Can you safely mail a chicken?

[MochaDuck]

Hi. I wasn't sure where to post this.

Is it safe to mail a chicken? If so, how do you safely and legally do it?

Thanks everyone

 

[Abriana]

You can mail baby chicks, but that is because once they hatch, they can go three days without any food or water. They survive on the yolk. Shipping takes two or three days, and I don't think it would be very kind to mail an adult chicken, which needs to at least drink often. If I were you I wouldn't do it, for the safety and health of the bird

 

[Birds of a Feather]

Each state has specific rules and regulations, but you usually have to be NPIP Certified to legally ship.

 

[MochaDuck]

You can mail baby chicks, but that is because once they hatch, they can go three days without any food or water. They survive on the yolk. Shipping takes two or three days, and I don't think it would be very kind to mail an adult chicken, which needs to at least drink often. If I were you I wouldn't do it, for the safety and health of the bird

Ok. Thank you abriana

 

[Abriana]

No problem!

 

[MochaDuck]

Each state has specific rules and regulations, but you usually have to be NPIP Certified to legally ship.

Thanks

 

[diamondsilkies]

I've never shipped birds, but have had plenty of them shipped to me. I've gotten several boxes of day old chicks from hatcheries, and they all ended up healthy. Also had six 1 month old silkies shipped to me from Florida in November, and one 3 year old silkie hen shipped to me in January. All of them made it and are healthy. My best advice for receiving poultry in the mail is to give them Nutri Drench afterwards, and make sure they're getting plenty of water.

To ship chickens, you generally need NPIP certification. Getting it is a different process in each state. You'll need a poultry shipping box, with air holes and lots of 'fragile' markings. Fresh fruit is good to put with them, as it keeps them hydrated and full. You should drop them off at the post office in the evening, and then pay for overnight shipping so that the customer gets them early in the morning. This way, they don't go without water for much longer than they would any other night. Have them hold it at the post office, and then call the customer to come pick the chickens up.
Good luck!

 

[Trish1974]

Yes, you can mail adult chickens. I just received 2 10-month old Araucana pullets from Pennsylvania 3 weeks ago. Seller needs to be NPIP certified, and birds must be shipped in a USPS approved box and shipped Express. My pullets were in transit 42 hours and were just fine. One of them even laid an egg in the box and it was completely intact.

 

[AltonaAcres]

Shipping adult birds is totally fine. Many breeders put fruit, such as an apple, in the box, to keep the bird hydrated.

 

[TashaFrancois]

You said chicken. So I’m assuming not babies. I just did for the first time. Only us postal will ship them. They must be next day for their safety and health. I shipped 4 from Missouri to Florida. I posted a short thread. No liquids. So electrolytes before you ship them and put moist but not witty food. I used apples and zucchini.