Quality chicks from hatcheries

[ChickenGuppy]

You're welcome, but just experience is all that is. Anyone can get that, right? Just takes awhile, with some sadness and frustration along the way.  I used to say my hatchery hens were hatched with "kill switches" that started getting them just after they turned 2-3 years old. And in consulting someone I knew with a PhD in poultry science about all the internal laying and egg yolk peritonitis that was killing my hens, his main suggestion was to get better stock from a different source, i.e., not a hatchery. That sure did help. Even the hens who were daughters of hatchery hens lived longer, healthier lives just being one generation removed from their mothers/fathers and having been managed so as to boost their overall health and immune systems (which still won't overcome terrible genetics). One died in November at almost 10 yrs old. Her same age sister is crippled from arthritis, but my DH just brought in an egg from her, the second one this month. She's produced 11 eggs since the first part of November when her sister passed away. Of course, neither is/was show quality, coming from McMurray hatchery parents, but good hens nonetheless.

So, if you want to show, that's entirely different than just wanting hens to live a long life. Me, I do not show, though I do have a few that I would consider show quality in several breeds, that could have won at an APA-sanctioned show, all from good breeders (which is different than a propagator of hatchery birds). But, showing is not my focus. Simply having birds with potential to live a healthy life and ones that are reasonably nice examples of the breed they represent is what I want. I like eye candy as much as the next person. 


ETA: A few years ago, I decided to give another hatchery a chance and got a couple each Buff Orpingtons and New Hampshires from a shipment from Mt. Healthy hatchery in Ohio. Mistake. None were good examples of the breed, but the Orps were positively skinny. I sold mine. The ones my friend took back to KY with her, one died of some internal issue, can't recall what happened with the other, but that is one of the slightly smaller hatcheries, not like Ideal or McMurray. That cemented my resolve to stay away from them. I have one bantam Cochin rooster who comes from Ideal, bought as a companion to a single hatchling. He has nice foot feathering, however, he has a side sprig on each side of his comb at the back. He's with large fowl hens because he's just too cute and a fixture around here now, but he is not breeding material because of that genetic comb flaw.

I bought my blue lace Jersey Giants from two different private breeders and my egg layers from a hatchery. The hatchery chickens are just for eggs only and the Jerseys I love the way they look and may show them in the future but right now I want to breed them and build my stock up. Increase my numbers so I have a better selection. Right now I have six roosters and 7 or 8 hens.

 

[speckledhen]

I bought my blue lace Jersey Giants from two different private breeders and my egg layers from a hatchery. The hatchery chickens are just for eggs only and the Jerseys I love the way they look and may show them in the future but right now I want to breed them and build my stock up. Increase my numbers so I have a better selection. Right now I have six roosters and 7 or 8 hens.

Ah, you like the big birds, then. I used to raise Blue/Black/Splash Orpingtons and now I have a new bunch of Partridge and Blue Partridge Brahmas. They are big old boys and especially the partridge would be something showable if you could show that color variety in the United States. His conformation is perfection, IMO. But he's a tank, certainly. You can only get those at the small, expensive boutique hatcheries or private breeders. I wanted more Brahmas because of two hatchery Brahmas. The Lt. Brahma died at 5 1/2 from cancer. The Buff Brahma died at the very end of October at almost 10 years old, my oldest ever hen, and my last hatchery hen. But she had not laid an egg in maybe three years or so. At least, I know she did not die from reproductive mess, just plain old age. But, the next Brahmas I wanted to be from a breeder. If you check out my threads, you'll find it. I love the big birds. Like my 14 lb blue Orp rooster, these will be hunka-chunkas of 15-16 lbs at maturity.

Best of luck with your JGs. Love the blues, always have. That's why I've had BBS Orps, BBS Ameraucanas and BBS Plymouth Rocks, and now Blue Partridge Brahmas.

 

[ChickenGuppy]

Ah, you like the big birds, then. I used to raise Blue/Black/Splash Orpingtons and now I have a new bunch of Partridge and Blue Partridge Brahmas. They are big old boys and especially the partridge would be something showable if you could show that color variety in the United States. His conformation is perfection, IMO. But he's a tank, certainly. You can only get those at the small, expensive boutique hatcheries or private breeders. I wanted more Brahmas because of two hatchery Brahmas. The Lt. Brahma died at 5 1/2 from cancer. The Buff Brahma died at the very end of October at almost 10 years old, my oldest ever hen, and my last hatchery hen. But she had not laid an egg in maybe three years or so. At least, I know she did not die from reproductive mess, just plain old age. But, the next Brahmas I wanted to be from a breeder. If you check out my threads, you'll find it. I love the big birds. Like my 14 lb blue Orp rooster, these will be hunka-chunkas of 15-16 lbs at maturity.

Best of luck with your JGs. Love the blues, always have. That's why I've had BBS Orps, BBS Ameraucanas and BBS Plymouth Rocks, and now Blue Partridge Brahmas.

Yes I love the big blues as well. I used to have a blue, cat, have blue dogs, just love the color.