breed representative??

[Hillschicks]

we lost our rooster over the summer (profile pic)... We didnt want a rooster, but we ended up with a seabright... Pretty, but when it came time to defend the flock he wasnt much of a fight for whatever got him... I guarentee he tried tho... Once had a small plane fly nearby and when he heard it he made a noise and the ladies were gone quickly while he stood and stared down what he thought to be a threat... Long story short we learned the value of a rooster and saught to replace the little guy... With a big guy who stood a chance defending the flock... After some research, i settled on our buff brahma named duke... Ordered him from meyer hatcher with a couple of barred rock females... They all arrived healthy and happy and seem to be doing fine 2 months later, but the more i read about hatcherys the more concerned i get... Read of hatcherys selling lower quality birds to individuals like myself... Whatever... But when i ordered our newest members i noticed it said we would be getting a "breed representative" or some such thing... What do they mean by this??? Not "the breed" a "representative of the breed" .... Sounds like im being screwed here, whats the deal??

 

[featheredmom]

I wouldn't worry too much, especially since it doesn't seem like you plan on breeding or showing your chickens.

We have all hatchery birds(I am getting my first breeder birds this spring-whoo hoo) and they are just fine. My Barred Rock rooster is actually pretty darn perfect!

 

[debid]

I noticed that Meyer has done a major re-write (they're finally marketing their EEs as just that). I don't believe anything has changed in their pens -- they're just covering their behinds. If you were to buy a box of Brahma chicks intending to show them as part of a 4H project and then none of your chicks met the breed standards, you might be pretty upset. And then you might write an angry letter or even sue the seller for misrepresentation. Does that make sense?

 

[Hillschicks]

It does i suppose... Thanks for your answers... Basically they are giving you the breed you ask for, just of low quality?? I guess it doesnt matter, was just curious.. their healthy and happy and added what i wanted to our flock

 

[Hillschicks]

Guess i didnt mean low quality... Just not quarenteeing high quality

 

[donrae]

I'd think it means they don't guarantee the bird meets the breed SOP or standard. You might get legs that are a "wrong" color, or coloring that would disqualify a show bird, things like that. Hatcheries breed mostly for high egg laying, with breed standard a distant second. But you can (mostly) tell what breed a hatchery breed is, and that's the thing most of us want. If you want a high quality show bird you go to a private breeder. If you want nice backyard birds that lay well, you're fine to go to a hatchery.

 

[debid]

It does i suppose... Thanks for your answers... Basically they are giving you the breed you ask for, just of low quality?? I guess it doesnt matter, was just curious.. their healthy and happy and added what i wanted to our flock

Low quality by what measure, though? For a show bird, yes, their stock is poor quality. But for laying ability? Probably better than the chickens from a breeder. And with the volume they're churning out, I think they do a decent job.

I don't think there is a thing wrong with getting pretty yard birds from a hatchery and frankly, I'm glad that Meyer has decided to be up front about this so people might stop expecting to get show birds for $2.50 each.

 

[Hillschicks]

Thanks i think i understand ... And like i said, it was just a curiousity... Meyer sent me happy healthy birds, thats all i asked... I think they could do a better job explaining that to people than they do tho lol... From what i understand they shouldnt need to say breed representative to cover themselves legally... I asked for a buff brahma, they sent me a buff brahma... I didnt expect show quality, i expected a random buff brahma... Nothing about that says sue, but i guess in todays america people are sue happy... Even if it is over a couple dollars