Adopt a Chick: thousands of baby birds rescued after USPS shipping error

More than 10,000 orphaned baby birds were rescued last week in Delaware after a shipping mishap left them stranded at a postal distribution center.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) and the First State Animal Center (FSAC) stepped in to save the birds, which were discovered in undeliverable boxes at the USPS Delaware Processing and Distribution Center on May 2.

The initial call to DDA reported a single box of chicks, but a follow-up alert revealed multiple packages.

READ: Study ranks Delaware last in U.S. for pet healthcare

Staff from DDA’s Poultry and Animal Health section and FSAC worked late into the night to care for the animals, which included chicks, turkeys, geese, quail, and chukars.

The birds were originally shipped from Freedom Ranger Hatchery in Pennsylvania on April 29.

An estimated 4,000 birds had already died due to prolonged exposure to unsuitable conditions.

The surviving animals were transported to FSAC for care and rehabilitation.

Officials say the birds were en route to destinations across the country — some as far as Spokane, Washington — but somehow ended up in Delaware.

Freedom Ranger Hatchery, which is certified as disease-free under the National Poultry Improvement Plan, is investigating the cause of the routing error.

The rescued birds are currently being rehabilitated and will be available for adoption soon.

FSAC is expected to announce adoption details early next week via their website here.

Officials say the episode underscores the importance of humane handling in agricultural practices and the power of collaborative action in addressing animal welfare emergencies.