Ditto, shipping chicks is a reality for the majority. Sure I have some local breeders that do not breed what I need. Many have stock from subpar bloodlines and the chicks have genetic flaws thay cause them to suffer-I will reference the 4 Barred Rock pullets I bought locally last year whose combs are so large at 7 months old that they have fallen overandr been pecked bloody by other hens in the flock. They are also considerably smaller than their hatchery siblings. I'm not going to TSC and buy chicks from a 17 year old who doesn't know a pullet from a cockerel after having the chicks manhandled by everyone in the store-and you think shipping is stressful? I'll fork over the 40 bucks for shipping to get my healthy, sexed, responsively bred birds any day of the week.