USPS Lost my Chickens!

[IlliniAggie]

I know this has happened to many, but I am absolutely livid and extremely worried. I shipped my four adult chickens overnight from California to Illinois where I am moving, foolishly thinking that would be less stress on them (and me) than a multi-day drive across the country. My parents were all set to receive them and had accommodations set up.

They were supposed to arrive at 3pm today, but their last scan was 11:00pm last night out of California. No scan since then, nobody with USPS can tell me where they are/where the f@ck the plane even landed so I can call there. They've opened "investigations" for each chicken.

I feel awful. They are awesome, friendly chickens and I'm worried they're going to arrive dead. Learning the hard way that the 3pm next day guarantee means nothing.

I cut up two large apples in each box for them, but I have no idea if that will be enough food and moisture. Anyone else have this happen? I could use some reassurance that others in similar situations haven't had their chickens die.

 

[NotSoChickenLove]

There must be some utter morons working for that company. You'd think they'd take a different kind of care with live cargo.

 

[hlhutchinson]

So I'm no help, but I'm
So sorry sending good thoughts your way. I hope they are found soon and healthy

 

[ChickNanny13]

OMG! I'd be on the phone, emailing & at someone's door! That is inexcusable! Hoping/praying they arrive safely in the morning, it maybe worth driving to the PO & make a Supervisor track them down. Good luck.

 

[dfalco]

Maybe this thread will provide encouragement. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...o-without-food-water-bad-guilty-owner.798285/

 

[jeria]

Hope everything is OK with them . That's awful.

 

[IlliniAggie]

Good news! They arrived today alive and well. A day late but no worse for wear. Never shipping live animals USPS again, for sure.

 

[dfalco]

Good news! They arrived today alive and well. A day late but no worse for wear. Never shipping live animals USPS again, for sure.

Yay! So glad to hear it!

 

[ChickNanny13]

Living in Hawaii it's "worst" ... I've often thought of ordering chicks from breeders in the Mainland but it scares me; getting lost plus the shipping cost & regulations just as bad So we settle for "hatchery" stock that the feed store brings in March - April, mainly layers & meat birds, nothing "fancy".

 

[keesmom]

Good news! They arrived today alive and well. A day late but no worse for wear. Never shipping live animals USPS again, for sure.

So you know, quite often another carrier such as FedEx is responsible for shipping the birds between USPS sorting facilities. If they are in FedEx hands the USPS cannot locate them. The shipping codes do not match.

FedEx has a lot of flights that contain dry ice. Live shipments cannot be sent on the same planes. FedEx is supposed to give lives priority from Mon-Wed, though I have had birds bumped on those days. If they get bumped USPS can't locate them and neither can FedEx.

It's likely they were bumped because of dry ice, especially if you shipped late in the week. Be glad they were. Once I had 2 boxes of very rare breeds that weren't, with disastrous results.