USPS Shipping Delays: March 2021: Should I Be Concerned?

[doughouse]

I came here specifically looking for threads about people's experience with USPS this spring, since I'm also nervous. I have an order with Meyer Hatchery for four chicks hatching on May 3rd (two Polish, an Easter Egger, and a Salmon Favorelle, which seems to be a popular breed in this thread!). We're paying a premium for that Express shipping, so here's hoping it all works out! Last spring we had one batch of chicks from Meyer arrive in less than 24 hours, and another that took two days. We had casualties with both shipments, sadly, although I don't think either were related to the shipping times (well, definitely not the first one. Maaaybe the second).

Please keep us updated as your orders come in!

 

[doughouse]

An update from my experience in last two weeks. I made an order of chicks last week, they shipped priority which the hatchery said was normal and would take two days. They arrived in three days and all perished.

Which hatchery?

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Which hatchery?

Smdh! I'm sorry

 

[oellian]

Yes, I did comb through back threads but didn't find anything really up-to-date; most were from spring/summer/fall of 2020.

I have a chick order from Meyer set to be hatched and delivered the last week of April. I'm growing concerned with the most recent news about DeJoy warning of NEW postal delays. Has anyone ordered recently, and has the shipping been swift? I'm on the fence as to whether to cancel my order, (but then where can I find what I want? I'm in CT) or do I take my chances?

Thanks for any info/btdt.

astrid

I just got a shipment from MM last week. They shipped on Monday, and the chicks arrived on Thursday, a day longer than usual. They were clearly more stressed from the journey than my previous experience. One even had a splayed/broken leg.

There's not much you can do, other than paying for "express" delivery, which may not make any difference, since this shipping method is not compatible with cargo that contains dry ice. The dry ice sublimates into CO2 gas, which will smother livestock. So if your "express" order is about to ship, and cargo goes on that has dry ice, your chicks will have to wait for the next flight that doesn't have it. The delivery "guarantee" is the same for regular and "express", at least from MM; "2-3 days".

Louis DeJoy has definitely degraded the USPS with his destructive policies, and anyone like us who is involved with shipping livestock should let the White House know that it's time to fix that particular appointment. Before becoming postmaster general, or whatever he is, he was involved with a number of lawsuits against the USPS, being a major shareholder in their competitors. That he was ever confirmed for that position is a stain on our government.

 

[doughouse]

Yes, let's not pretend that Louis DeJoy has been making a good faith effort to fix the problems at the USPS and preserve the institution for future generations and was just dealt a tough hand.

I just got a shipment from MM last week. They shipped on Monday, and the chicks arrived on Thursday, a day longer than usual. They were clearly more stressed from the journey than my previous experience. One even had a splayed/broken leg.

Sorry to hear it! I hope your babies all recover from the trip! How far are you from McMurray?

 

[oellian]

USPS Service alerts can be found **here** There are currently none affecting the shipment of live animals nationally, contra the case about 10-14 days ago, though there remain some regional impacts on mail generally (click the "current delivery issues under Residential" to see them).

Louis DeJoy is a distraction. However "good" or "evil" you choose to believe his intentions, and regardless of the color of his politics, the numbers don't lie, and long predate his tenure. First Class Mail, a major source of USPS revenue, has been in decline since roughly 2000 - its half what it used to be. The USPS costs, OTOH, have continued to climb. Facilities, Personnel, Vehicles, Fuel, etc are all more expensive two decades later than they used to be, even with tiny headcount reductions.

At some point, something's got to give - and firing DeJoy won't change that. Keeping DeJoy and letting him implement his current plan won't change that. The numbers don't lie about that, either - his own figures don't offer the savings needed to place the USPS back on a largely self supporting trajectory, rosy though they are.

Your more immediate concern **may** be your local legislators, pushing feel good legislation in their utter ignorance. Like a NY bill which would ban live animal shipments (including poultry) by USPS. Such a bill wouldn't affect the Tysons and ConAgras of the world, indeed, its a competitive advantage to them - and it has the support of Greens and others driven by emotion over major losses of live poultry in the region, recently - but it would be utterly devastating to many small scale producers and home chicken owners.

The USPS is hobbled by crazy legislation from our crazy legislators in DC.

Here's a good video that describes the roots of the problem in some detail:

Louis DeJoy makes matters worse, I believe, and for clear reasons: it's my understanding that he's been involved in various lawsuits against the USPS, and that he is a non-trivial owner of stock in USPS's competitors. Appointing agency heads who are hostile to their agencies seems to be an intentional policy of Presidents who are overtly hostile to government, as if we, and they, aren't the government.

 

[oellian]

Yes, let's not pretend that Louis DeJoy has been making a good faith effort to fix the problems at the USPS and preserve the institution for future generations and was just dealt a tough hand.



Sorry to hear it! I hope your babies all recover from the trip! How far are you from McMurray?

I'm in Maryland. We lost five birds out of 19, which is terrible. And one may still succumb. She's holding on, but smaller than all the rest, and this AM I notice heavy breathing along with a clicking sound. I expect she'll die, too. It's been like a bad dream a la "...and then there were thirteen..." Really a drag.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Here's a good video that describes the roots of the problem in some detail:

I enjoy John Oliver. He's very funny. But I don't mistake comedy for good policy.

and as BYC is not the place for politics, that's the last I will be saying on the subject.

 

[doughouse]

If the leadership and policies of the Postmaster General is resulting in the death of our sweet little baby chicks in transit, then discussion of those policies absolutely should have a place here.

I grew up in a USPS family. I have four family members either currently or formerly employed by the post office. We don't always see eye to eye on politics, but everyone in my family believes Louis DeJoy is dismantling an American institution.

 

[kris13]

Luckily we have a hatchery within driving distance. No issues up until this year, but first, all but one died in shipping and they looked awful / like the box had been tossed and thrown around. And a friend who works for USPS mentioned she's seen "fragile / live animals" boxes not handled like that at all (she was horrified when she saw it, with how busy and overloaded they are, guess they either aren't paying attention or ) But yeah, I'd rather drive a few hours than deal with that again. I knew on the way home the box was way too quiet.