Shipping Our Ducks and Geese

Most of our shipments within the United States go through the US Post Office. Birds are hatched on Monday (unless Monday is a Postal holiday and then we hatch on Tuesday) and delivered to our local post office for mailing. They are delivered to San Francisco International Airport Monday evening and then are delivered to Fed Ex or a commercial airline such as American or Continental. If the Post Office gives it to Fed Ex, Fed Ex will fly it to a sorting center in Oakland, Indianapolis or Memphis. It will be sorted here and then flown to your local, major airport. At this point the birds are given back to the Post Office and delivered to your local Post Office – typically by Wednesday morning. The Post Office will then phone you and you can go and pick them up. If you are phoned by the Post Office and you are in a major city, make sure you ask which Post Office you should go to so you can get your birds.

For large shipments (400+ birds) we can often ship by air freight. With this we do not use the Post Office but rather deliver them directly to a commercial airlines. The birds are flown directly to your airport and you can pick them up on Tuesday. The advantage is you normally get them on Tuesday (one day earlier than the Post Office) and the cost is often the same or less for larger quantities. The disadvantage is you must go to the airport to pick them up. Phone us for more information on air freight.

Unless you request us to ship by Express Mail, we cannot track your shipment after it has been mailed. This is not usually a concern, however, as very few problems occur while your birds are in the hands of the Postal Service.

Sometimes the Post Office will deliver your birds, but most of the time they will phone you upon their arrival and ask you to pick them up. The phone number you give us will be posted on the shipping box. You can phone your local Post Office in advance to learn their exact procedures and tell them you are expecting a shipment.

Our minimum shipping quantity is to ensure the birds can keep themselves warm during shipping. We cannot ship fewer than this amount. No food or water is provided in the box unless GroGel is requested as they absorb their yolk immediately before hatching and this provides them the moisture and energy they need for up to 60 hours.