harm. Should they have been quiet and just grateful they are able to drive? I think not. As a business person, when I GUARANTEE something, I follow through. There are direct and swift consequences if I don't. Currently, USPS has no liability, as birds are considered PERISHABLE goods and we are not allowed to purchase additional insurance through them to cover the cost of the birds. But if you send a designer handbag you can get that insurance.
Changing the rules that govern the shipment of birds seems in order to me. Monday thru Wednesday only perhaps and not within three days of any given holiday. My own personal rule of thumb now. Changing the status of birds from perishable to LIVE perhaps. I am grateful to have a service provided for the shipment of birds. I am not happy with the tracking system that does not work, because someone didn't scan the item, resulting in the inability to locate the package so I can drive there myself and pick them up. Or the fact that the team they have in place is hamstrung because they do not have access to mail routes or personal contact information for postmasters, all of these things result in not being able to locate the birds. These are the things I have learned from the research team at USPS, and THEY have asked me to speak up as they feel as frustrated as we do at times like these.

Again, thank you for taking the time and making the effort to post on this subject.

 

[Camelot Farms]

I'm interested in the '2 day ship guarantee' that you are referring to. I have never had lives get anywhere in 2 days other than from SW VA to NW GA which is only 8 hours drive time. Everything else has been a minimum of 3 days. Is this 2 day guarantee new?

 

[HatTrickSilkies]

My little PO doesn't guarantee anything with Express when I ship birds. In fact, the postmaster writes that right on the Express label herself.
Personally, I am all for strict regulations and agree that EVERY post office should follow the same 'rules' when accepting Lives. That would be
in the best interest of the birds, IMO.

~ Nikki

 

[GAChickens]

Did you specificially request that these be sent on July 1, 2010 "Express Mail" thinking that you would have them to you prior to the holiday hours? I have encountered alot of buyers that request I just go ahead and ship them pre holiday. You take that chance. I hate to see the people on this forum bash the seller when we don't know if it was the buyer that wanted them thinking Express would get them there.

To simplify everything just don't get birds shipped to you pre-holiday. Then you don't have to fear opening a box of birds that are the worse for wear or possibly deceased.