It isn't exactly "black and white." It's mainly opinions, but there are some good points backed up in those opinions.
If you just want chickens to lay eggs or run around your yard, sure, go with hatcheries. There isn't really anything wrong with it (except of course how hatcheries raise the birds that created your chicks) You're basically getting what a non-chicken owner would be called a "puppy mill" chick
But, if you want a chicken that is of:
- A rare breed
- A breed that looks like what the standard calls for (this pertains to egg color/quality, too)
- A breed that will give you meat and eggs
- A breed that will last long, both in egg production and physical vitality
- Then you're going to want to get from a breeder. No, these do not always apply, and that doesn't mean all hatchery birds are bad. It just means that hatchery birds are bred to be of a "production type," meaning no matter what the breed, they're going to be far less broody, meaty, gamey in behavior, and of course have more messy of plumage patterning/coloring. They won't look like the photos My Pet Chicken shows, they won't be as Dual Purpose as they're claimed to be, and they certainly won't win you any big shows. But, they'll still lay plenty eggs on their first and second year, and they'll still act like an average chicken.
Course, another thing that really must be applied here is the term "breeder," at least when I say it, does not apply to your common neighbor who breeds random chickens or a bunch of chickens that, either the parents or grandparents came from a hatchery.
A breeder is someone who breeds with a goal in mind, whether it be the Standard of Perfection, the preseveration of a breed, following somewhat to the standard (or proposed standard if they're not APA accepted) or for good meat/egg purposes. Again, this does not apply to people who breed on a big enough scale to have no control over their husbandry and to sell to enough customers to also supply feedstores. If someone especially gives you a huge list of breeds of chicks for cheap prices. . . They're not what I call a breeder.
Technically they are, as hatcheries are, but I just call them a "personal/private" hatchery.
I don't like hatcheries. I don't hate them, I just dislike the fact that they're able to make people believe whatever they say or show. They can ruin a breed such as the Rhode Island Red, which originally was a dark glossy red breed that was very meaty and originally for dual purpose, then turn it into some drab, rangy, production-type chicken that is as common as crows, and convince people that's what they are - Commercial laying hens. Well, that's not what they were made to be.
There still are true to type Rhode Island Reds out there, but sadly they're getting to be VERY rare, and very few people care. . . Because their own version of a "Rhode Island Red" is better. Why? It lays more eggs. People would rather get meat from yet another hatchery created problem. . . . The Cornish-Rock cross.
I'm fine with people's hatchery-type Rhode Island Reds - If you want a chicken and love it, and want eggs better than the store offers, that's great! But then if you want to convince yourself that it is what the breed is supposed to be, that's sad. There's a whole other breed for that. They're called Leghorns.
If you just want chickens to lay eggs or run around your yard, sure, go with hatcheries. There isn't really anything wrong with it (except of course how hatcheries raise the birds that created your chicks) You're basically getting what a non-chicken owner would be called a "puppy mill" chick
But, if you want a chicken that is of:
- A rare breed
- A breed that looks like what the standard calls for (this pertains to egg color/quality, too)
- A breed that will give you meat and eggs
- A breed that will last long, both in egg production and physical vitality
- Then you're going to want to get from a breeder. No, these do not always apply, and that doesn't mean all hatchery birds are bad. It just means that hatchery birds are bred to be of a "production type," meaning no matter what the breed, they're going to be far less broody, meaty, gamey in behavior, and of course have more messy of plumage patterning/coloring. They won't look like the photos My Pet Chicken shows, they won't be as Dual Purpose as they're claimed to be, and they certainly won't win you any big shows. But, they'll still lay plenty eggs on their first and second year, and they'll still act like an average chicken.
Course, another thing that really must be applied here is the term "breeder," at least when I say it, does not apply to your common neighbor who breeds random chickens or a bunch of chickens that, either the parents or grandparents came from a hatchery.
A breeder is someone who breeds with a goal in mind, whether it be the Standard of Perfection, the preseveration of a breed, following somewhat to the standard (or proposed standard if they're not APA accepted) or for good meat/egg purposes. Again, this does not apply to people who breed on a big enough scale to have no control over their husbandry and to sell to enough customers to also supply feedstores. If someone especially gives you a huge list of breeds of chicks for cheap prices. . . They're not what I call a breeder.
I don't like hatcheries. I don't hate them, I just dislike the fact that they're able to make people believe whatever they say or show. They can ruin a breed such as the Rhode Island Red, which originally was a dark glossy red breed that was very meaty and originally for dual purpose, then turn it into some drab, rangy, production-type chicken that is as common as crows, and convince people that's what they are - Commercial laying hens. Well, that's not what they were made to be.
There still are true to type Rhode Island Reds out there, but sadly they're getting to be VERY rare, and very few people care. . . Because their own version of a "Rhode Island Red" is better. Why? It lays more eggs. People would rather get meat from yet another hatchery created problem. . . . The Cornish-Rock cross.
I'm fine with people's hatchery-type Rhode Island Reds - If you want a chicken and love it, and want eggs better than the store offers, that's great! But then if you want to convince yourself that it is what the breed is supposed to be, that's sad. There's a whole other breed for that. They're called Leghorns.
