Chick Immigrating To Canada

[adoptedbyachicken]

http://www.msnusers.com/CanadianChooks/general.msnw

http://www.msnusers.com/CANADIANCHICKENEGGSWAPPERS2/general.msnw

Those are the 2 mentioned.

 

[crysmom]

Those are wonderful groups

I belong to both. But... I still think that if there are a bunch of birds you want available at a hatchery and that is the quality of stock you want then its more affordable then various private breeders unless you luck out and are close enough to someone to drive.

I could get a gorgeous selection of day old birds from quebec, but its around 100$ for shipping plus the cost of birds (I actually think its 130 but i'm not 100% sure)
There is a small hatchery 2 hours away I could pick up one of the varieties of birds but they aren't sexed and there is a max of 10 available at each hatch...

eggs are easier to obtain but shipping and eggs cost me about 90 dollars and I got 10 birds out of it, I knew what to expect going in so i'm fine with it, but that is more than a whole order including the papers to ideal-poultry and I could have walked away with 25 sexed chicks. .

I'm glad all these different ways of ordering chicks are available but depending on what you want the best deal can be found going across the border, especially for those in western canada

 

[kstaven]

Not to bash anyones decisions on who they deal with. But if you speak with many hatcheries in canada or those that once ran them. Our very own regulations on hatcheries drove the prices up above the US competition and then those US deals finished them and will likely finish the few good hatcheries we have left. We save a few bucks, but lose what we do have in the end because we don't support it.

Fraser Valley was a sad infuriating and unnecessary fiasco. It was AI in several locations. NOT H5N1. The blanket kill was done to appease a public panic and create a media show more than anything.

 

[crysmom]

Quote:
I agree,

The problem happens when its extremely difficult to find what you want locally. I was looking forward to ordering from Rochester hatchery this year, but only to find out they are no longer carrying bantams.. which is dissapointing. I have a feeling that its not really the cost that is driving people to the usa to buy their birds (I was just poinitng out above that its not actually any more expensive than ordering in canada) but the ability to obtain them.

and I lived in Chilliwack when the "bird flu" came through, my best friend was terrified they were going to kill her couple laying chickens (the inspectors not the flu) and when people hear I have chickens its the first thing they ask, aren't you going to get the bird flu? I think a lot of the average public think these birds just carry the bird flu all the time.

 

[Dodgegal79]

I moved to Princeton when they were incinerating the birds there. Poeple figured the ash from the birds would give them bird flu. When it comes down to it people are very guliable and will believe alot of what you hear. I always have to remind my 50 year old brother just because it is on tv or written in a book does not make it true.

Before the bird flu thing here in the Fraser Valley there were a few small hatcheries and all of them were closed because of that incident. My friend urged me not to join the poultry club because then there would be a record of my birds so if it happens again they know where I am. I'm not worried about it, if something happens I will move them to my place in Princeton.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
I too am not meaning to bash anyone's decisions on who to deal with or what to buy. But I will say that, having looked into both options and thought a lot about it, I've decided that I'd rather stick with getting what's available to me domestically than order from the States just for the sake of getting a few different breeds/colors that do not seem to be readily available in Canada.

When you come right down to it I will probably be just as happy with breeds/colors A and B (that I can get from people here) as I would have been with X and Y ordered from US hatcheries. And by getting Canadian-produced chickens I feel like I'm doing my miniscule tiny part to support those who are actively trying to keep the rarer breeds/colors available in Canada.

(Mind, we will have to see how my resolve holds out if I can't get Canadian-produced light sussex over the next few yrs...

)

I hope this is not sounding like I'm criticizing anyone who orders from McMurray because they Really Want Certain Breeds/colors All in One Order The Way They Want It. I do not mean to sound that way... I'm just offering an additional concept to ponder.

All the best, and good luck with your chick order,

Pat, noting that from the perspective of someone sitting in Ontario reading the MSN groups, it seems like most of the active breeders of interesting breeds are in Alberta and BC

 

[Dodgegal79]

I've been finding lots of interesting breeds at the local livestock auction here. They are around, but not in great numbers. Poeple also want to make sure they are purebred, well thats not always the case..

 

[HenHappy]

I am so glad this thread was started. I have learned a lot from it. Thank you, all.

 

[newbiecaroline]

Well sure didn't intend on getting anyones dander up.....but life goes on.........I'm happy to be getting the breeds I want.
Thanks for the sites to check out!

 

[HenHappy]

I am seriously very glad for this being raised. I always wondered what hoops one would have to go through and how much it would cost. It is too much for me, but I am always hoping someone would agree to meet me in Niagra Falls!!!

Thanks for the info!