MISSOULA — Missoula’s Axmen sells it all but with bird flu and egg prices this year, it's been a struggle with chicks. They are selling out well before they even arrive — and have been arriving late.
Feed manager Kyle Glenn orders chicks straight from the hatchery but, this year, some have shown up late in the mail.
“The hatcheries ship them, they usually ship them on a Tuesday or Wednesday, usually right after they hatch, about 12 hours after. They're supposed to be two-day shipped, but the Post Office has been slow on getting them through the system,” Glenn said. “They've been traveling in weird routes like they'll hit Great Falls and then they'll go back to Billings before they come here.”
Glenn said that chicks are showing up after about four days rather than two. This delay can cause big problems for the birds’ health when they arrive.
“A lot of them are kind of down and out. With being through the Post Office and through the mail system, they aren't kept at that 98 degrees, so they are a lot of times sick,” he said. “We usually give them electrolytes in their water. We give them a medicated chick start to kind of get them up and going and that kind of stuff.”
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MTN reached out to the United States Postal Service about late shipments and the route that Axmen said some of their chicks were sent.
“The Postal Service sincerely apologizes for any late shipments containing live animals. The Postal Service is actively investigating this particular incident to ensure it does not recure [SIC]. The Postal Service has worked with hatcheries for more than 100 years to safely transport baby chicks and other poultry, and this is an operation we take very seriously,” a spokesperson said.
The USPS has guidelines for the shipment of live birds to help protect them. More information can be found on their website.
