10,000 chicks land in Delaware after USPS mishap

Thousands of chicks and young gamebirds were rescued earlier this month after an apparent misrouting by the U.S. Postal Service left them stranded in Delaware. The birds were en route from Freedom Ranger Hatchery in Pennsylvania, a facility certified by the National Poultry Improvement Plan as clean of Avian Influenza and Pullorum-Typhoid. However, something went awry in transit.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture received a call on Friday, May 2, from the USPS Delaware Processing and Distribution Center reporting an undeliverable box of baby birds. A second call revealed that there were multiple boxes involved.

DDA’s Poultry and Animal Health section sprang into action, coordinating the transfer of the birds to the First State Animal Center. Upon arrival, staff discovered not just one but several shipments, representing destinations from across the country — including as far away as Spokane, Washington.



About 10,000 birds — from chicks, turkeys, geese, quail, and chukars — were estimated to have been affected. Sadly, about 4,000 birds were already dead when they were recovered, perhaps because they had traveled for too long without sufficient food, water, or ventilation. The healthy animals were medicated by DDA and FSAC personnel late Friday evening.

The U.S. Postal Service, which typically ships chicks without issue, acknowledged a “process breakdown” and said it was investigating. On its website, USPS notes that it handles thousands of live bird shipments annually.

Freedom Ranger Hatchery expressed frustration and uncertainty amid the incident.

USA Today reported that the hatchery supplies birds to backyard growers as well as businesses that raise them for eggs or meat, according to Stephen Horst, owner of Fifth Day Farm. Horst noted that the family-run company operates several hatcheries under the same ownership.

The hatchery occasionally partners with carriers beyond the postal service to ship birds, including UPS and FedEx. For larger shipments, they sometimes coordinate with airlines such as Delta, American, and Alaska.

The DDA said in a press release that Freedom Ranger Hatchery has since been contacted and is cooperating with the investigation. Representatives stated they are unsure how all of the shipments ended up in Delaware and are looking into the matter.