Thousands of Abandoned Chicks Find New Homes After Postal Service Mishap in Delaware

More than 5,000 chicks rescued from a tragic shipping mishap have now been adopted into new homes, the First State Animal Center and SPCA announced Thursday, The AP reports.

The final group of birds was picked up earlier in the day, bringing closure to a distressing ordeal that began when a shipment of 12,000 baby birds was left unattended in a U.S. Postal Service truck for days.

The chicks — including some turkeys and quails — had been stranded for approximately three days in a postal truck at a mail distribution center in Delaware, where high temperatures and lack of food or water led to the deaths of thousands. The Delaware Department of Agriculture confirmed the mass casualties, calling the situation “heartbreaking.”

A U.S. Postal Service spokesperson said the agency is investigating what it described as a “process breakdown.”

The surviving birds were transported to the First State Animal Center and SPCA, where they received care for more than two weeks. Shelter Executive Director John Parana said the facility, which operates as a no-kill shelter, was overwhelmed by the sheer number of animals and quickly sought adopters. Birds destined for meat processing were not eligible for adoption through the shelter.

Local families, rescue groups, and farms stepped in, adopting chicks by the handful or even by the hundreds. Many adopters hoped for egg-laying hens, while others planned to raise the birds as pets.

The chicks were part of a regular weekly shipment from Freedom Ranger Hatchery in Pennsylvania, destined for clients across the country. A company spokesperson said the hatchery could not take the birds back due to strict biosecurity protocols.

Despite the tragic loss, the outcome for the surviving birds was a positive one, thanks to the coordinated effort of shelter staff and community members.