• 12,000 chicks were left abandoned in a USPS truck for three days.
• Over 4,000 chicks were found dead, while more than 8,000 survived.
• The First State Animal Center in Delaware is struggling to care for the influx of chicks.
• The incident has raised concerns about animal shipping practices by USPS.
• The Freedom Ranger Hatchery is facing economic fallout due to the lost shipment.

A Delaware animal shelter is currently overwhelmed as it works to care for thousands of chicks abandoned in a United States Postal Service (USPS) truck for three days. On May 2, the USPS reported that it had an "undeliverable box of baby birds," prompting the Delaware Department of Agriculture to act. Upon arrival at the distribution center in Delaware, officials discovered both dead and living chicks, with around 4,000 found deceased and approximately 10,000 surviving, according to CBS News, New York Times, and NPR.

The chicks were part of a routine shipment from the Freedom Ranger Hatchery, intended for various farms across the country. This mix-up resulted in significant distress for the shelter, which has been providing round-the-clock care including heat, food, and water for the animals. Despite efforts to put the chicks up for adoption, only a few hundred have found homes so far, leaving the shelter in a precarious position, as caring for the remaining chicks has become a draining responsibility, according to New York Times and NPR.

The hatchery expressed frustrations regarding the lack of communication from USPS about the reason for the incident. They emphasized that the chicks should have been expedited to their proper destinations rather than being left to deteriorate in a truck. As a consequence of this error, many small family farms that were expecting the chicks now face significant economic challenges, as these birds are crucial for their summer grow out schedules, according to CBS News, New York Times, and NPR.

In light of this incident, USPS acknowledged a breakdown in process and is investigating the matter to avoid future occurrences. The postal service has delivered live poultry for over a century, but this event has rekindled discussions around the ethical implications of animal shipping practices, especially due to concerns raised by animal rights organizations regarding the safety and treatment of live shipments, as highlighted by CBS News and NPR.