What If I Want to Ship?

[GuineaLady93]

If I wanted to ship like 5 or 10 day old chicks from like CA to NC how would I go about shipping them?

 

[speckledhen]

You can't legally do it. They can't be older than just hatched and you must be NPIP certified, possibly even needing an extra permit from the state you are shipping into.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=252067

 

[PamB]

Quote:
Why do you say they can't be older than just hatched? Is it because each birds is supposed to weigh at least six onces? I've had chicks that were week olds or a month or so old shipped to me without any issues. I'm confused.

ETA: In CT, it is the buyer's responsibility to acquire any additional permits necessary to receive the shipment.

 

[speckledhen]

It's my understanding that they either must be day old or much older so they can survive the trip on limited food, but the main thing is that you cannot legally ship without being NPIP and/or having a vet's certificate of health and possibly an extra permit for the state. Ask pips & peeps, who had some state come down on her as a seller because she shipped as NPIP but didn't have an extra permit for their state to ship into it. She posted about it here on BYC somewhere. She posted a list of states that require an extra permit. It's one reason I refuse to ship birds (that and the horror of handing a live animal to the P.O. )

There are hundreds of folks shipping back and forth on BYC, but most are doing it illegally, just not getting caught.


Here is the link with requirements for shipping adult poultry-I posted the one for day olds above.

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

 

[PamB]

Quote:
Ok, I understand what you are saying. It would be much safer to ship the day olds or the adult birds. The only birds in between were shipped to me from close by and arrived within 14 hours of shipping. Yes, you definitely need to be NPIP or have the vet's certificate of health. They shouldn't have come down on her...that is unfair. In CT, we are responsible for getting a permit and providing the seller with the permit number prior to shipping. That burden should be on the buyer, but as you've pointed out, I guess that isn't the case everywhere. Anyway, thank you for the clarification.

 

[speckledhen]

You're welcome.

 

[EweSheep]

You CAN ship chicks at any age as long they know what they will eat in front of them. Just don't throw in apples and grapes once they are in the box when they don't know what it is to begin with. A few days prior to the big day, accustom them to apple slices and grapes for treats.

Like SpeckledHen is saying, you have to have NPIP or vet's certificate to be on the safe side. USPS are not responsible for the paperwork for your birds but the custom officials WILL be somewhere at any location and if they see that box not having NPIP number or paperwork, they can send the birds back to the seller OR they can fine you and confiscate the birds. I believe it was unfair for Pips to be targeted as well.

I have gotten birds from NPIP breeders but no NPIP papers or numbers being on the box. It's only a matter of time.

 

[PamB]

I have gotten birds from NPIP breeders but no NPIP papers or numbers being on the box. It's only a matter of time.

I have also.​

 

[speckledhen]

I know non-NPIP folks do it all the time and NPIP folks neglect to put the paperwork on there as well. I would hate to be the one they make an example of, though, you know? And I've also seen too many boxes of dead chicks the age mentioned in this thread because I think they are growing so darn fast, they need way more food than is normally put into the boxes. At hatch, they can go three days without food and water and older birds can get enough from fruit, etc, but super fast growing chicks don't fare as well in shipping, IMO. I believe that's why the USPS rules are in place.

 

[suki'smom]

They would have to be shipped via UPS overnight. I got some 4 week old ducklings this way, they were hungry but in good health.