Shipping, Pickup and Delivery Policy

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Effective Date: 03/01/2025
Last Updated: 07/22/2026

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Thank you for choosing Pittsburgh Quail. We take great care when collecting, handling, packaging, and preparing our hatching eggs, poultry, and other products. This policy explains our shipping, local pickup, damage, refund, and customer-responsibility procedures.

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By placing an order with Pittsburgh Quail, you acknowledge and agree to the terms below.

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1. General Shipping Information

Orders are processed according to product availability, weather conditions, carrier schedules, and any applicable poultry-health or transportation requirements.

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Estimated shipping and delivery dates are not guaranteed. Carrier delays, weather emergencies, holidays, transportation disruptions, and other events outside our control may affect delivery.

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Customers are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address. Pittsburgh Quail is not responsible for delays, losses, or additional expenses caused by an incorrect or incomplete address provided at checkout.

We reserve the right to delay or cancel a shipment when we believe shipping conditions may place eggs, birds, or products at unnecessary risk.

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2. Hatching Eggs

Hatching eggs are carefully selected and packaged to help protect them during transportation. However, shipped eggs may experience vibration, temperature changes, rough handling, delayed delivery, detached air cells, or other conditions outside our control.

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Because incubation equipment, storage, handling, temperature, humidity, turning, sanitation, and postal handling are beyond our control, Pittsburgh Quail does not guarantee fertility, development, or hatch rates for shipped hatching eggs.

A successful hatch cannot be guaranteed, even when eggs are fertile at the time they are collected and shipped. No refunds or replacements will be issued solely because eggs fail to develop or hatch.

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Customers should allow shipped eggs to rest appropriately before incubation and follow proper incubation procedures for the species ordered.

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Hatching-egg refunds or replacements are not provided for:

• Low or unsuccessful hatch rates

• Eggs that fail to develop

• Incubator temperature or humidity problems

• Power outages or equipment failure

• Shipping delays outside our control

• Desired color, variety, or genetic outcomes

• The number of male or female chicks produced

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Any extra eggs included with an order are complimentary and are not included when calculating shortages, refunds, or replacement quantities.

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3. Live Birds and Chicks

Live chicks, juvenile birds, and adult poultry are offered only when available and when weather, health, carrier, and legal conditions allow.

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Shipping availability may vary according to the bird’s age, species, destination, season, and current regulations. Certain live birds may be available for local pickup only. The applicable product listing or invoice will indicate whether shipping is offered.

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Pittsburgh Quail may postpone live-bird shipments during extreme heat, freezing temperatures, storms, carrier disruptions, or other unsafe conditions. The health and safety of the birds will take priority over the original estimated shipping date.

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Customers must be available to receive live birds promptly. When pickup at a post office or carrier location is required, the customer must retrieve the shipment immediately after being contacted.

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A live-arrival guarantee applies only when it is specifically stated on the product listing, invoice, or written order confirmation. Any live-arrival concern must be reported to Pittsburgh Quail on the same day the shipment is received. Clear photographs or video of the birds, shipping container, mailing label, and packaging may be required.

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Pittsburgh Quail does not guarantee the sex of birds unless they are specifically advertised and sold as sexed. Natural sex ratios can vary, and refunds or replacements will not be issued because an order produces more males or females than expected.

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Once healthy birds have been delivered or accepted at pickup, Pittsburgh Quail is not responsible for losses caused by brooder conditions, transportation after pickup, temperature, predators, injury, improper feed or water, introductions to other birds, illness exposure, or failure to provide appropriate care.

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4. Edible Eggs

Unless a product listing specifically states that shipping is available, edible quail eggs are offered through local pickup or an approved local delivery arrangement.

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Customers are responsible for refrigerating edible eggs promptly and following appropriate food-safety practices.

For health and food-safety reasons, edible eggs cannot be returned or exchanged after they have been delivered or picked up.

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Claims involving a verified shortage, cracked package, or significant damage must be reported on the day the order is received. Photographs of the eggs, packaging, and order label may be required before a refund or replacement is considered.

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5. Local Pickup

Local pickup is available by appointment or during a confirmed pickup window. An order is not ready for pickup until the customer receives confirmation from Pittsburgh Quail.

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Customers should not arrive without a confirmed appointment. Pickup instructions and the location will be provided directly when the order is ready.

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Customers are responsible for bringing a safe and appropriate container when collecting live birds unless a transport container is included with the purchase.

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Please inspect your order before leaving the pickup location. Concerns involving the quantity, condition, or identity of the items should be raised at pickup whenever possible.

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After an order has been accepted and transported from the pickup location, Pittsburgh Quail is not responsible for damage, temperature exposure, improper transportation, escaped birds, injury, or other issues occurring after pickup.

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6. Damaged, Missing or Incorrect Packages

Customers should inspect packages immediately after delivery.

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When an order arrives visibly damaged, missing items, or containing the wrong product, contact Pittsburgh Quail within 24 hours of delivery. Please provide:

• Your name and order information

• A description of the problem

• Photographs of the mailing label

• Photographs of the outside and inside packaging

• Photographs of damaged items

• The quantity affected

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Please keep all packaging and damaged items until the claim has been reviewed. The shipping carrier may require the original packaging as part of an investigation.

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Reporting damage does not automatically guarantee a refund or replacement. Each claim will be reviewed based on the circumstances, supporting documentation, product type, and carrier information.

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Minor eggshell marks, detached air cells, loose air cells, or shipping-related conditions that do not involve externally cracked or crushed eggs are not considered package damage eligible for an automatic refund.

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7. Weather and Carrier Delays

Pittsburgh Quail monitors weather and transportation conditions before shipping time-sensitive orders.

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We may hold an order because of:

• Extreme heat or cold

• Severe storms or natural disasters

• Holiday shipping congestion

• Carrier service interruptions

• Unsafe transportation conditions

• Poultry-health concerns

• Delays affecting the safety of live birds or eggs

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Customers will be contacted when a significant delay requires rescheduling. A weather hold is not considered a failure to fulfill an order.

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Once a package has been accepted by the carrier, Pittsburgh Quail cannot control its handling or delivery schedule. We will provide available tracking information and may assist with a carrier inquiry, but we cannot guarantee the carrier’s delivery date or outcome.

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8. Shipping Restrictions and Customer Eligibility

Customers are responsible for determining whether the poultry, hatching eggs, edible eggs, or other products they order may legally be possessed, transported, or received in their state, county, municipality, neighborhood, or residential community.

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Some locations may require permits, health certificates, entry documentation, testing, or approval before poultry or hatching eggs may enter the area.

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Pittsburgh Quail may refuse or cancel an order when shipping is prohibited, necessary documentation is unavailable, or the order cannot be completed safely or legally.

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Pittsburgh Quail participates in the National Poultry Improvement Plan under NPIP #23-933. Customers should contact us before ordering when an exhibition, fair, government agency, or destination requires specific health documentation.

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9. Refunds, Replacements and Cancellations

All refunds and replacements are reviewed individually.

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Refunds or replacements may be considered when:

• Pittsburgh Quail cancels an order before shipment

• The wrong item was sent

• A verified shortage occurred

• A qualifying product arrived significantly damaged

• A written live-arrival guarantee applies and all claim requirements were met

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Refunds or replacements are generally not provided for:

• Unsuccessful hatch rates

• Infertility or failure to develop after shipping

• Male-to-female ratios

• Expected or unexpected color variations

• Customer incubation errors

• Failure to retrieve a package promptly

• Incorrect shipping information supplied by the customer

• Delivery delays outside our control

• Damage occurring after delivery or pickup

• A customer changing their mind after an order has been prepared or shipped

• Live birds that became ill or injured after successful delivery or pickup

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Original shipping charges are nonrefundable unless Pittsburgh Quail made an error or canceled the order before shipment.

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Approved refunds will be returned to the original payment method when possible. Processing time may depend on the payment provider or financial institution.

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Orders that have already shipped cannot be canceled. Hatching eggs, edible eggs, and live birds generally cannot be returned because of biosecurity, animal-health, and food-safety concerns.

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10. Customer Responsibilities

By ordering from Pittsburgh Quail, the customer agrees to:

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• Provide accurate contact and shipping information

• Review local and state poultry regulations before ordering

• Monitor tracking and delivery updates

• Retrieve packages and live birds promptly

• Open and inspect packages immediately

• Report qualifying problems within the required period

• Provide photographs and documentation when submitting a claim

• Prepare incubators before hatching eggs arrive

• Prepare brooders, housing, food, water, and heat before live birds arrive

• Follow appropriate sanitation, quarantine, and biosecurity procedures

• Provide humane and species-appropriate care

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Customers should research the needs of the species they are purchasing before placing an order. Purchasing poultry or hatching eggs represents an acceptance of the responsibilities associated with incubation, brooding, housing, feeding, and long-term animal care.

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11. Biosecurity

To protect our flock and other customers, Pittsburgh Quail generally does not accept returned live birds, hatching eggs, edible eggs, or opened poultry products.

Customers should quarantine newly received birds before introducing them to an existing flock. Equipment, containers, footwear, and hands should be cleaned or sanitized between poultry groups to help reduce disease transmission.

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12. Changes to This Policy

Pittsburgh Quail may update this Shipping, Pickup and Delivery Policy as our products, shipping methods, carrier requirements, or applicable regulations change.

The version posted on our website at the time an order is placed will apply to that order.

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13. Contact Us

Questions about shipping, pickup, delivery, or an existing order may be directed to:

Pittsburgh Quail
NPIP #23-933
Email: Pittsburghquail@gmail.com
Phone: 724-498-5879

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