Can You Get A "Mutt" From A Hatchery?

[Sparklee]

Quote:
I buy hatchery chicks.

I also buy hatching eggs from breeders.

Maybe sometimes, AL, it doesn't matter what the hatchery chickens are supposed to look like because the hatcheries get it fairly close most of the time. I've got a sweet little hatchery bantam who I think is likely off on her lacing, but I got her for $1 at the feed store. She's sweet as pie, healthy as an ox, dresses up the chicken yard quite nicely, plays well with others, and lays way more eggs than she is supposed to according to what the internet says in multiple places. Those things matter, too, because looks aren't everything, just like my momma taught me.

I'll tell you one thing. The breeder I got one batch of eggs from, actually two batches, sent me junk, junk, junk. Frankly for me, that was more upsetting because breeders are sometimes considered infallible, which I no longer believe.

For the most part, I've come to believe, if you want show quality chickens, you're going to have to breed to the standard for 4+ generations on your own and that applies to hatchery birds and breeder birds. Well, unless you have 100's of bucks to blow.

To Fred's Hens: No, in at least 100 hatchery birds and feed store birds, I haven't gotten anything that didn't fairly well resemble the breed it was supposed to. None looked like something completely different. One sent out birds where nearly all had white earlobes when the earlobes were supposed to be red, but they act like they're supposed to and perform properly. I just have to only breed with the most redlobed birds when hatching chicks. Polish looked like Polish, Speckled Sussex looked like Speckled Sussex, etc. The Polish have never looked like Delawares or Barred Rocks or some off color mop head.

Why are you asking, Fred's Hens? Did you get some crazy birds from a hatchery?

 

[klen]

so is it wrong to buy from hatcheries? I'm trying to feel you guys out.


I bought because it's my first time owning chicks and don't really care what they look like. Basically buying them for egg production.

 

[Illia]

No, it isn't wrong to buy from hatcheries.



And I agree, looks aren't everything. After getting rid of some of the hatchery hens I had for 2 years, I found that their carcasses showed me some severely hunched, twisted, and/or bent backs, internal laying, small hearts compared to my non-hatchery birds, weaker bones compared to my non-hatchery birds, and of course, even during life, I had a few who never had proper production lives. Some died of eggbound problems before reaching 2 years old, some almost never laid eggs, and if they did, they ended up so large they were covered in creases and striations from breaking, then sealing inside the hen, and so on.

Now I'm not saying that they're all bad, I'm just saying that there's no denying hatcheries only breed for production and profit. I have no problem with people wanting hens just for egg-laying, but I do have a problem with their sources being huge businesses that house the parent birds in crammed conditions, that they breed only for one trait and breed out others (such as broodiness, size, etc) and even ignore some (such as behavior) Then, to add insult to injury, start up false claims (such as Easter Eggers vs Ameraucanas, or their claim of having things like Buff Cornish or Oriental Gamefowl - Which in most cases are mutts unrelated to the claimed breed)

 

[klen]

Illia, thank you for the information. I'm learning a wealth of knowledge on this site. I'm just getting into raising chickens, so I appreciate it.

 

[chickieboy]

our country fair judge is a apa judge ,the guy over the show ,show his chicken and his kids show also . i once enter a hatchery hen in a apa show and got grand champion reserve the other hen that won was a 100 dollar hen that was brough just for the show

 

[Oregon Blues]

From what I've seen, some hatchery birds are sorry looking creatures that look very little like they should. Occasionally, with a few breeds, the birds are really quite good looking.

Some hatcheries don't raise any of the eggs, and others raise only some of the eggs they hatch. Many eggs are purchased, and when eggs come from many different sources, there are going to be variations in quality. There are even some "hatcheries" that don't even hatch any eggs. If you order chicks from them, the chicks are getting shipped from all over the place.

I wanted something specific and when I saw hatchery birds, I knew I would never be happy with them. But to another person, who simply wants entertaining pets that lay eggs, a hatchery bird will do just fine.

I always hope that hatchery birds are a starting point and that people who own them, and enjoy them, will at some point decide they want birds that look more like the beauties they see at shows. That they will decide they want the fancier plumage and the crisper colors and then the fancy will have a new serious breeder, interested in maintaining and improving the breed.

Everybody has to start somewhere and a person can learn with hatchery birds with a lot less investment while they decide if they like it. Sort of poultry with training wheels.

 

[rebel-rousing-at-night]

Quote:

You are quite smart for a "New Egg"

I think hatcheries serve a wonderful purpose. I totally agree that they breed for production etc. without a lot of regard to the SOP. I don't doubt that for the most part their birds are not purebred. I think this is sad for the breeds and for the ppl that buy them thinking they are getting nice quality.

With this said I am however thankful for the hatcheries.The way I see it there could not be enough serious breeders of quality birds to supply the demand of so many breeds and varieties. I also think the majority of ppl that buy hatchery birds do so much because of price,variety and convenience.

I have an order of hatchery birds coming later this year. It is several breeds that are not easy to come by. Granted if I had all kinds of money I might have chosen to find breeders of these birds all over the US but the fact remains I don't have that kind of money. I do enjoy a colorful laying flock of different breeds.

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

Yep, I did! Happens almost all the time.

 

[BANTAMWYANDOTTE]

Fred's Hens :

Curious, has anyone gotten a chick mixed into their hatchery order that was, well, for the lack of a better term, a mutt? Clearly something less than breed standard, as in, really below any breed standard? How about from a feed store, which re-sold hatchery chicks?

I got this hen from a hatchery in 2007. She was part of a brown egg-layer assortment of New Hampshires and Black Jersey Giant. I ordered 25 chicks and got 27. I raised 25 to adult hood. That has been three (almost four) years ago and I still have this particular hen. Of all my chicks she was the only odd one. In appearance, she is a production red. The only problem is, she has blue legs. AND she lays colored eggs. When I called the hatchery the lady said that that year an Easter Rooster had gotten in to building where the New Hampshire hens were kept and bred one or two hens. This is what the she said anyway. Asked me if I wanted a refund and I said no. I loke the hen. She lays good eggs and I even ordered her an EE Rooster last year.I mean how people have a four year old Easter Egg New Hampshire Red? The sad truth is, when dealing with the number of chickens most hatcheries deal with, a mistake is bound to be made. Now i only order from small hatcheries that specialize in certian types of chickens, like egg layers...but to this day I look to see if they have EE's just so I am prepared.

Here is a picture of her, her name is Mika:

This is her future rooster Buster (cackle hatchery EE):

 

[miraclz5]

I think one of the things to remember is there is the good, the bad and the ugly EVERYWHERE! There are good hatcheries....there are not so good hatcheries....and there are really bad hatcheries.....there are good private breeders...there are not so good private breeders....and there are bad private breeders. I think as with in anything in life one needs to do their homework, do some research and find out what will work best for them in terms of investment, goals and so on...Just because because "hatchery" is in the name does not mean you are going to freak of nature chicken any more than getting from a breeder means that you are going to get an APA prize winning bird! What I did and what worked best for me and my kids...a combination of both, most of our chicks are from a reputable breeder (a five hour roundtrip drive) of some of the specific breeds we wanted....and a few of our chicks are coming in a week from the local Blue Seal Feed Store with over 30 years in business! I did my research, I did my homework and I am happy with my decisions. Good luck to all!