Are Hatcheries Less Desirable?

[valkerri]

I've read several posts in the last weeks of visiting this site that seemed to imply that chickens from hatcheries would be in some way sub-standard to chickens from breeders. For example, the chicks would not be "showable." Or, might not be of pure breed.

Would you agree with this? Why?

 

[TXmom]

I have a backyard flock of 15...and almost all mine are from a hatchery. I love my chickens, but I doubt I could compete at a show. Hatcheries sell millions of chicks each year...they breed for profit, not perfection. I think my chickens are beautiful...but show standards are very specific, down to the color of the legs, the number of points on the comb, toe spacing, etc.

Here's a pic of a few of my substandard hatchery birds

Oh, not the black and gold frizzle...he was from a neighbor.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
If you want chickens that will lay you lots of eggs the hatchery birds are great. Hatcheries breed for quantity tho, not quality so they really don't care if the chicks grow up to look like the breed they're supposed to be or not. The odds of getting a chicken that is show quality are next to nil. If you want to have a chance to have birds that look like the APA standard calls for, then you need to go to a breeder who shows or breeds his birds to that standard.

 

[TXmom]

Also, if you really want show quality birds, you need to do your homework. Pick the breed/s you're interested in, and learn exactly what to look for. Not all breeders breed for perfection...they just put all their birds together (of the same breed) and sell what hatches. Even when they advertise show quality, that's not always the case.