chicks crossing the border from USA to Canada

[LittleChickenRacingTeam]

Another great way to meet poultry people, is to join your local agricultural society.

I'm an associate director for the Halton Agricultural Society, & help run the poultry/waterfowl barns at the Milton fall fair. The oldtimers I've met have not only shared their wisdom, but have given me chooks as well.

We had over 400 birds at last years fair, so it's a great place to see just what breeds are available & who is breeding them.

If you are interested in attending send me a pm for details.

 

[LynneP]

I'd be inclined to go to to a local source even if they import to avoid the numerous problems that the border creates. What if your birds were impounded? What happens to those birds? What if you run into some officious Customs officer who interprets the regs or thinks he sees a lethargic bird? I have a newphew who works at one of the crossings and he says that animal importation is the toughest part of the job and that at all costs, any animal looking ill provides and excuse to impound all in the group.

Do you have a local co-op? Ontario must have HUNDREDS of those providing birds, because the co-op system is country-wide. That's how I got my innoculated birds. They tend to use the best among the local breeders.

We have a LOT of members from Ontario- I hope they will continue to speak up in your thread.

 

[Julie08]

Local Co-op meaning the grocery store chain?

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Meaning the farm/feed store chain, I think?

Our co-ops around here only get things like sexlinks and broilers and maybe barred rocks, though, not EEs or silkies. Although if you ask they might be able to put you in contact with people - for instance I know that the one woman who runs the till at our local independant feedstore breeds Araucanas or at least EEs, b/c we had a longish conversation about it last week when I was whining about not being able to sex my adolescent chanteclers

Pat

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Can you bring in eggs from the States? What is the possibility of picking up a "couple of dozen eggs" in cartons? No one would know if they were for eating or hatching... unless there are restrictions from bringing in groceries from US to Canada.

 

[Julie08]

yes you could break the law and sneak them in with groceries.

We don't have Co-ops here grocery stores or feed stores.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Hatching eggs require an import permit and a veterinary certificate (from the originating flock) to enter Canada from the US - as LCRT says, this puts you in the $100 ballpark.

You are allowed up to 2 dozen grocery-type eggs (more than that would be considered for commercial purposes, and I really don't have any idea what regulations govern that). If you're pretending they are grocery store eggs, of course it might be wise to also buy a buncha other groceries, preferably things that can't be obtained in Canada e.g. spaghettios or fancy organic corn tortillas or something; however, AFAIK you would need to go inside and pay duty/taxes on the groceries when you cross the border. (You have to be gone at least 24 hrs, IIRC, to be able to bring some stuff for free).

It would be an exceptionally bad idea IMHO to fail to declare your ahem 'groceries' at the border, b/c if they get the slightest idea you might be hiding something, or even if you are just picked for a random check, and then they DO find you failed to declare something, boy oh boy oh boy does your life get suddenly complicated.

Of course you would first have to have some means of picking up fertile eggs in a border city. I am not sure (?) whether a post office would accept them for you the way that at least some will do for day old chicks.

Given the uncertainty of hatching mailed eggs, if a person just wants some basic ol' silkies and EEs it would seem vastly easier and cheaper and less risky to just get 'em domestically, frankly. There really are lots and lots of them around.

JMHO,

Pat

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Just sayin'.....There's no reason you can't have a couple of dozen eggs in your grocery bag. I understand that you can bring about $30-$40 worth of groceries in without paying any duty on them. Heck, some of the grocery store eggs...especially in Main and Vermont...are fertile eggs anyway. I'm sure there are folks in those states that have silkie eggs.

 

[miss_thenorth]

There is no set limit as to how much you can bring over from the states. We have claimed over $400 and sent through sometimes, and other times, they will make you pay duty on $80. Just depends on the mood of whoever is working I guess. My dh goes over quite frequently on his way home from work. (works in windsor) It is always just safer to claim what you have bought.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Well, really there ARE set limits on your 'personal allowance' (beyond which you have to pay tax/duty)*. How consistantly these laws are ENFORCED is something else. I'm nearly always under the allowance so I don't really know one way or the other about that.

* -- it's $50 if you were out of the country more than 24 hrs, $400 if you were out of the country more than 48 hrs, or $750 if you were out of the country at least 7 days. That's per person. (If you were out of the country less than 24 hrs, legally you are required to pay tax/duty on everything you bought, although I am not sure this is regularly enforced for very small dollar amounts).

It is always just safer to claim what you have bought.

This is extremely, extremely true. The customs guys can make your life very VERY miserable (and expensive and delayed) if they find something out of whack. Really not worth it.

Pat​