The Post some of you have been waiting for...

If you have talked to me in the past 2 days, you'll already know what this post is about...

Did you know that you can mail a chicken?

Neither did I, until I went to the Main Post office yesterday.

There they were...52 CROWING BOXES...all lined up waiting to be weighed & stamped.

I don't think any of the other post office patrons knew you could mail a chicken either. Every time one would crow, we would all burst in to laughter.

Questions I have been asked when I have told this story:

How much does it cost to mail a chicken?

Where were the chickens going?

What else can you mail?

What kind of people were mailing chickens?

The last question is the only one I can answer. There were two people mailing the chickens. The man stood right outside the door with all the chickens lined up waiting to be signaled to bring another chicken in to be weighed. He looked like a regular Asian guy with a t-shirt and long shorts. The woman up at the counter was a different story: also Asian, with nice hair, nice shirt & Capri's, nice sandals and a GUCCI PURSE.

Aunt Susan was very upset that 1) I didn't ask where the chickens were headed and how much it costs to mail a chicken and 2) that I didn't call the local newspaper.

Some of my chick-friends (yes, I know...haha...chicks) might already know that you can mail a chicken, but I had no idea.

The good news: they were going Express Mail.

Elizabeth said I should file this under "Only in Hawaii," but apparently, it's not...

"9.3.4 Adult Fowl

[4-12-07] Disease-free adult fowl may be mailed domestically when shipped under applicable law in accordance with 1.7. Adult chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, doves, pigeons, pheasants, partridges, and quail as well as ducks, geese, and swans are mailable as follows:

a. The mailer must send adult fowl by Express Mail in secure containers approved by the manager of Mailing Standards (see 601.8.0 for address).

b. The number of birds per parcel must follow the container manufacturer limits and each bird must weigh more than 6 ounces.

c. Indemnity may be paid only for loss, damage, or rifling, and not for death of the birds in transit if there is no visible damage to the mailing container."

Not only can you mail chickens, there is a Association you can join if you want to mail them!

Bird Shippers of America

Here is their mission statement:

The Constitution and the statutes enacted by our Congress guarantee and are designed to insure that postal patrons receive "prompt, reliable, and efficient" postal service "to all communities." In 2002, the Bird Shippers of America, a group of business, individuals, and allied industry was formed. The primary purpose of this organization would be to protect the right to ship live birds, of various types, through the United States Postal Service. Our membership provides the revenue to hire a lobbyist in Washington, D.C. who actively leads us through the complicated scheme of our country's politics in trying to succeed in our mission.

So, I guess this has to be filed under "Only in America..."

Cock-a-doodle-doo!