Are all hatchery birds pet quality? - Page 9

But there is still nothing about show quality which is what this thread has turned into, clearly off topic.

Has it? I wasn't aware anyone had suggested that everyone only breed show quality birds.
Perhaps we are talking at cross purposes.
From my own personal point of view, it is my contention that only birds which are representative of their breed (not necessarily exhibition quality) ought to be used for breeding.
There are quite enough poor examples of breeds without people breeding them & making more, thus taking the birds farther & farther from their supposed breed.

I agree with you Krys.

People want animals for different reasons. Our chickens...Well, all our bantams (excepting a lot of 6 eggs I recently hatched) originally came from a show breeder who was retiring. We bought several pairs and trios from him.

A few generations later, I would not dare sell a single bird for show.

However, I would sell birds to good homes if people simply wanted pretty little hens with good brooding instinct who are good egg layers and awesome looking little roosters. But, they are not show quality no matter what their grandparents were.

And, really, around here most people seem to be looking for egg layers. If you have a similar audience, then I see no reason why you can't sell chicks and adult birds which might happen to have a hatchery origin. The big thing is that you need to ask your buyers what they intend out of the birds they are buying. If a chicken isn't going to win them any prizes at fair, you need to be clear about that.

Otherwise, you're fine.

Let's stay on the topic of pets, please.

I would say, not that I've ever had hatchery birds, based on things I've read that they are pet quality.

Do you get paid to babysit us? LOL and thanks for stepping in I have been following this thread and it got off topic pretty quick.

some excellent points, but my issue is this (and if some see this as hijacking, please forgive me):  if I purchase from a hatchery, I can choose (for the most part) the gender of the chicks and also have them vaccinated against Marek's (which, unfortunately, I now know IS PRESENT herein my flock    and anything else they can be vaccinated for.  Do many of the breeders actually sex the chicks and do vaccinations on the chicks (if requested) before shipping them out to a buyer?

Do many of the breeders actually sex the chicks and do vaccinations on the chicks (if requested) before shipping them out to a buyer?

I'd bet that most breeders do not sex their chicks( except that my BRs can be sexed, for the most part, with decent accuracy by certain traits). I do not vaccinate any chicks that folks buy from me because none of my flock is vaccinated for anything and I have no plans to start doing so. I think it's generally up to the buyer to decide if he/she wants to vaccinate their chicks, but that's just my own opinion. ( I do not ship live birds at all and though I do not really consider myself a breeder, per se, some folks do)

am about to order some chicks from McMurrays and want to do some breeding. I was wandering if all their birds would be considered pet quality. Does this make a huge difference? I know that some people feel that you should only breed for a better looking bird but I just don't feel that it is a huge deal as long as I advertise them as pet quality. Am I wrong?

I am making every effort to stay on topic and answer accurately the OP.  Pet quality is a term more suited for dogs and cats etc.  Almost all hatchery birds are not show quality which is probably the real question here.  These birds willl serve you well.

You will have a lot better luck if you want to sell your birds if you choose some known lines and or breeders.  If you are simply breeding for yourself the of course the hatchery birds you choose to breed are yours to do as  you wish and you can breed to your hearts content. 

I think what a  number of breeders are saying is that after you get into a few breeds and you begin to see other birds that are bred to a standard there is a good chance that you  might look back and wish you had started with heritage stock. 

On the other hand you may be very happy with the stock you have chosen from MPC and if so congratulations. 

Its just that sometimes the predictable progression of breeding can be seen best by those that have gone through it.  I would submit that many if not most serious breeders began by having an intention only to "have a few birds".

I think there was some desire to help you short circuit this progression.

And finally, one big truth is that the few dollars you save by spending a bit less on hatchery starter stock vs. heritage stock is simply not materiel when you look at the total dollars spent in this hobby,  and further I would submit you stand a better chance of recovering a few of those dollars with heritage stock.  Just sayin