Shipping Ducks, my first experience.....

[mominoz]

Well, I had an ad answered, and a gentleman called and asked about my Mini- Overberg Ducks I had for sale from my Holderread pair. He asked if I could ship, so I said I was going to look into that anyway. So I checked on line, found postal estimated shipping, which was only regular express boxes. Found in another page that healthy birds could be shipped but only in approved boxes for birds with filters over the holes. So I found two companies that made approved boxes, then I had to find distributors, then I had to compare prices, and figure which sized box I'd need.
Then I went to the nearest post office and was told the daily Temperature couldn't be below 45 or over 85, or the shippers at the airport would return them. So I asked, well is the Noaa prediction what they go by?The weather channel ? She said , probably the airport.
So I went to the main branch in a larger town nearby. Asked the first person, they knew nothing, then a lady said, the temp. was at the town where I was shipping from and the town where I was shipping too. I then asked about what time they needed to be there and how much ahead.Then I asked how much postage would be figuring 6 lbs. She told me 24.50$ She told me I "was making it too hard"...? Anyway I figured that was close and I could give that figure to the buyer.
So I figured how much the box would cost me, which I'd have to order and get it shipped to me. Then I figured the weight close to 5ish pounds, but had used 6.
I called the buyer, and explained how I'd have to charge him for the box and the shipping ,but because it was as much as the 2 ducks, I'd take another 5$ off if he really wanted me to ship them. so I go Monday with them packed into a Horizon bird shipping box , with shavings, I even put clear contact paper on bottom to make it less likely to wet thru. I added some canned pear pieces for moisture/food. So I get to PO and an hour early, and start to check them in. They weighed 6.5 lb. So I figure , Ok a dollar or two more. NOOOOOOOOOO

. It's like 39.00$ Then I say ," ah, the other lady told me it would be like 24.50 for 6 lbs....wow, then she says, oh, wait, I'm not done yet..did she tell you about the .97cent surcharge per pound for live animals?, "ah, no she didn't., I grimaced.

45.60$ was the total to ship them, not the 24.50$ I was told. Also she said the extra 1/2 lb. bumped it up to the next weight.of 7 lb.
I said I know if I could print a label it would be less... but it wasn't on the PO site I looked at and nothing on that calculator page about shipping live animals. I guess if I had signed up for an account maybe it would show up then....? So I didn't make as much as I should have, essentially I gave one away....

Oh, well, live and learn.......

 

[newfoundland]

Oh dear, nothing is ever as simple as it seems is it? Hope your ducks arrived safe and sound. As you say, we live and learn.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Did they also tell you, that you need to be NPIP to ship, and some states require additional tests before the animals can be shipped into them legally?

Birds are boxed and dry run weight done to give the buyers the best price possible. $40.00 is the lowest express live bird price we have ever had. The most was around 150 for two adult geese.

 

[mominoz]

It was in state. I did find a link that showed different states and what was required to ship. I had read how it was possibly breaking state laws to have birds enter a state without fulfilling certain regulations. Interesting as I just went to a show and there were out of state birds, that we were told, they "didn't stop at ag. stations", which we knew "you are supposed too....."met the same thing in horses , transporting.....everything is regulated, often not making sense or even available for info. even if you are trying to search it out.
But anyway, no, the postal people basically seemed to not know at all, or very very vague in their knowledge.....
Part of the whole culture now I guess, even if you try to obey laws and regs., there are so many and they are so overwhelming people just go about their daily lives not knowing or caring or what the heck,... ".who cares anymore we are all in deep doo doo"