- Thread starter
- #11
well does anyone have hatching eggs from show potential parents!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! finally got it right
can anyone?
- Thread starter roocrazy
- Start date
Honestly, your original post was perfectly fine.
You had put potential in your first post....which was a good one. I only sell hatching eggs as of now, but my birds are much larger than anything you're looking for.
Hopefully someone in your area will be able to get into contact with you.
You had put potential in your first post....which was a good one. I only sell hatching eggs as of now, but my birds are much larger than anything you're looking for.
Hopefully someone in your area will be able to get into contact with you.
- Jan 14, 2008
- 5,644
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Have you ever heard the adage "you get what you pay for"? You want birds that will win but you don't think you should have to pay what people are asking for quality stock-do I have that right?
People who breed show birds may work for years on improving their line. Very few manage to make any money at it even if their prices seem high.
I raise Rhode Island Red Bantams that are among the best. I have bred these birds for nearly 25 years. Last year I hatched 249 of them. I kept 1 cockerel & 3 pullets for myself. I sold 10 trios for $75 to $150. I also gave 3 trios to kids. The rest of the birds had something about them I didn't like [I cull pretty harshly]. The culls went to a local auction where people who just want chickens go-most of the 206 birds sold for $3 or less. I fed all 249 for at least 4 months before I started culling. So, do you think my selling prices were too high after the time & expense I've invested?
If you are really interested in showing birds your approach isn't going to get you far. Even if you do buy some "show quality eggs" there's no guarantee you'll hatch certain winners. If you do get lucky & hatch a winner it's almost certain you wouldn't be able to produce more because you aren't willing to do the work to learn about a breed.
If you really want to become a show winner here's what you do. Go to some shows & decide what you want to raise-start with just 1 breed/variety. Buy a Standard of Perfection & compare birds that win with standard descriptions. Talk to breeders at show about their birds-most will talk all day about them. Finally save up some money & buy a trio or better yet 2 pair of the breed you want. Line breed them & cull without mercy. The end result should be a line of birds that do well & you can take pride in because you developed them.
People who breed show birds may work for years on improving their line. Very few manage to make any money at it even if their prices seem high.
I raise Rhode Island Red Bantams that are among the best. I have bred these birds for nearly 25 years. Last year I hatched 249 of them. I kept 1 cockerel & 3 pullets for myself. I sold 10 trios for $75 to $150. I also gave 3 trios to kids. The rest of the birds had something about them I didn't like [I cull pretty harshly]. The culls went to a local auction where people who just want chickens go-most of the 206 birds sold for $3 or less. I fed all 249 for at least 4 months before I started culling. So, do you think my selling prices were too high after the time & expense I've invested?
If you are really interested in showing birds your approach isn't going to get you far. Even if you do buy some "show quality eggs" there's no guarantee you'll hatch certain winners. If you do get lucky & hatch a winner it's almost certain you wouldn't be able to produce more because you aren't willing to do the work to learn about a breed.
If you really want to become a show winner here's what you do. Go to some shows & decide what you want to raise-start with just 1 breed/variety. Buy a Standard of Perfection & compare birds that win with standard descriptions. Talk to breeders at show about their birds-most will talk all day about them. Finally save up some money & buy a trio or better yet 2 pair of the breed you want. Line breed them & cull without mercy. The end result should be a line of birds that do well & you can take pride in because you developed them.
What kind of show are you wanting to show at? There are many levels of shows from 4H to Sanctioned APA. If you just want to do fair shows or local shows not sanctioned you will have it easier.
You will have to find a breeder of chickens you like wait for eggs for breeding season for show birds is not the same as others. Note here most show birds do not have a long laying season or lay alot of eggs this is one reason they are so expensive and rare. Most likely you will have to get some from a breeder hatch out and raise and breed your own to win. This is not like cats and dogs where breeders will sell you winning stock. You will have to breed your own from theirs to get it for the higher level shows. So buy the best you can afford and breed up to a good show bird.
You will have to find a breeder of chickens you like wait for eggs for breeding season for show birds is not the same as others. Note here most show birds do not have a long laying season or lay alot of eggs this is one reason they are so expensive and rare. Most likely you will have to get some from a breeder hatch out and raise and breed your own to win. This is not like cats and dogs where breeders will sell you winning stock. You will have to breed your own from theirs to get it for the higher level shows. So buy the best you can afford and breed up to a good show bird.
Quote:
I totally agree with you. It costs the same amount of money to feed a pet quality bird versus a show/breeder quality bird. You have to take into consideration all the time, feed, effort, supplies, and initial cost it takes for a breeder to raise the quality birds for the show ring.
And many breeders will not sell eggs. I know I don't. There is no guarantee of what will or will not hatch or the quality. I have at times given hatching eggs away to friends or neighbors, or even to someone interested in the breed at a show, but I do not sell them.
On another thread someone was complaining about the quality of chicks from hatching eggs (they looked fine to me, and they are my breed). I don't need that kind of burden.
Most breeders are eager to help someone that they see is interested in the breed. And while we realize that other exhibitors are competitors, we also find a common sense of purpose to the betterment of the breed, even when we don't always agree on what that is. To have someone say, not "I want some really nice birds," but rather, "I want birds to win" doesn't strike me as a person who cares about the birds. It strikes me as someone who is merely in it for the competition; and that is only one small part of raising exhibition birds.
On another thread someone was complaining about the quality of chicks from hatching eggs (they looked fine to me, and they are my breed). I don't need that kind of burden.
Most breeders are eager to help someone that they see is interested in the breed. And while we realize that other exhibitors are competitors, we also find a common sense of purpose to the betterment of the breed, even when we don't always agree on what that is. To have someone say, not "I want some really nice birds," but rather, "I want birds to win" doesn't strike me as a person who cares about the birds. It strikes me as someone who is merely in it for the competition; and that is only one small part of raising exhibition birds.
Reminds me of a tale I heard back in Britain. some one had apparently gone to a top breeder saying I'm looking some top quality stock but I'm not prepared to pay more than £7 each.....They were unlikely to get any top quality stock.
If really interested in a breed. Take time, learn about the breed, read the standards, get to know the breeders, ask advice, look at photos, go to shows & save up to get good quality stock.
Even if one gets eggs which just happen to be good enough to show, if one breeds without having learnt about the breed standards, their line will pretty soon revert to the wannabe birds which are so readily available.
If really interested in a breed. Take time, learn about the breed, read the standards, get to know the breeders, ask advice, look at photos, go to shows & save up to get good quality stock.
Even if one gets eggs which just happen to be good enough to show, if one breeds without having learnt about the breed standards, their line will pretty soon revert to the wannabe birds which are so readily available.
- May 19, 2009
- 2,063
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Maybe you can lurk around State Fair youth shows. I'm sure some of the competitors have some really nice birds. The ones who win at the state level have likely been working on them for quite some time, which means they are close to college age. They may plan on "passing the torch" as far as their flock is concerned, and they're looking for the perfect stewards to maintain and continue their hard work. Does anyone here have experience with 4-H stock?
Someone with that much effort invested in thier birds generally wants them to go to someone who will continue putting in the effort. Or they will sell them to pay tuition.
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