Q - How much does it cost to ship a chicken?

A - A LOT for most people's budget.

Economy Nests - fit 2 of the roos each box

First of all, contact UPS or Fed Ex to ensure that you will be allowed to ship the animal you want.

USPS  ONLY ships birds by express mail and might require you to prearrange with the expediting shipping office and get a number. So you are way better off to check with them before you show up at the post office. Also, make sure to alert the receiving post office.

USPS will ONLY ship in approved boxes. I used Horizons and for small numbers of boxes, I got my boxes here: Matthews Oak Ridge Farm Boxes For Shipping Gamebirds, Waterfowl, Poultry, Chickens, & Pigeons 

I wanted to ship 9 month old roosters. The trip was from California to Texas.

BOXES: I paid 64 dollars plus change for 2 economy boxes ( Economy nests $16.95 each plus S&H) and 2 single boxes ($ 1 to 14- $6.10 each plus S&H). That included the cheapest available shipping rate.

The economy boxes are said to weigh about  2.5 lbs each and 1.5 lbs the single, plus 1/2 - 1 lbs for straw and a few apple slices.

Don't get fooled by the "weight does not matter up to 70 lbs" FLAT rate express shipping. The dimensions of the boxes DO NOT qualify for that rate.

These here are the single bird boxes. The roosters were able to turn in them, but 2 would NOT have fit - and the box would have been too heavy.  The single boxes have a 10 lb limit written on the outside of the box.

Shipping cost at the post office in January and March of 2013:

economy box with 2 birds 13 lbs 9 oz -> $ 97.40 at the post office plus $16.95 for the box and what it cost to get the box shipped

economy box with 2 birds 11 lbs 14 oz -> $ 89.85  plus $ 16.95 for the box and what it cost to get the box shipped.

single bird total weight - 6 lbs 10.9 oz -> $ 66.05 at the post office plus $ 6.10 for the box and what it cost to get the box shipped.

single bird total weight - 5 lbs 15 oz -> $ 60.45 at the post office plus $ 6.10 for the box and what it cost to get the box shipped.


As you can see, it seems to be a little cheaper to ship more than one bird at once. If I did this regularly - I would be crazy or rich....and if i were rich, I'd have a property where I could keep the roos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HOW DID EXPRESS MAIL DO?

They guaranteed delivery within 48 hours - though it is supposed to be overnight. For best chances, I was told to get there early enough to get the birds out with the first pick-up. The receiving party contacted the regional post office and drove over an hour to pick up the birds THE NEXT DAY .... so that went really well. If they had not done that, it might have taken the other day ...don't know.


What about NPIP - the national poultry improvement program certification?

I did without, but I did include the NPIP from the facility I originally got the birds from, and the date on that was April 2012, so that was within the year.  Some states (3 I read) have very strict criteria, the one I was shipping to was not on that list. Apparently the USPS and the states are not at this time enforcing the "you must have a health certificate or NPIP certificate with your birds" coming into the state or else all that strictly.
As I said, I included a copy of their original NPIP and added a statement as to their health, just in case.

If you sell & ship birds professionally or cross state lines for show regularly ...get informed or certified. One cautionary note though: Just because someone is NPIP certified does not mean they have healthy birds in terms of lice or mites or coccidiosis etc. Also, the certificate is only valid for 1 year.

I was just trying to re-home my beautiful roosters to a home where they potentially may live a good rooster life.

I shipped 6 and as you can see, for the price I could have gotten materials to build a dividable coop with it for them....and I was willing to build one or 2. Alas, that would not have handled the crowing and the intolerant neighbor in this agriculturally zoned area. I really think they should move into a retirement community, where surly no one is allowed to make a peep to disturb the peace.

But I don't own the property....and I am happy that some of my best and most precious, beautiful  and loved roos found a home and that I could pay to send them there. The one on the right: that is "Big Boy" - the sweetness of my flock. He was allowed to bring the Splash Blue Andalusian - who would otherwise have been culled.  But I do miss him ....

The recipient was willing to pay a (smaller) part of the cost, paying for the boxes basically, but connecting over the internet and not knowing folks it helps to feel that they didn't just want free birds for their dinner table and they sent some pictures of them in their new home. I thank them for that - and I feel that they will do good with the birds and wish them the very best with all those roos :)

Now you want to know the real price of eggs? - PRICELESS

3 of "my" roos in their new coop-home. Thanks to the folks in Texas - I hope it all works out.