OK, I think I understand, but how do you know if they're breeder quality. Do you just have to breed them and see if you get any show quality birds, or can you tell before you breed them? Sorry, I'm kinda new to this.
Breeder quality birds need to be purchased from breeders and not commercial hatcheries. Take your breeder birds and compare them to the Standard of Perfection and see how they measure up. You can enter them into a show and see how they do. You will be able to talk to the Judges to find out what needs to be improved upon. Join the breeds club to make connections that can help you improve your line.
I haven't really narrowed it down yet. My dream is to someday breed a few bantam breeds and I'm just gathering information right now. I was hoping I'd just be able to order some from a hatchery, and then pick out the best and go from there, but I guess it's going to be a little more difficult from the sound of it.
I think it should be noted that true "Show Quality" birds are those that have actually won in shows, otherwise they should be called "Breeder Quality."
When I say that a bird is "breeder quality" I usually mean that overall it is a nice bird, but has one or two little things that would prevent it from making a good show bird.
When matched up to the proper mate (a good match should offset weaknesses in both birds), a true breeder-quality bird will have the potential to produce show quality offspring.
It can be difficult to distinguish between production/pet quality, breeder quality, and show quality unless you are intimately familiar with the breed. The best way to start out is to get breeder birds from a knowledgeable, reputable, trustworthy breeder & showperson who can guide you in pairing them properly.