The plan for shipping our mature pheasants from MacFarlane Pheasants begins with our customers confirming their yearly bird numbers in the spring! Our mature sales' staff begins working diligently to give our customers an idea of the delivery schedule that matches the time they want to have their birds delivered. As the shipping date nears, the delivery is confirmed. If there is more than one customer in the same area, and there is room on our truck, we may make more than one delivery to an area of the country.
Once we have scheduled an entire truck for delivery, we begin processing the crate numbers needed for the shipment. We provide the crate numbers to the “catch crews.” The crate numbers describe what types of crates are needed for each kind of bird and how many birds will be in each crate.
Once the crate numbers are produced, we begin working on a “load map” to ensure that the truck is loaded so that our customers get the birds they expect. All our processes are focused on providing our customers with the healthy birds they ordered on their scheduled date. Each customer has their own area on each truck. The maps give the drivers information about which birds go to each customer. Each crate is color coded on the maps to indicate who gets the birds and what type of bird they are receiving.
The day before a shipment, the crates needed are placed in the catch area in preparation for our crew to catch the ordered mature pheasants. If the weather allows (precipitation, heat, etc.), we will gently drive our pheasants into the lanes to make the catch less stressful when we are ready to crate them.
Once the crates are filled, they are placed on the trucks according to our “load map.” The truck is sided, and covered with a strapped tarp, and then checked one last time to make sure all orders are correct. And then, our drivers leave to arrive on time for deliveries. The efficiency of this process assures that the time our birds are in crates is limited and our customers receive their birds when they expect them.
Many MacFarlane employees are responsible for the smooth delivery of our birds. Communication, organization, and skill are the cornerstone of our success. We appreciate our customers a great deal and can assure you that MacFarlane Pheasants, Inc plans your deliveries with utmost care.