how far is to far to drive to obtain a bird

[Granny Hatchet]

If the earth was flat I would fall off the edge for the right chicken.

 

[saysfaa]

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

I didn't know how to tell "reputable" from any other kind of smaller-than-hatchery breeder. Still don't, for that matter. The more I looked, the less sure I got except for the ones I am pretty sure were not reputable.

Complicated by having very different goals than most such smallish breeders have according to any info I could find by them or about them.

 

[Three Stents]

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

that's your opinion, plus you don't know these breeders

 

[StinkyAcres]

that's your opinion, plus you don't know these breeders

You're right. Chicken shows and such scare me a bit. I have bought birds from someone who shows them, but I did not pick them up at a show.

 

[MROO]

You're right. Chicken shows and such scare me a bit. I have bought birds from someone who shows them, but I did not pick them up at a show.

The issue with buying at large events is that, even when you know the person you're buying from is "clean," the birds are exposed to many, many other sellers who may not be nearly as careful - and touched by buyers who have handled other sellers' birds. There is still a high risk associated with bringing birds home.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't, it just means that you have to be extra vigilant about bio-security. Toss the clothes you wore in the wash immediately and take a shower. Disinfect your shoes, your car and your cages - or use cardboard you can burn right away. And NEVER skimp on quarantine. Give them the full month before you introduce them to your flock!

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

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'm not commenting on what breeders you might be going with. (It doesn't really matter to me. We have zero overlap.)
But throwing around the word "reputable" is really bothering me.
In the world of pets and livestock, "reputable" does NOT automatically mean good, ethical, or responsible.
While the definition should mean that, for people who breed and sell animals it really only means their name is well known and might give the illusion of being trustworthy.

As an example, you can find a reputable dog breeder and eventually learn they're a puppy mill.

Chickens and dogs are different, but I personally most often hear "reputable" used with dog breeders.

I also met a vet who was breeding a lot of expensive cats of various breeds and crosses, and not using her real name.
Seriously. Who wouldn't trust a veterinarian? What's more reputable than a veterinarian?
(I didn't know she was doing that at the time. But also didn't get the cats. They had obviously had almost no human interaction, at 4-6 months old.)

 

[Three Stents]

maybe reputable is not the right word,,,,,highly recommended?

 

[MROO]

maybe reputable is not the right word,,,,,highly recommended?

Y'know, when it comes right down to it, it doesn't really matter what words we use - especially when terms have different meanings and connotations to everyone. The important thing is that we do our homework so we know what we're getting into! And if we happen to get in over our heads, we come running to BYC for fixes, treatments and sometimes shoulders to cry on. That's the best part about this community - with so many different perspectives and experience, we're bound to find a solution to whatever problem we're facing!

 

[SourRoses]

Couple years ago, we drove to Louisiana from Central FL. 12 hours there and 12 back.
To buy a rooster.
Was he the most amazing rare breed? Nope.
He had a lot of purple sheen in his feathers and I wanted to try to replicate that.
Before the trip I had an attack of logic that convinced me to back out. But my mother was excited to go already so she wouldn't let me cancel.
With spending $200 on gas for the $20 roo, and worried for our pets at home, we decided to forego the hotel and just turn right around.
The last 6 hours I was SO exhausted.

The worst part was the roads. Alabama / Louisiana have the worst roads ever in the history of roads!!!
The rhythmic bouncing was something I could still feel in my bones for months after, especially while trying to go to sleep at night. Sometimes I can still feel it.
And the lanes are at least a foot skinnier, with lots of potholes, yet still drivers insisted on 10 over the limit as a minimum (like they do here).
I tell ya, when we crossed the border back to FL, the lanes widened up again and the asphalt turned black and smooth, we were exclaiming our relief, lol.
I swore off of ever again turning left before going up high enough first (picture a map).
So I would put "road conditions" as more important than time or miles.
At least we also brought back a box of chicks with that purple rooster (who ended up killing a valuable hen).
I have grand chicks of those in the brooder now. So time will tell if the trip was worth it.

For normal trips, I'm usually willing to drive half an hour to meet people buying chickens from us. My car is pretty efficient. I once tripped an hour to and hour from a lady who really needed delivery, but I charged her $20 for the gas. It felt mean to do but otherwise the chickens would have been free, lol.

 

[BlueO]

I drove five hours to pick up a female Sebastopol gosling. Ended up staying in a ski lodge overnight with a baby goose. And yes, I did have to awkwardly sneak in a bin covered in blankets and pretend to choke when she peeped. After that, drove the five hours home.