From our blog:
Baby birds arrive at the sanctuary
Twenty-five day-old chicks born in a hatchery in Young birds cannot regulate their body temperature effectively. It's why they need a mom. Right now, the baby birds are being kept in baby pens with special heating pads to keep them warm.
It is to tragic and tiresome hearing these stories of people buying birds and having those birds shipped through the postal service. In May, 2008 500 "peepers" (industry term: broilers) were rescued by Oakland Animal Services after fifty arrived dead and many were in distress. Thirteen of them came to Animal Place. These birds are lucky. Every year, thousands of baby birds die while being shipped through the mail.
The regulations required to ensure a dog or cat is transported safely do not apply to poultry, and mortality is considered unavoidable. We would not tolerate that treatment with dogs and cats! The postal service has shown an unwillingness to ensure the safety and well-being of the animals they ship. Animal Place encourages people interested in poultry to adopt birds from their local shelter or sanctuary. Never allow living, sentient beings be shipped like they are inanimate objects.