How Are Baby Chicks Shipped? Priority Mail vs. Express – My Pet Chicken

It’s one of the kindest questions we get: “Can I pay extra for Express so my chicks get here faster?” You want them home safe and snug as soon as possible. So do we! Here’s why day-old birds from My Pet Chicken travel by USPS Priority Mail, and why that’s the right choice for them.

How Long Can Chicks Survive in the Mail?

Just before a chick hatches, it absorbs the last of its yolk. That yolk keeps it fed and hydrated through its first couple of days, which is exactly why baby birds can travel by mail at all.

The Postal Service builds its rules around that window. Under USPS Publication 52, day-old poultry must be mailed within 24 hours of hatching and may be delivered within 72 hours of hatching. That 72-hour window is the clock that matters, and Priority Mail is designed to work inside it.

Express Is the Rule for Grown Birds, Not Babies

There’s a common belief that chicks have to ship Express. They don’t. The USPS requires Priority Mail Express for adult birds. Day-old chicks, ducklings and other hatchlings are handled under their own rules and can ship Priority Mail.

Here’s how it works for your order:

• Your chicks ship USPS Priority Mail, straight from the farm where they hatched, in packaging made for live birds.
• Each box is prepared for the season and the weather along its route.
• Chicks usually ship on the Monday of your scheduled week and arrive Tuesday through Thursday, depending on hatch timing and your local post office.
• Our shipping rates already include the USPS live animal handling surcharge, so there’s nothing extra to add at checkout.

Wait, Didn’t You Used to Ship Express?

We did, and if you’ve ordered from us before, you may remember it. For years, small chick orders went out Priority Mail Express because that was the long-held wisdom: faster label, safer trip.

Then the people who ship baby birds every week started comparing notes. We’re members of Bird Shippers of America, an industry group of businesses that ship live poultry by mail. Members who tracked how their Priority and Express boxes actually fared found the results about the same. Both services travel the same routes in the same specially packed box, and for day-old birds, hatch day, ship day and how quickly your local post office gets the box into your hands matter more than the label on it. Most of those members have since moved to Priority.

The Postal Service has been raising its game, too. In 2025, its Office of Inspector General took a close look at how baby birds are accepted, handled and delivered, and recommended 11 improvements. USPS has since put 10 of them in place, including:

• Regional coordinators whose main job is overseeing baby-bird shipments
• Regular check-ins with bird shippers all through the busy spring season
• Yearly refresher training for postal staff before peak season
• Updated handling procedures: sorting by transport mode, limits on stacking boxes, first-in, first-out handling and prompt unloading
• On-site reviews of how boxes are loaded and secured on cargo flights

Real-world results from fellow shippers, plus a mail system that pays closer attention to every box of baby birds, made us comfortable making the move. Every chick order in the lower 48 now ships Priority Mail, and shipping on small orders dropped from $75 to $49. Same care, same packaging, lower cost to you.

The One Exception: Alaska and Hawaii

Distance changes the math. Orders to Alaska and Hawaii ship Priority Mail Express, with rates starting at $99 for 3-14 chicks (your exact rate shows at checkout). Hawaii also requires a state permit, 2-3 weeks of lead time and a physical street address.

The Part That’s in Your Hands

The last leg of the trip is up to you, and it’s an easy one:

• Put a phone number you’ll answer on your order. Many post offices hold live birds for pickup and call you when they arrive.
• Pick them up promptly. If your post office opens early for mail sorting, ask whether you can collect your chicks before the lobby opens.
• Have the brooder warm a day ahead. Then your chicks go straight from the box to heat, food and water. A heat plate and our Hen Pen Pop Up Brooder make setup easy.

Our Promise

Your birds are backed by our Alive & Healthy Guarantee. And if you have a question before or after your chicks arrive, our customer care team keeps chickens too, so they’re happy to help.

Ready to plan your flock? See what’s available on the Availability Chart or browse baby chicks.

Quick Answers

How are baby chicks shipped?

Day-old chicks ship USPS Priority Mail within 24 hours of hatching, in ventilated boxes made for live birds. They usually ship on the Monday of your scheduled week and arrive at your local post office Tuesday through Thursday. Many post offices call you to come pick them up.

Can I upgrade to Express shipping?

No. Chick orders in the lower 48 ship Priority Mail, which USPS allows for day-old birds and which performs about the same as Express for them. Alaska and Hawaii orders ship Express automatically.

Why did you switch from Express to Priority?

Two reasons. Members of Bird Shippers of America, an industry group of live-poultry shippers we belong to, compared the two and found about the same results for day-old birds. And after a 2025 Inspector General review, USPS put new safeguards in place for baby-bird shipments, including dedicated coordinators, staff training and better handling procedures. So we moved to Priority and lowered small-order shipping from $75 to $49.

Is Priority Mail safe for baby chicks?

Yes. USPS rules allow day-old poultry to ship Priority Mail and to arrive within 72 hours of hatching. Your chicks travel in packaging made for live birds, prepared for the season and the weather, and are backed by our Alive & Healthy Guarantee.

When will my chicks arrive?

Chicks usually ship on the Monday of your scheduled week and arrive Tuesday through Thursday. Many post offices hold live birds for pickup and call you, so put a phone number you’ll answer on your order.