Chick Immigrating To Canada

[newbiecaroline]

lol....McMurray Hatcheries in Iowa are being so helpful to me right now!
They are the only hatchery I can find the special breeds I want to buy.
They explained about the required Health Papers.
They cost $60.00
To be sure I called both the Canadian and American borders where I would be dealing with...also very helpful people!
McMurray will be faxing a sample of a Health Document to me in Canada as the Canadian border suggested so I can in turn call the border and either fax to them? or at least call them with the documents details. They will tell me if it's all they need!
Border patrol gentleman said "I don't want you to get here and there's something wrong with the paperwork! then we'd have to have a tiny little bar-b-q!"
Very helpful people....wish me luck!
Next bridge to cross will be passport, I don't have one, so will get a friend with a passport to go into the closest American post office, which is Havre, to pick up the chicks once they arrive, and if they don't arrive on time? that would mean a motel room I guess?
As I understand the town of Havre is another 45 minute drive across the border into the States. This could be a problem if they do not arrive. Will have to sit outside the post office all day waiting? I really hope this isn't too complicated. I think the gentleman said if they got delivered to the actual border I would HAVE to be there to except them, they will not take the delivery themselves - maybe that be easier? just wait at the actual border? need to ask McMurray if they would ship to the border office. Then I would take the papers into the border office? and go on my merry way.
Anyone done this before?

 

[patandchickens]

I have not done this myself, but have looked into it and am pretty sure I can answer a *few* of your questions correctly:

-I really do not think you can get McMurray to ship to the border office itself. You have to get the chicks shipped to a post office in a US town near the border. I would call ahead to possible post offices, to find out a) whether there is one in particular that's more likely to have less delay in getting the chicks, and b) to make sure they're on board with the plan and don't have any Additional Troublesome Information you'd need to know about.

-you cannot really know which day the chicks will arrive. If you have a lot of spare time and cash, you could certainly camp out in a motel. Otherwise though, realistically you will have to wait til the post office actually gets the birds, they will call you (or you call them - you'd have to find out from them how it should work) and THEN you drive down and cross the border and take possession of the chicks.

Some people from Canada have indeed done this (dunno how many on this forum have, though). However it is complicated, expensive, and inconvenient, and is riskier for the chicks (in terms of whether they survive well) than if you were an American ordering from McMurray.

Have you tried getting your breeds from private breeders in Canada? Unless it's something that's virtually nonexistant here, that would seem to me the way to go. There really ARE lots of chicken people in Canada

even if there isn't so much in the way of commercial hatcheries.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[newbiecaroline]

Hi, yes I checked here that's why I have to order down there.
not knowing what day will be hard......McMurray says they fly the chicks to closest airport to where they're going....because I said it was a 30 hour drive!
No since posting I called and has to be a post office, but says the place has to have a zip code.......the border office would have to have one. but I think the post offices must be more for the truck that brings them from airport etc.
Yep soon as I know this paperwork is good to go I will call the post office in Havre and chat with them how this works, they may never have done this.
If it works out they can call me when they arrive it would be 2 hours for me to get there, so better I be there........who knows if they get there late just before closing right?
better a 45 minute drive than 2 hrs 45 mins!
when the fax comes in I can ask if theres a campground nearby the border, i could fire up the old motor home and take it.
As far as expensive goes...I find it very reasonable.
McMurray charges 10-15 for delivery which shocked me I asked "so I dont pay the flight?" she said no thats how they ship normally....another 60 for the health papers....plus my purchases. i think thats awesome!
The lady told me they ship to canada lots and thats how they do it.
I keep asking for a manager familiar with border shipping but everyone at McMurrays I've spoken with so far seems to think theres nothing to it!
Interesting how it will work out? not ordering untill I have all the facts, times, shipping, border etc almost garaunteed!

 

[Pelican49]

I'm just nosy... what is it you're ordering?

 

[Dodgegal79]

It is very hard to get any fancy chickens here in Canada, espcially in Western Canada since the Avian flu problems. They shut down a lot of the small hatcheries that were raising these birds. Alot of people I have talked to the have some nice birds don't want people knowing they have them, incase there is another outbreak they come and want to slaughter all your birds. Thats what happened last time, anyone with small flocks had to have their birds destroyed. I didn't have birds then, and I ma glad I didin't have to go through that.

 

[newbiecaroline]

OmG dodgegal that would be horrible! I can't even imagine loosing them, I just got 6 a few months ago and now I'm hooked!
I called everywhere I could to find fancy and even normal, even the silkies would be from a private breeder hours and hours away!
I really wanted to buy them all at the one place and have them all the same age!
Maybe I better keep quiet about having them lol....our acreage has others around it so no hiding I have chickens lol
well, heres an update;
McMurray did fax me a sample health record (I love these guys) and I faxed it to the canada border at Havre, and it was exactly what they required!!! Yessssssss
So I called McM's to ask about shipping, they ship out on Saturdays and generally people get them Mondays.
thats just a bit of a problem because i need to take day off work (mondays) plus the friend with passport will have to too.
Havre post office gets live chicks all the time which helped me a lot!
If I can have my cell number put on the order the post office will call me immedietly when they come in.....so I guess I would sit at the border and wait for a call and also be calling them.
Border also suggested I call right before the day and make sure the laws have not changed.
Chicks would come general delivery.
So now I have to make day off arrangements once I place order and find out when they get shipped.
The day off will be the hardest part! OR
just typing/thinking out loud lol maybe I can call again and ask border if the person has to be 18 to cross alone, if not I could take my 17yo son! he won't mind a day off school, maybe I'll check if theres a Monday off on his calander.
I'm so excited, the camper trailer I bought for them gets delivered on the 13th this month! hope to get chicks in march, gives me time to remodel the old thing.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

I have ordered from McMurray and others (Ideal) in the states and basically you have it right. One thing I would do is call the US post office adn find out what Post Office in the area is the best one to have the birds go to. For me it is a 20 minute drive to the further one but it would be a one day delay for the birds as the truck that goes to that post office has already left when the air shipments from Iowa connect at the sorting terminal in Washington. So I go further West and I get the birds a day fresher. That is of course if everything goes on time and connections are made.

All said I have had great luck. For those in BC lower mainland that want McMurray birds there is a group order done by the Consumer's Co-op in Pitt Meadows each year. I have gone in on that, it's great they pick them up at the boarder and you pick them up at the store. Call them quick because I think the order cut off is in Feb some time, or it used to be anyway. There is also a group order for Ideal birds being arranged on Canadian Chooks right now, that's an MSN group if you want to join it.

 

[newbiecaroline]

Hi April, that's such a great thing going on there!!! wish we had that.....I am in Alberta though. what is the website? maybe there are people from Alberta on there?
I just met JJ here, he lives very close to me - what a surprise
Well gotta go fuel my cheese wagon.
Keep in touch I'd like to see pics when you get the chicks!
Your soooo lucky lol

 

[LittleChickenRacingTeam]

Quote:
In Ontario, I find there is no shortage of exotics or rare breeds. I visit 10-15 fall fairs each year including the "Royal Agricultural Winter Fair" in Toronto. I'm also an associate director for the local agricultural society, so I have built up many contacts with both small and large breeders.

Joining your communities local Ag. society is a great way to meet other poultry people. Also the MSN group, Canadian Egg Swappers has members across the country. I got 1 of my silkies from a member there. I agree that most of the large hatcheries cater to the Meat Bird raisers.

Another idea is to talk to your local feed store supplier. Quite often they will know who is buying feed for exotics. Mine has a bulletin board you can post a note on, detailing what breeds you are looking for.

Good luck, hope you find what you are looking for.

 

[patandchickens]

Caroline, when I look at the posts on the MSN canadian chicken egg swappers group that LittleChickenRacingTeam mentioned, it seems like there are a goodly number of breeders out West who ship. Have you looked/asked there yet? (If you have, of course, never mind)


Pat