Shipping chicks and birds - ARRIVING DOA

[barngodess]

I really don't say much on forums, but I felt I needed to speak up on this issue, as I am still waiting for some birds that were shipped EXPRESS to me on July 1,2010. Today is the 5th.

If anyone here has had this type of experience I would appreciate an email, as I am gathering information and documenting it to present to several different authorities.

As a member of an industry that loses several hundreds of thousands of dollars due to the miss handling of shipped eggs and live birds, I feel something needs to be done.

Your help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Pamela Mynard
Little Creek Farms

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

The first mistake the seller made was to ship on a Thursday before a holiday. Today is a postal holiday as well. They should have never shipped birds on that date and not in this heat!

 

[Whitehouse Quail]

Quote:
Exactly, the seller must be a dumbo.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

Good Morning,

Which hatchery? Did you get confirmation that they were actually shipped? Sometimes shipment is delayed because of availability issues. I hope for your sake and the chicks that this might be the issue.

What type of chicks and how many did you order?

For the last several years I've ordered chicks and geese at least 3 times per year. I've never had a lost order and until this last order, I never had a death loss. I ordered from MPC two weeks ago, on day two I lost a little white pullet and they refunded my money the next morning when I called them. I think I've been very lucky.

So sorry you're going through this - I hope you hear good news soon.



Joni

 

[deerman]

Be carefull , yes a few get lost out of thousand sent. Next thing the USPS will no longer ship birds. I had pr of birds that took 3 days, but because i had place fruit in for water , they were find.

I think the USPS do a great job shipping, but heck even the airline lose packages.

 

[PineappleMama]

^ Yup. Someone posted this week asking if the 5th would be a holiday... since it wasn't the actual holiday they weren't sure. I hopped over to USPS and found their Holiday Calendar and sure enough there it was. You'd think someone shipping live animals would have sense enough to make sure they'd get there alive. You wouldn't go to the bank on what you knew to be a holiday weekend without calling to make sure they were open ... so why risk lives when all it took was a quick snoop or call. For me that falls under negligence... may not have done it on purpose, but you not checking facts put the animals in your care into harm's way.

But, fact that USPS/others don't have specific rules about these things doesn't help. If live animals weren't allowed to be shipped immediately before a holiday than things like this wouldn't happen. The folks at the PO they shipped from could have told them that it wasn't safe, -maybe they did and the person ignored it, but I would think not since it would hurt business- or if there was a rule on the book could have refused to ship them... but they didn't.

You can't do too much about the owner choosing to ship in a less than smart manner... bad feedback, refund, etc. and hope they learn... but maybe you could petition to have USPS add a rule about shipping dates for live animals... even if it only covered the (dozen?) holidays it would save lives.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Agree , heck my PO wouldn't even take live shippment on thursday, unless the are only going a few state over.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
My PO will only take live shipments Monday thru Wednesday.

 

[PineappleMama]

See, that's great! But, obviously that isn't a USPS rule, but a local branch (only that one, city, state??) one. Maybe if she could point to the POs that DO have this rule, that some already figured out on their own a sane method, and that it's being used and working... well maybe the idear would spread? Wouldn't even have to make it official like... just spread the word... Head Honcho Bob over at the Dallas office started doing 'this' and hasn't had a corpse to dispose of since... *nudge nudge*

Of course, that'd mean getting someone in USPS to send out the memo... hmmm.. anyone know a postmaster?

 

[easttxchick]

I'm sure sorry you're going through this.
While I agree that the seller should not have shipped right before a holiday weekend, the USPS did lose a pair of live adult birds for about 24 hours during a regular business week. I called to track them and they had no clue where they were-thankfully, they did show up the next day.
Sadly it happens-I really hate this for you and the chicks.