The post office changed their provider for air mail a few years ago and they don’t seem to want to give priority to living things and frequently stack heavy items on top of live stock boxes…
Most farms try to source them locally now to avoid killing hundreds of chicks while in transit.
It’s funny to put major in quotes. If you look at shipping volumes then USPS is really the only major carrier. Since they have to deliver everywhere they deliver something like 120 billion things a year, where the second is like…7 billion.
Yeah they are quite hardy. Have ordered on 2 seperate occasions, all arrive healthy. When a chick is born they essentially consume the yolk which will allow them to go a couple days without needing food/water. Being a live shipment you usually pick it up at the post office, so it doesn’t have to get trucked around all day. (Also meaning you can grab them as soon as they are supposed to be there and get them all settled in under a heat source and food/water quickly).
You can still mail order live chicks
You can but they may arrive slightly squishy.
The post office changed their provider for air mail a few years ago and they don’t seem to want to give priority to living things and frequently stack heavy items on top of live stock boxes…
Most farms try to source them locally now to avoid killing hundreds of chicks while in transit.
And boxes of spiders.
and crickets. although now i want to order my shitass brother surprise spiders for his birthday instead
I read your comment before the one you replied to and my mind certainly went somewhere other then farms
Not only that, USPS is the only “major” carrier who will do so.
Unfortunately this looks to be another area where a previously functioning service is no longer being provided at the same level of quality.
Stitched video of two small poultry producers discussing recent poor experiences with recieving chick via mail. https://youtube.com/shorts/dcGOdro04uE
It’s funny to put major in quotes. If you look at shipping volumes then USPS is really the only major carrier. Since they have to deliver everywhere they deliver something like 120 billion things a year, where the second is like…7 billion.
Yeah they are quite hardy. Have ordered on 2 seperate occasions, all arrive healthy. When a chick is born they essentially consume the yolk which will allow them to go a couple days without needing food/water. Being a live shipment you usually pick it up at the post office, so it doesn’t have to get trucked around all day. (Also meaning you can grab them as soon as they are supposed to be there and get them all settled in under a heat source and food/water quickly).
And bees, and crickets. Different boxes tho
Ladybugs too
While it may seem kind of weird I’ve raised about 100 chickens that came via the mail.
I haven’t lost any of these and they all lived a great life outside on the farm.