Duane Urch

[Pathfinders]

I saw a post that someone said Duane Urch's birds were gorgeous but did not lay well. Anyone have grown birds that can give more info? I am going to order some hatching eggs, and just want info on other's experience.

This is a pretty sweeping and general statement. Mr. Urch has a lot of breeds, and repeating something that nebulous isn't really very helpful.

In my experience with birds I've ordered from Duane (who I have known for a long time and for whom I bear a great deal of respect), they lay just fine, and are of excellent quality.

I wish people wouldn't repeat things like this which are things they've "heard" and cannot substantiate. The internet is rife with rumors that generally bear no basis in fact, and which can do great harm. Duane Urch is not someone who is on the Internet all the time, following up on each and every muttering comment made in a chat forum. Please don't pass on such rumors. If you have facts, feel free to state them. But such comments don't do anyone any good.

 

[Texasmja]

This is a pretty sweeping and general statement. Mr. Urch has a lot of breeds, and repeating something that nebulous isn't really very helpful.

In my experience with birds I've ordered from Duane (who I have known for a long time and for whom I bear a great deal of respect), they lay just fine, and are of excellent quality.

I wish people wouldn't repeat things like this which are things they've "heard" and cannot substantiate. The internet is rife with rumors that generally bear no basis in fact, and which can do great harm. Duane Urch is not someone who is on the Internet all the time, following up on each and every muttering comment made in a chat forum. Please don't pass on such rumors. If you have facts, feel free to state them. But such comments don't do anyone any good.

x2

 

[Vamvakas]

I ordered from him and it's coming early April, first time getting chicks from a good breeder and not a hatchery. I asked for all 25 LF red naked necks he said sure. But since he's a small company sometimes he can't fill your order as I read before (could be 100% wrong, not spreading rumors). But I called him back and gave him my 2nd breed of choice and I picked black jersey giants incase he's short of 25 NN's. Anyone ever had his NN's or black giants? I did this so if he was short of NN's he wouldn't give me a random breed that I don't want. Hope they get huge!

 

[ocap]

I ordered from him and it's coming early April, first time getting chicks from a good breeder and not a hatchery. I asked for all 25 LF red naked necks he said sure. But since he's a small company sometimes he can't fill your order as I read before (could be 100% wrong, not spreading rumors). But I called him back and gave him my 2nd breed of choice and I picked black jersey giants incase he's short of 25 NN's. Anyone ever had his NN's or black giants? I did this so if he was short of NN's he wouldn't give me a random breed that I don't want. Hope they get huge!

please let me know how the quality is different from hatchery birds

 

[Pathfinders]

please let me know how the quality is different from hatchery birds

Well, with my experience the quality of birds I got from him was hugely different than that which I had gotten from hatcheries in the past (not that I ever got the same breed from a hatchery, but still.)

I attribute that to the fact that Mr. Urch is a judge, has been breeding poultry for more than 50 years, and knows that he's looking at, and knows how to set up breeding pens, as opposed to a hatchery that just tosses birds together willy-nilly without regard to characteristics or what needs to be improved.

So yes, I would certainly say that buying birds from Duane Urch is distinctly different than buying from a hatchery.

 

[ocap]

my thoughts....the hatchery birds would be selected primarily for the number of eggs they lay, not any other reason, so the birds I have ordered for June delivery from a hatchery will need to be improved with a purchase from Mr. Urch

now I need your thoughts...do you think that hatchery silkies will be frequently broody (which is what I want) or will that be breed out of them by the hatchery trying to get more eggs?

 

[Pathfinders]

With all due respect to Duane, he is not the first person I would think of when I think of Silkie breeders. I would contact the Silkie breed club and get a list of breeders from them and do some research to see whose birds have the broody trait well-established, and then buy some birds from them, is what I would do.

 

[ocap]

With all due respect to Duane, he is not the first person I would think of when I think of Silkie breeders. I would contact the Silkie breed club and get a list of breeders from them and do some research to see whose birds have the broody trait well-established, and then buy some birds from them, is what I would do.

thanks, I will do that.

 

[Vamvakas]

Well, with my experience the quality of birds I got from him was hugely different than that which I had gotten from hatcheries in the past (not that I ever got the same breed from a hatchery, but still.)

I attribute that to the fact that Mr. Urch is a judge, has been breeding poultry for more than 50 years, and knows that he's looking at, and knows how to set up breeding pens, as opposed to a hatchery that just tosses birds together willy-nilly without regard to characteristics or what needs to be improved.

So yes, I would certainly say that buying birds from Duane Urch is distinctly different than buying from a hatchery.

Does Urch send extra chicks when you ordered from him?

 

[Pathfinders]

I seem to recall he sent one or two extras yes, most breeders do.