DELAWARE —Thousands of baby birds rescued from a misdirected shipment will be up for adoption soon, according to the Delaware Department of Agriculture.
The Department of Agriculture says it has learned the 10,000 birds found in a Sussex County Post Office originated from Freedom Ranger Hatchery in Pennsylvania. The birds had been shipped on April 29 and were intended for various locations across the country, including as far as Spokane, Washington.
The birds were discovered three days later on May 2 after someone at the USPS Delaware Processing and Distribution Center said that they had an undeliverable box of baby birds. Further investigation showed there were multiple shipments. The Department says unfortunately 4,000 birds were found dead, as they had been stranded in the heat.Â
The Delaware Department of Agriculture and First State Animal Center teamed up to rehabilitate the surviving young birds, which included chicks, turkeys, geese, quail, and a type of partridge called chukar. Anyone interested in adopting any of these birds should look for an announcement from First State Animal Center early this week.
In the meantime, the birds' shipper said it is unsure how the shipment ended up in Delaware and is investigating the matter.