Thousands of Abandoned Chicks Rescued in Delaware

In a troubling incident, a Delaware shelter reported that thousands of chicks were discovered abandoned in postal service trucks for a period of three days.

The First State Animal Center and SPCA estimated that more than 5,000 of the birds survived, although pinpointing an exact number proved challenging.

These chicks were part of a larger shipment of 12,000 that were left unattended at the Delaware Postal Delivery Center.

Tragically, many of the chicks didn’t survive the ordeal, becoming victims of high temperatures without access to food or water, as noted by the state Department of Agriculture.

The United States Postal Service stated that it is looking into the “process collapse” that led to this situation.

For over two weeks, the surviving chicks have been cared for at the overwhelmed First State Animal Center and SPCA, according to executive director John Parana.

Parana mentioned that the shelter has decided not to place any of the birds with those intending to raise them for meat purposes.

Some families adopted dozens of chicks, hoping for egg-laying hens, while others simply wanted them as pets. Stephanie Bullszinski, for example, took in a few chicks after her daughter found out about their plight.

“She was very angry and wanted to help,” Bullszinski shared. “She doesn’t like when things aren’t taken care of.”

The chicks originated from regular shipments by Freedom Ranger Hatchery, based in Pennsylvania. Due to biosecurity protocols, hatcheries are currently unable to retrieve the abandoned chicks, according to a company spokesperson.