Live Bird/Hatching Egg Policy
Updated: 5/17/2024
In addition to 100+ chickens, I’m a one-woman show that runs a hobby farm with four horses, a dog, cats, and large gardens. I do most of my yard/housework, property repairs, builds, and maintenance. I work a FT and PT job and volunteer at an animal shelter. I’m very busy and chickens are a hobby. I do not mass produce birds and they are not a primary source of income. Mostly due to my shorter warm season, I hatch and grow out my next generations in a narrow window of spring. So, I often find myself with a surplus of birds or eggs that I’m willing to share. Money generated from sales goes back to the birds in various forms but it is not a self-sustaining operation. I only ship certain days of the week or may be limited to certain days of the month. You will be notified when your bird or hatching eggs ship and provided a tracking number. Please be patient and understand that I will get you your items as soon as possible. I have no interest in scamming people. I have kept a trustworthy reputation for 18+ years since I first started casually selling online (eBay) at 20 years old. I also sell on FB and Craigslist occasionally. Also, text messages work best for me as I check them more frequently than social media or email and it helps me keep better track of conversations. I do not sell, save, or share personal info past sales. If you take issue with any of this, please do not buy from me.
Buyer accepts and agrees to any and all risks, disclosed or undisclosed, outlined in this policy associated with the shipment of live birds greater than 10 weeks of age or hatching eggs. NorthWoods Poultry (NWP) does not refund purchases in partial or whole and assumes no responsibility or liability due to the shipping process conducted by the United Stated Postal Service (USPS) once the courier takes custody of the parcel. All claims relating to live bird or hatching eggs shipments due to, but not limited to, delays, damages, death of bird(s), broken/cracked eggs, lost parcels, stolen goods, negligence, or other factors not listed should be handled directly with the USPS. NWP will assist our buyers with the claims process if needed but cannot guarantee outcome. IT IS YOUR RISK.
- Please don’t ask me to contact you when I have availability. I don't keep waitlists or take pre-orders for hatching eggs or birds. Follow my social media or send me a message or email. I have several people request I contact them about a certain breed, eggs, color, or whatnot. I’m sorry but I cannot keep track of everyone and am forgetful. Contact me to let me know your interest and be prepared to pay immediately to secure your order.
- I will not hold a bird or work on a hatching egg order unless it’s paid for. Acceptable payment options are PayPal (FRIENDS AND FAMILY ONLY) or Venmo. A payment request will be sent through the payment option of your choosing. I work on a first-come, first-serve basis. The first to pay gets served first. It’s nothing personal.
- If you attempt to pay through Goods & Services on PayPal, you will be refunded and asked to re-send through Friends & Family. Due to stories shared from other poultry breeders, I refuse to use Goods & Services. People have been known to pay through goods and services, receive their order, then file a claim for a refund which they are usually rewarded (such as if eggs break during shipment, not many eggs hatch, etc.), so the buyer ends up being out +100% (time, eggs, shipping materials). PayPal is notorious for siding with the Buyer.
- If you decide to cancel your purchase, you will be refunded in total if it has not been shipped. Repeated cancellations will result in you being placed on a DNS list.
- I don’t ship day-old chicks. I ship fully feathered birds 10 weeks of age or older. Depending on age/size, some birds will require a companion or two to travel safely.
- Most pullets will need to be paired with a cockerel.
- There is ALWAYS a risk when shipping fertile eggs. They are fragile. Nature did not design them to be able to withstand shipping. Air cells can still detach, they can be scrambled, cracked, broken, subjected to extreme temperatures, delayed or lost in transit. These are factors I can't control.
- I cannot guarantee hatch rates. There are many factors from shipping to incubation that can influence the outcome. I send the freshest eggs possible. They have date of lay and are stored between 53-58°F prior to shipping. I hatch from the same eggs I send to people and don’t do anything special. Hatch rates from my own birds are usually 90-100%.
- I try to send extras, but it will depend on availability.
- “No development” doesn’t necessarily mean the eggs weren’t fertilized. Fluctuating temperatures, handling, and incubation methods can be a factor. This can also be a reason for early deaths during incubation.
- IMO, shipped Silkie & Satin eggs seem to have lower hatch rates than larger fowl. Keep this in mind.
- I don't knowingly breed birds with obvious physical deformities, whether it's due to genetics or just due to development issues caused by external factors such as unstable temp or humidity during incubation. This does not guarantee that they won't appear in later generations.
- I do not offer refunds after eggs or bird(s) have been shipped. You are given a tracking number to track the progress. I will not respond to requests asking about your delivery as I have no control once the courier takes hold. Lost packages are insured up to $100. The two shipping options I currently have available are USPS Flat-Rate Priority Mail & Priority Mail Express (more expensive).
- Temps for shipping birds/eggs must be between 35°F-83°F. Hot/cold packs are available to include in your shipment if needed.
- Please indicate any additional delivery instructions for your order. Such as if the Post Office should hold your package at the building and a phone number to reach you.
- It would also be a good idea to contact the PO in advance and provide them with the tracking number, so the employees are prepared in advance.
- HATCHING EGGS: Specify if you want the package delivered to your home or held for pick up at the post office. I will mark the package as best as possible, but I cannot control if the PO does not do as instructed. I am not responsible for packages left outside in extreme weather conditions or precipitation.
- LIVE BIRDS: Do NOT leave your bird(s) sit at the Post Office all day. You should have plans in place to have the bird(s) picked up on arrival. I can see pick up times. It’s an insult that I put in the effort to make sure your bird gets there healthy and alive only have it sit in a small box any longer than necessary. If your bird sits there more than 2 hours, you will be placed on a DNS list - excuses be damned.
- Once the eggs get to you - your handling, incubator, and incubation process will also play another large role in the success of your hatch. I highly advocate for the use of secondary thermometers and hygrometers during incubation. Brand new, right out of the box incubators can be be off on their settings. Using accurate, calibrated equipment should greatly increase your success. Keep your incubator clean and sanitized between hatches and make sure you are only handling eggs with clean hands.
- **I vaccinate for mycoplasma and infectious coryza, take preventative measures for coccidia, and provide supplements to my birds.** However, this does not prevent diseases or infectious from happening or spreading. I sell birds that are visibly healthy, but please do your due diligence.**
- I highly recommend you quarantine new birds for a minimum of 2 weeks, preferably 30 days, prior to introducing them into your flock.
- For bio-security purposes, quarantined birds should be handled AFTER you have handled your main flock. Ideally, you should practice a night of ‘downtime’ prior to re-visiting your main flock with clean, dry clothing, clean footwear, and clean arms/hands. Infection through indirect contact is possible.
- I cannot guarantee the bird does not come into contact with other birds or avian species that transmit disease once in transit. I cannot guarantee the bird does not develop an illness due to stress. This is why it is important to practice bio-security.
- I highly recommend you quarantine new birds for a minimum of 2 weeks, preferably 30 days, prior to introducing them into your flock.
If you can agree to these terms above. Please click the button below to place your order.
We also sell on eBay. User name: northwoodsfriesians
We also sell on eBay. User name: northwoodsfriesians