Poultry Breeding Philosophy
2015 was a challenging one for the poultry industry and many backyard raisers as they coped with the damage from Avian Flu on industry and the backyard flocks. We feel this is a good time to explain our breeding philosophy to make sure each of our potential and returning customers understands our goals, philosophy, and mission. It is not our intent to criticize or challenge any particular group for their practices; we simply want to explain our driving forces (reasons) behind our passion.
We respect the large scale operations for their purpose though we feel there are more sustainable options. We appreciate their ability to produce large amounts of food at low costs regardless of season. We also respect the strict poultry fancier whose main goal is to create a show winner. We also understand the large scale hatchery which chooses to offer breeds with a steady chick supply. We are unique in what we are doing and do not fit into any of these categories. We want you to understand this prior to ordering. The following are the guidelines we use to maintain our flocks and breeding programs:
1. All breeds within the APA Standard are selected to those standards. We do, however, not discard a bird from our breeding program for minor flaws, such as an extra point on a comb or a slightly off color eye, if the bird has other desirable traits. Our goal is to maintain genetic diversity and all defining characteristics.
2. We do not replace all of our breeders every year. We prefer to check the longevity and long productivity of a breed. We feel this is important to see how sustainable a breed is. Our goal is to produce long lived, productive birds.
3. We do not have climate controlled pens and, therefore, our birds are subjected to the true rigors of the environment. They are provided dry, fresh bedding and, of course, are always provided with fresh water and food. We firmly believe it is important that survival of a breed is based on how it can handle the real world. Our goal is to produce birds that can withstand many different environments.
We believe our birds are healthier when they are subjected to real world conditions and not isolated from the outside environment. Therefore, our birds are exposed to the outside world, soil, fresh grass, rain, sunshine, and all that is out there. Our goal is to produce birds that will thrive for many generations to come.
4. We do not vaccinate day-old poultry. We do not have Mareks problem here and do not wish to bring the vaccine on the farm. Our goal is to produce birds that can withstand common environmental stresses.
We do annual tests on the breeders for Pullorum-typhoid and Avian Influenza. Our goal is to send you the healthiest birds we can.
5. Our replacement breeders, during their youth, get to run free range in a large orchard and are gathered and selected as Winter nears for the desired traits for their particular breed. We do not believe it is proper to raise them in a "plastic bubble" where they do not have access to fresh grass, insects, and contact with the outside world. The Avian Flu outbreak kept seeing more and more information that it is unsafe to raise your birds in contact with nature. I do not think it is realistic or proper to insulate poultry from the world. We cannot kill every wild bird to protect our poultry, nor should we. We instead should select our breeders from the survivors of exposure to the outside world. Our goal is to let nature run its course and only use birds of superior genetics as our broad stock.
6. We always select to maintain the unique traits for the breeds such as broodiness, foraging ability, etc. We feel color patterns are not the only thing, a breed has many things to consider when selecting the ideal specimen. Our goal is to continue the genetic diversity that was established many generations ago.
7. Many of the birds obtained from us can go on to win at shows and many will become excellent layers or producers of meat. However, we do not guarantee show quality as even the best parents can produce offspring with disqualifications. Our goal is that you would purchase enough birds to cull out the less desirable individuals.
8. We do not sell sexed chicks because we believe, to promote genetic conservation, we want to encourage others to adopt a breed, if possible, and you need both genders. It is also not fair to sex out extra females and leave another person with more males or be forced to "dispose of" the unwanted males. Our goal is that YOU would start to raise one of these wonderful breeds.
9. We do not sell hatching eggs as our experience, both sending and receiving, has not been favorable enough to warrant the loss of genetic material through damaged eggs. Our goal is that you would be pleased with your purchase.
10. We do not allow visitors to the farm, both to comply with NPIP regulations and to prevent biosecurity issues. Our goal is to keep our birds safe from outside diseases that could close our facility.
I read a article on marek's some time ago, on how vaccinating is making for super marek's, endangering poultry in reality. I will never buy vaccinated birds again. As of now the only chickens I've had get sick were a couple vaccinated one's.
I really like Sand Hill Preservation Center's philosophy;
2015 was a challenging one for the poultry industry and many backyard raisers as they coped with the damage from Avian Flu on industry and the backyard flocks. We feel this is a good time to explain our breeding philosophy to make sure each of our potential and returning customers understands our goals, philosophy, and mission. It is not our intent to criticize or challenge any particular group for their practices; we simply want to explain our driving forces (reasons) behind our passion.
We respect the large scale operations for their purpose though we feel there are more sustainable options. We appreciate their ability to produce large amounts of food at low costs regardless of season. We also respect the strict poultry fancier whose main goal is to create a show winner. We also understand the large scale hatchery which chooses to offer breeds with a steady chick supply. We are unique in what we are doing and do not fit into any of these categories. We want you to understand this prior to ordering. The following are the guidelines we use to maintain our flocks and breeding programs:
1. All breeds within the APA Standard are selected to those standards. We do, however, not discard a bird from our breeding program for minor flaws, such as an extra point on a comb or a slightly off color eye, if the bird has other desirable traits. Our goal is to maintain genetic diversity and all defining characteristics.
2. We do not replace all of our breeders every year. We prefer to check the longevity and long productivity of a breed. We feel this is important to see how sustainable a breed is. Our goal is to produce long lived, productive birds.
3. We do not have climate controlled pens and, therefore, our birds are subjected to the true rigors of the environment. They are provided dry, fresh bedding and, of course, are always provided with fresh water and food. We firmly believe it is important that survival of a breed is based on how it can handle the real world. Our goal is to produce birds that can withstand many different environments.
We believe our birds are healthier when they are subjected to real world conditions and not isolated from the outside environment. Therefore, our birds are exposed to the outside world, soil, fresh grass, rain, sunshine, and all that is out there. Our goal is to produce birds that will thrive for many generations to come.
4. We do not vaccinate day-old poultry. We do not have Mareks problem here and do not wish to bring the vaccine on the farm. Our goal is to produce birds that can withstand common environmental stresses.
We do annual tests on the breeders for Pullorum-typhoid and Avian Influenza. Our goal is to send you the healthiest birds we can.
5. Our replacement breeders, during their youth, get to run free range in a large orchard and are gathered and selected as Winter nears for the desired traits for their particular breed. We do not believe it is proper to raise them in a "plastic bubble" where they do not have access to fresh grass, insects, and contact with the outside world. The Avian Flu outbreak kept seeing more and more information that it is unsafe to raise your birds in contact with nature. I do not think it is realistic or proper to insulate poultry from the world. We cannot kill every wild bird to protect our poultry, nor should we. We instead should select our breeders from the survivors of exposure to the outside world. Our goal is to let nature run its course and only use birds of superior genetics as our broad stock.
6. We always select to maintain the unique traits for the breeds such as broodiness, foraging ability, etc. We feel color patterns are not the only thing, a breed has many things to consider when selecting the ideal specimen. Our goal is to continue the genetic diversity that was established many generations ago.
7. Many of the birds obtained from us can go on to win at shows and many will become excellent layers or producers of meat. However, we do not guarantee show quality as even the best parents can produce offspring with disqualifications. Our goal is that you would purchase enough birds to cull out the less desirable individuals.
8. We do not sell sexed chicks because we believe, to promote genetic conservation, we want to encourage others to adopt a breed, if possible, and you need both genders. It is also not fair to sex out extra females and leave another person with more males or be forced to "dispose of" the unwanted males. Our goal is that YOU would start to raise one of these wonderful breeds.
9. We do not sell hatching eggs as our experience, both sending and receiving, has not been favorable enough to warrant the loss of genetic material through damaged eggs. Our goal is that you would be pleased with your purchase.
10. We do not allow visitors to the farm, both to comply with NPIP regulations and to prevent biosecurity issues. Our goal is to keep our birds safe from outside diseases that could close our facility.
I read a article on marek's some time ago, on how vaccinating is making for super marek's, endangering poultry in reality. I will never buy vaccinated birds again. As of now the only chickens I've had get sick were a couple vaccinated one's.
I really like Sand Hill Preservation Center's philosophy;
