Can anyone please tell me how to go about shipping live birds?
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Shipping Information Please...
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 luvmychix |
Shipping Information Please... |
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Posts: 1 09/14/08 11:10 PM |
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silkifyre |
#1 | |||
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Posts: 973 09/14/08 11:42 PM |
Sure... I've shipped chickens lots of times when I raised Silkies and Easter Eggers.
First, the temps have to be below 80° F at both your end and at the destination, or the airlines won't ship. I would further recommend not shipping if the temp is above 70°, because a chicken will produce a lot of heat and humidity inside a closed box. The box must be a federally approved box with bio-filters covering the air vents. The N.E.S.T. boxes sold by Horizon are an example of what's acceptable. You'll need to ship via Express Mail, which is an overnight service, but shipping is guaranteed within 2 days. Some zip codes fall within a 48-hour delivery service instead of 24 hrs. Check with your post office, so you can let your recipient know when to expect their shipment. For the shipping label, you'll need both your and your recipient's name, address, and phone number. The receiving post office will call the recipient to let them know the bird has arrived. Some post offices will deliver right to the door, some require the person to pick up the box at the PO. When you are ready to ship, place some bedding in the bottom of the box so the bird(s) have some traction. Place some apple wedges inside for food/moisture. Secure the box, and take it to your post office. Get the tracking # so you can send it to your recipient. (Oftentimes, though, the delivery is made before all the scans are entered on the tracking system.) Hope that helps. Jessica |
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luvmychix |
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Posts: 2 09/15/08 10:42 AM |
Thanks for all the information. It does help. Is shipping thru the P.O. not a good idea? Just wondering because when I have ordered thru companies before they
shipped them thru reg. mail? ~Sam~
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bbkings |
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Posts: 1409 09/15/08 9:03 PM A Mother To All, Big and Small |
Express mail is through the PO. That's the way to go. My daughter runs an express mail route and delivers live birds all the time. Please do heed what
Jessica said about temps. Brandy is always delivering boxes of dead birds because of the heat.
Love,
Barb :)* www.bbkingssales.com |
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silkifyre |
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Posts: 978 09/15/08 10:44 PM |
Hi Sam, you have to ship thru the PO, as far as I know. I thought I read somewhere that carriers like FedEx refuse to handle live birds.
The PO has federal regulations in place regarding the shipping of live birds. Shipments must be either Express Mail or Priority Mail.
I believe when you order thru hatcheries, they may use Priority Mail. That's probably because you usually have a large number of day-old chicks being shipped together, and there is "safety" in large numbers, plus it's a little "cheeper." (lol) Seriously, tho... day-old chicks can survive just fine, because for the first day or two of their lives, they really don't eat much. They spend the first couple days of life drying, resting, and hiding under mama. Shipping older birds must be done by Express Mail if you want the best for the bird's welfare. Shipping is very stressful for birds, so the faster they can reach their destination, the better. Giving them some vitamin/electrolyte mix in their water a few days before shipping will help them handle the stress a little better. Plus, if you are selling the bird, your buyer should be paying for the shipping, so it wouldn't affect you anyway. You can give your buyer an estimate on shipping, which is usually between $30-40, and request they pay before you ship. If they overpay, then you can refund that overpayment to them. Or, what you can do, is get the shipping box, put in the bedding, place the bird in the box, then weigh it on a sensitive scale. Call your PO, tell them the weight and the zip code it's going to, and ask what the shipping charge will be. Then you tell your buyer the cost, plus the cost of the box, and the cost of the bird. They send you the whole payment, then you ship the bird. Hope that clarifies things a little more. Any more questions, feel free to ask! Jessica |
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bbkings |
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Posts: 1412 09/16/08 12:32 AM A Mother To All, Big and Small |
Oh and one more thing... Put a few grapes, rasins or apple slices in the box with the bird so it can have a little something special to eat on it's trip!
Love,
Barb :)* www.bbkingssales.com |
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silkifyre |
#6 | |||
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Posts: 979 09/16/08 7:08 AM |
Yup, I mentioned apples already. I'm not so sure about the grapes or raisins, though. I've heard of birds choking on them, unless
that type of fruit is cut pretty small. If it's cut that small, then it might get lost in the bedding. I feel that apple wedges are the safest method
during shipping.
Jessica |
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bbkings |
#7 | |||
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Posts: 1413 09/17/08 4:55 AM A Mother To All, Big and Small |
Sorry Jessica, I missed the apples in your post. I have never had any trouble at all with grapes and rasins. I don't give rasins to little ones though. The
bigger girls just go crazy over them and will swarm me when I have a box.
Love,
Barb :)* www.bbkingssales.com |
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luvmychix |
Thank you all for your help.... | #8 | ||
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Posts: 3 09/21/08 10:48 PM |
But could someone pleasee where to buy these shipping boxes I have been looking and can't find a place to buy them.
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bbkings |
#9 | |||
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Posts: 1416 09/21/08 11:28 PM A Mother To All, Big and Small |
I have used http://www.hm-e.net/ and always been happy.
Love,
Barb :)* www.bbkingssales.com |
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luvmychix |
#10 | |||
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Posts: 6 09/21/08 11:58 PM |
checking it out now. Thanks!
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silkifyre |
#11 | |||
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Posts: 980 09/22/08 7:09 AM |
Horizon is who I bought boxes from, too. George is very friendly and helpful.
Jessica |
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- Just Fluff
- Family Matters...
- Chickenitis
- Pictures
- Polls
- Check This Forum Out
- URGENT
- General Chicken Info/Questions
- Illness and cures
- Hatching and Babies
- Pesky Varmits (predators)
- Coops
- Doing The Deed
- Legal Matters
- Large Breeds
- Bantam Breeds
- Breeders/Hatcheries
- Helpful Links
- Helpful Tips
- Auctions
- Emergency Fund
- Creative Members Store
- PIYY Classifieds
- Egg Swap
- Homesteading
- Gardening
- Crafts
- All Our Other Critters...
- How Do You Cook 'Em
- Complaints
- ALMOST Anything Goes
- For Keeps
