I asked something sorta like this last summer, but got a limited # replies plus circumstances have changed somewhat so if y'all don't mind I am going to pick your brains again on the subject:
I live in Canada, about 45 min. north of Toronto. This year I would really like to get a half dozen or so of each of several breeds, the idea being a) to have some variety out there
and b) to see which if any I get along with well enough to want to do some breeding of. Specifically I am looking at things like Speckled and Light Sussex, White Rocks, maybe Chanteclers, and (just for pretty) Golden Campines. I'd really like to get 'em all at once, for simplicity. (I will also be trying to get some Buff Orp hatching eggs from another Canadian BYCer).
However I have just found that the only large Canadian hatchery that carries *any* heritage breeds will no longer be carrying basically any heritage breeds, plus one of the two smaller commercial hatcheries that is close enough for me to pick up chicks from is probably going out of business (Roblyn Eyrie's owner was killed in car accident after Christmas, very sad). This limits me to one other local hatchery that's close enough to pick up chicks from, or another in Quebec that I would be spending a considerable amount to have them mailed from.
In view of that, I am thinking more seriously again of the option of buying from McMurray and having the chicks shipped to the Buffalo post office, then driving down to pick them up. I say McMurray specifically b/c they are the only big US hatchery I know of (other than Sandhill, which sounds too complicated for me to deal with) that will do health papers, required for border transit. I could put together a perfectly satisfactory selection of breeds from their catalog.
My concern is, the chicks would ship from, what, Iowa? to western New York State, AND THEN the post office would have to phone me, I'd drive down there (about 2.5-3 hrs, but might end up being the next day if they call me near end of business hrs), collect the box, then drive 'em 2.5-3 hrs (PLUS any border delays) back to my house before they could have water, food, heat lamp, etcetera. I just do not know whether this is likely to cause so much extra stress/mortality that it would be unworthwhile.
What do you think? What would you do? I'm not really asking whether this would be *better* than a Canadian source, I am asking whether you think it is a reasonable OPTION to consider, or not.
Thanks very much in advance,
Pat
I live in Canada, about 45 min. north of Toronto. This year I would really like to get a half dozen or so of each of several breeds, the idea being a) to have some variety out there

However I have just found that the only large Canadian hatchery that carries *any* heritage breeds will no longer be carrying basically any heritage breeds, plus one of the two smaller commercial hatcheries that is close enough for me to pick up chicks from is probably going out of business (Roblyn Eyrie's owner was killed in car accident after Christmas, very sad). This limits me to one other local hatchery that's close enough to pick up chicks from, or another in Quebec that I would be spending a considerable amount to have them mailed from.
In view of that, I am thinking more seriously again of the option of buying from McMurray and having the chicks shipped to the Buffalo post office, then driving down to pick them up. I say McMurray specifically b/c they are the only big US hatchery I know of (other than Sandhill, which sounds too complicated for me to deal with) that will do health papers, required for border transit. I could put together a perfectly satisfactory selection of breeds from their catalog.
My concern is, the chicks would ship from, what, Iowa? to western New York State, AND THEN the post office would have to phone me, I'd drive down there (about 2.5-3 hrs, but might end up being the next day if they call me near end of business hrs), collect the box, then drive 'em 2.5-3 hrs (PLUS any border delays) back to my house before they could have water, food, heat lamp, etcetera. I just do not know whether this is likely to cause so much extra stress/mortality that it would be unworthwhile.
What do you think? What would you do? I'm not really asking whether this would be *better* than a Canadian source, I am asking whether you think it is a reasonable OPTION to consider, or not.
Thanks very much in advance,
Pat