Show quality from a hatchery??

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I work with FFA and 4H kids in a couple of states and some are more concerned with handling skills and poultry knowledge which is they need to demonstrate during an examination.

Others, do need Standard bred bird. We gladly help the youngsters with Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds. That is one of our greatest joys. One of the difficulties sometimes is simply hatching enough chicks out in January thru early March to meet the deadline. Sometimes, the youth programs insist the bird be 6 months old at youth show division or fair time in early August. It's tough meeting that requirement.
 
anac1979 said:
Hi!  I am interested in buying nice Chickens (esp BLRW) but my hubby thinks the $25/chick that some breeders want is a lil steep, (especially for unsexed birds) so I am probably going to have to settle for hatchery chicks for now. I was just wondering if anyone has gotten show quality Chickens from a hatchery? And if so, what hatchery & what kind of Chickens did you get? I am interested in almost any Chicken that is "blue".
:) Thanks
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What state are you in? I'm getting BLRW chicks in May for $6 chick from a breeder in Texas and I've seen his stock at a poultry show and they are beautifully colored.

While I have no experience with hatchery BLRW I suspect you will end up with orange colored ones instead of the rich mahogany. With this breeder I can specify I do not want splash chicks in my order.
 
Fred's Hens said:
The concept that one can buy "show quality" chicks is a bit of a misnomer.  We breed some of the very best birds in a couple of breeds we enjoy, but I can assure you that even if I put my very best cockbird over my very best pullet or hen, the resultant chicks might or might not be "show quality".  I can just about assure you, however, that the resultant chicks would be very, very good and provide someone with a group of birds that they could then work on to achieve their own breeding goals.  Does that make sense?  

There are many excellent breeders of certain breeds here on BYC while with other breeds, the best breeders don't even have an internet presence whatsoever.  You have to first decide what breed you desire.  Through patience and through speaking to lots and lots of contacts, you'll eventually locate a breeder that will work with you.  Some sell live birds, others sell chicks and a few will ship eggs.

Some sell 99% of their sale birds at poultry shows and will meet you there to make the exchange.  

So, what breed are you seeking?  Maybe we can help point you in the right direction.
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Agreed about chicks that "might" or "might not" be show quality. Luckily in cows, we have hybrid vigor and EPDs. :)
 
my laying hens that are still pullets (6mos) came from a hatchery. they are healthy and happy and pretty I enjoy them.. but however I wouldn't really show them.. I went to my first show this past sat and the LF hens there are huge. none of mine are that huge.. lol.. we do however have a SQ silkie I bought from a breeder for $10 .
 
I think it is possible to get a show quality bird from a hatchery, but it is a numbers game and you may need to order a lot of birds to get one. If you want show quality, it is easier to buy from a breeder. That being said, some hatcheries have one or two breeds that are "better" than others and you need to take that into account.

I personally have received nice cuckoo marans from Estes several years ago

Other breeds/hatcheries that I have heard about being nice but do not have experience with are:

Cackle hatchery: Houdans and white Chanteclers
Meyer: Buckeyes
Sand Hill Preservation: Black Ameraucana, Cubalaya and their catalog says that their white Leghorn and Black Minorca are from show strains

You are going to have a very hard time with something like BLRW. It is a variety that is currently "in progress" and it is hard to find exceptional birds even in the show stock. It is also very popular, so hatcheries are concentrating on filling orders, not on standards. If the bird looks even sort of like a BLR, I think they will use it.


Maybe some others can chime in?
 

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