Does anybody ever sell show quality birds?

[20736]

I am not sold on the egg hatching bit just yet.
I would like to buy started birds from a good line, but I can't find any.
I thought about buying at County fairs, but last year no wellies were for sale at the 3 that I went to.
So what ya think hun.

 

[Kevin565]

Yes quite a few people sell started SQ birds in the BST section in the 8 weeks and Older section. Though it's way to hot for shipping anything right now

 

[hdowden]

county as in 4-h?? if so then those birds may just be hatchery birds. im sure there are plenty on here that sell show quility birds but it might be best to just hatch but thats completely up to you as show birds are not cheap at all. i know some were a single bird can go for $50+ then you have to include shipping so your looking at over $100 for just a pair

 

[20736]

Thanks for the replies.
I don't have a problem paying for good stock. It costs the same to feed and vet good stock as it does bad stock, the extra expense is all front end loaded.
I just can't find the stock for sale.

 

[3riverschick]

Thanks for the replies.
I don't have a problem paying for good stock. It costs the same to feed and vet good stock as it does bad stock, the extra expense is all front end loaded.
I just can't find the stock for sale.

what breed (and color variety ) do you want ; how many and what sex ratios, plus what State are you in? Let's start there.
Best,
karen

 

[WallTenters]

Do you get the newspaper for show people (not sure if I can mention names here )?. There are plenty of advertisements in there right now for started show quality/breeding quality birds for sale. Perhaps someone that does get it can follow up with you and get you in touch.

One $100 breeding bird can reproduce like in chicks in a single breeding season. We all spend hundreds (thousands?) of dollars on housing backyard chickens for eggs we can buy at a co-op for $5/dozen but balk at the idea of wanting to pay more than a couple dollars at a feedstore for those birds. Ever heard of a hundred dollar saddle and a five dollar nag? Same logic applies here.

ETA - I know the original poster is not needed that talk, but I see there are some readers and contributors to this thread that don't realize that $50 including shipping is not crazy talk for good healthy animals bred with purpose and proper culling.

 

[3riverschick]

Do you get the newspaper for show people (not sure if I can mention names here )?. There are plenty of advertisements in there right now for started show quality/breeding quality birds for sale. Perhaps someone that does get it can follow up with you and get you in touch.

One $100 breeding bird can reproduce like in chicks in a single breeding season. We all spend hundreds (thousands?) of dollars on housing backyard chickens for eggs we can buy at a co-op for $5/dozen but balk at the idea of wanting to pay more than a couple dollars at a feed store for those birds. Ever heard of a hundred dollar saddle and a five dollar nag? Same logic applies here.

ETA - I know the original poster is not needed that talk, but I see there are some readers and contributors to this thread that don't realize that $50 including shipping is not crazy talk for good healthy animals bred with purpose and proper culling.

This is a strange thread,the original poster has disappeared. Hopefully he will return. Anyway, the newspaper is Poultry Press. Get a subscription. The feed coupons in it, more than repay the subscription amount during the year. Look up the winner for Wellies in the big national shows last year. Surf their names and contact info , then contact them. Many breeders will be trimming their flocks for the winter. You can pick up some nice started birds or a quad (2 males, 2 females) of last years breeding birds.
Ask for a quad removed enough from each other, but still of the same strain that you can mate them to each other. Do not cross strains to found a flock. It will result in genetic variation which will take generations to correct.
Expect to pay 50. to 100. a bird plus shipping for the quad.Try using a Horizons Swan Nest or" BoxesForBirds 8 bird box" to ship your quad. If they are grown birds, you will need the space for 2 birds to fit one grown bird in a BoxesForBirds box as they are scaled for pigeon-size birds, not grown chickens. But I know BoxesForBirds are vet-approved. Price may be less on the Horizons Swan Nest, but not sure how many birds it will take.
Best,
Karen
P.S. BoxesFor Birds.com has just rolled out a "Big Bird" 4 bird box. 19 inches tall. Getting rave reviews from poultry folk. I am using one to ship some started Light Sussex over here to PA..