On May 7, over 12,000 baby chicks were discovered inside a postal service truck at a distribution center in Delaware. The chicks had no food or water for three days. Due to the extreme heat, most of them did not survive. However, more than 2,000 chicks were rescued and taken to First State Animal Center and SPCA. These birds came from Freedom Ranger Hatchery in Pennsylvania, which regularly sends chicks across the country. A spokesperson said that returning the birds was not allowed because of biosecurity rules. The United States Postal Service confirmed that a procedural mistake caused the problem. An investigation is now being carried out.

The rescued birds are now staying at the animal center. They include Freedom Ranger chicks and some baby turkeys, geese, and quail. These birds need around ten weeks to grow, so the center will need food, space, and care for a long time. Adoption started on May 14, but only a few hundred birds were taken. The Department of Agriculture gave help and said it would pay $5 per bird each day, but this plan was not feasible. The agency may now ask the postal service to help. Staff are working day and night to sustain care, and the situation continues to cause logistical problems at the shelter.