Shipping "LIVE" Chickens - Anyone with Experience ?

[EM Squared Farms]

Hey FoxyPopRoxy,

You must be much better at multi-tasking than me ! I can only do one thing at a time. I'm a uni-tasker and proud of it.

Anyways, I used to be my husband's helper, but the mosquitoes love me too much so I thought I would let me son be the apprentice and help him.

I get to do the housecleaning. Hey, at least I know it will be clean. We let the children practice their house cleaning skills and let's just say, they most likely will not grow up to be professional cleaners. But at least they are learning.

Maybe I'll take some more pics for the website if the weather is nice.

Don't work too hard !

 

[saladin]

When you call the State Vet understand that you are most likely NOT going to actually talk with that person.

You are going to speak with the Poultry Specialist (also a Vet or Poultry Science major) that works for the State Vet.

The State Vet's office will have multiple Vets and personel. The named State Vet is simply the Administer of the whole affair.

By the way, all the Licensed Tester in a particular state (NPIP) are licensed under the authority of the State Vet. Some states allow for volunteers to be testers: others do not. If not, the a Tester will setup a time to come and do your birds.

 

[EM Squared Farms]

Dear Saladin,

Thanks for the extra info. Now I'll know what to expect when I call on Monday.

I'm wondering if our fair vet is the vet that will end up doing the testing. We are in such a small town and I'm pretty sure he's the only vet that had knowledge and experience with agricultural animals. He's so great.

I'll have to let you know.

Thanks for helping us prepare better for a successful first shipment of chickens !

 

[michaelf]

I have a question to you awesome people. I am wanting to buy some grown large fowl chickens and have them shipped from Washington state across to Georgia my home state. The farm I would be getting them from is npip certified and so am I. The temp will be in low to mid 80's in both places for the next week. The birds are expensive and would not want them to die on flight. So these are my questions.
Is it to hot?
What is the average cost? (I know it varies, just a ball park)
(I am wanting a trio) so you know how many
Or should I get hatching eggs?
They also have younger birds. Should I get those? And it would be less stressful?.
I have bought hatching eggs many time from all over the US. Never have bought live birds. I have wanted to but have been weary. Thanks- Michael

 

[destiny_56085]

First of all I know from experience that you need an import permit and NPIP status to ship to GA. If you don't have the permit prior, you get a nasty letter from their board of animal health and have to fill out the 2 page permit anyways...

Temps... to ship newly hatched chicks maybe... Adult birds that are cramped in a box are a different story. You might want to wait til this fall. Even at mid-80's would you leave a pet locked in your car for any amount of time? They are set at the PO, left on loading docks, hauled in the back end of postal vehicles to the main hub, go in the cargo on a plane, checked in at another PO on your end, set on another loading dock, possibly drove from that hub to your local office, and then wait for you to pick them up. I personally cut off shipping adults when its 60 degrees and chicks when its 80 degrees. Up to you if you want to chance cooked birds.

Cost of shipping... To ship a bantam with a regular Horizon box and the express mail is about $65. If you are talking largefowl, and a trio at that, you are looking at having to use an Omni or maybe even a Swan sized box. The box itself will run at least $30 and shipping is usually at least $120 on those.

From a breeder standpoint, getting a SQ proven trio would be ideal. You might have to be patient and wait til fall on shipping though. Next best bet would be to get started youngsters that have already been gone over for any major faults. Even chicks can be a crapshoot... Buying eggs is kind of like throwing your money away on scratch off lottery tickets.

 

[michaelf]

First of all I know from experience that you need an import permit and NPIP status to ship to GA.  If you don't have the permit prior, you get a nasty letter from their board of animal health and have to fill out the 2 page permit anyways...

Temps...  to ship newly hatched chicks maybe...  Adult birds that are cramped in a box are a different story.  You might want to wait til this fall.  Even at mid-80's would you leave a pet locked in your car for any amount of time?  They are set at the PO, left on loading docks, hauled in the back end of postal vehicles to the main hub, go in the cargo on a plane, checked in at another PO on your end, set on another loading dock, possibly drove from that hub to your local office, and then wait for you to pick them up.  I personally cut off shipping adults when its 60 degrees and chicks when its 80 degrees.  Up to you if you want to chance cooked birds.

Cost of shipping...  To ship a bantam with a regular Horizon box and the express mail is about $65.  If you are talking largefowl, and a trio at that, you are looking at having to use an Omni or maybe even a Swan sized box.  The box itself will run at least $30 and shipping is usually at least $120 on those.

From a breeder standpoint, getting a SQ proven trio would be ideal.  You might have to be patient and wait til fall on shipping though.  Next best bet would be to get started youngsters that have already been gone over for any major faults.  Even chicks can be a crapshoot...  Buying eggs is kind of like throwing your money away on scratch off lottery tickets.

Thanks, I know it was a shot in the dark. You answered alot of my questions. Great points! That's why I asked for you guys input. You are awesome! Thanks- Michael

 

[Odelia]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=252070

Here are the requirements for shipping live adult poultry. Yes, you charge the box charge on top of shipping.


And you must be NPIP or have a vet's certificate and sometimes an extra permit from the state you're shipping the birds into on top of that.

How do you know what states require extra permits on top of the NPIP certification?

 

[speckledhen]

pips and peeps posted a list one time on BYC-you'd have to search for it-but if you could go to each state's NPIP or Department of Agriculture website and check requirements for shipping poultry or eggs into that state.

 

[saladin]

How do you know what states require extra permits on top of the NPIP certification?

Laws are constantly changing. The best thing to do is to call the States Vets office in the State you want to ship too.
Several states require AI clean test on birds besides NPIP (VA, PA, NC to name a few).
A few states require you get a permit from them to ship to their state. This requires a form from them and a letter from your state vet. Then the state in question will send you the need permit. Minnesota requires this and now Missouri. I'm not sure of others.
I ship around 25-50 adult birds annually.
I would not rely on any information I picked up from the internet. I always call the State Vets office. It is the only way to be certain of current regulations. JMO.

 

[speckledhen]

Good point. Internet data is often outdated, even (maybe especially) at government websites. Best to call the state in question and get it straight from the horse's mouth.