how far is to far to drive to obtain a bird

[Three Stents]

It just depends on your options, your goals, and your resources.

I drove an extra 3 hours on what would otherwise have been a 12 hour drive for chicks from Cackle. It was that important to me to pick them up and get them from a hatchery rather than a backyard. Cackle was the closest place in the spring of 2021 that met those goals.

curious as to why you would rather get chicks from a hatchery over chicks from a reputable backyard breeder?

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

curious as to why you would rather get chicks from a hatchery over chicks from a reputable backyard breeder?

Not all breeders are npip
Some breeders don't have what you want
The breeder you want to work with may not be within driving distance
They usually don't guarantee pullets
They're often massively expensive

You didn't ask me, but that's a few reasons I can think of

 

[BigBlueHen53]

curious as to why you would rather get chicks from a hatchery over chicks from a reputable backyard breeder?

I can't speak for @saysfaa, but I get mine from Cackle (or other hatcheries in the past) bc I can't find "reputable backyard breeders" in my area plus there is the whole biosecurity issue. When I get chicks from a hatchery, I'm very confident I'm getting healthy stock. Backyard breeders, not so much.

 

[Three Stents]

I said, "reputable" breeder. But if you don't have any, I guess a hatchery is your only choice. I'm lucky to have a bunch of reputable breeders. Plus, I do not want chicks, especially the ones that grow up to be "non" egg layers. Sunday I am picking up 4 pullets from a local chicken event. These will be my first chickens, ever.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I just don't know of any.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

And I love raising chicks!

 

[Just2chickens]

It also depends on the weather, in summer the chickens will overheat.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I said, "reputable" breeder. But if you don't have any, I guess a hatchery is your only choice. I'm lucky to have a bunch of reputable breeders. Plus, I do not want chicks, especially the ones that grow up to be "non" egg layers. Sunday I am picking up 4 pullets from a local chicken event. These will be my first chickens, ever.

I would not call anyone who sells chickens at chicken events reputable/trustworthy.

 

[LuciferRoo]

is 1 hour to far? is a hour and a half too far? i feel 30 minutes might be too far

options?

I've driven almost 2 hours, but I am in a rather remote area.

 

[LuciferRoo]

While 3 hours may be a long drive for 1chicken, if you were to pick up say SIX it would be perfectly reasonable

Chicken math style division gives us this - 3 hours, 6 chickens = 30 minutes per chicken.
Absolutely reasonable.