How do you know...

[chloemama]

How do you know if the chick you purchased if a full bread?

I ordered from a hatchery. This is the first time I've had chickens so I know diddly-squat.

This is what I orderd,

Austrolarp
Benevelder
Brahma
Cochin
Domonique
Welsummer
Wyandotte

From pictures I've seen I think my Dom is not up to par. Her colors seems washed out and not the crisp white/gray. She is only about 9 wks old do maybe this will change??


Thank you

 

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

Well, that's the thing with hatchery birds. They are pure breed, not crosses - BUT - they don't breed to the standard. So the birds that you get from hatcheries are often not the same as birds you would get form a breeder. They may be better egg layers than breeder birds, though, and all chickens are just as fun!

 

[ChIck3n]

Well, they are full bread if you give them a loaf and they eat it all!

But really, if it is a hatchery bird it will be the right breed, just not the best quality for show. Hatcheries breed to produce lots of chicks that lay well and are healthy. They don't really care about perfecting the chicken for show. If you want top quality showbirds you need to find a breeder and buy from them. They will have monitored and bred to make the best chicken they can. However, the birds will cost quite a bit more than hatchery birds as well. If you want to show a lot, go to a breeder. If you want fun backyard birds, and just occasionally take them to the county fair, hatchery birds will do fine.