Genetics Calculator Chat Thread

[BlackHackle]

You and me sure like to chat, huh? Probably a more appropriate thread for this.




Yes. I've read once that a breed is a shape, not a color or pedigree. You can outcross to other breeds I suppose, (though I wouldn't suggest it, but it's been done) as long as the shape fits in the outline called the SOP. Hatcheries sell colors, not breeds. They sell brownish chickens, black and white stripey chickens, silver laced-ish chickens, yellow chickens and orange chickens, and label them as breeds like barred rocks and RIR, but they are really just of the single comb brown egg laying hatchery laying bird breed.
Some of this may be exaggerated, but it's true.
Some hatcheries do a good job, but this is what I usually see.



(my friend called cornish cross red and white chickens and I was so confused I was like "wait this farm has red and white chickens?" She points to the white Cornish Cross. Highly disappointing. Apparently red combs count as part of the color to someone unfamiliar with chickens.

Yup, poultry breeds are shapes. The only time a poultry breed refers to a pedigree is when it is labeled a 'Heritage bred' chicken. For Barred Plymouth Rocks this may be a reference for the Spaulding Strain, or the Imperial Ringlet. That's exactly true, and you are not over exaggerating this. When I sell my hatchery birds I normally say, "Barred Laying hens for sale." or "Brown Laying hens"

Yea, I am often very disappointed by how tricked people have been. They now call a tiny little 4 lbs buff hen a Buff Orpington. Buff Orps are really 3 times the size of the birds hatcheries call Buff Orpingtons.

I tell ya, I HATE HATCHERIES PERIOD

 

[Cyprus]

Yup, poultry breeds are shapes. The only time a poultry breed refers to a pedigree is when it is labeled a 'Heritage bred' chicken. For Barred Plymouth Rocks this may be a reference for the Spaulding Strain, or the Imperial Ringlet. That's exactly true, and you are not over exaggerating this. When I sell my hatchery birds I normally say, "Barred Laying hens for sale." or "Brown Laying hens"

Yea, I am often very disappointed by how tricked people have been. They now call a tiny little 4 lbs buff hen a Buff Orpington. Buff Orps are really 3 times the size of the birds hatcheries call Buff Orpingtons.

I tell ya, I HATE HATCHERIES PERIOD

Well hello.
Just thought I'd check up on this thread of mine.
I agree completely. Hatcheries suck. I've never gotten a decent bird of any kind from a hatchery.

 

[Amer]

Yup, poultry breeds are shapes. The only time a poultry breed refers to a pedigree is when it is labeled a 'Heritage bred' chicken. For Barred Plymouth Rocks this may be a reference for the Spaulding Strain, or the Imperial Ringlet. That's exactly true, and you are not over exaggerating this. When I sell my hatchery birds I normally say, "Barred Laying hens for sale." or "Brown Laying hens"

Yea, I am often very disappointed by how tricked people have been. They now call a tiny little 4 lbs buff hen a Buff Orpington. Buff Orps are really 3 times the size of the birds hatcheries call Buff Orpingtons.

I tell ya, I HATE HATCHERIES PERIOD

Unfortunately when you call them "barred laying hens" they would probably think you have lack in intellect.



I actually like Cackle Hatchery (in Missouri I think.) It sells shapes. True Ameraucanas.

Good silkies and Dominique bantams. But some of their birds are from local breeders or something I think. I haven't even tried buying one of the more popular birds there though.

 

[BlackHackle]

Well hello.
Just thought I'd check up on this thread of mine.
I agree completely. Hatcheries suck. I've never gotten a decent bird of any kind from a hatchery.

Me neither . I still remember the day I first got 'Pure bred' chickens. I was excited to have RIR's. But as they got older, I noticed very soon that they weren't gonna go dark red but were instead going to grow to golden adults. I was very confused (I was pretty young), so I bought some standards and showing books and looked through them. There's when I made my decision (I would never buy another bird from a hatchery)

Unfortunately when you call them "barred laying hens" they would probably think you have lack in intellect.



I actually like Cackle Hatchery (in Missouri I think.) It sells shapes. True Ameraucanas.

Good silkies and Dominique bantams. But some of their birds are from local breeders or something I think. I haven't even tried buying one of the more popular birds there though.

Hehe, not when they show up and see the abundance of far better looking rocks, and get their ear talked off about all there is to know about true Plymouth Rocks...I'm pretty sure all my customers are pretty well convinced I know what my birds are. Plus, I always sell to people I know pretty well, no anonymous buyers ever are allowed to buy from me. As you can see, I don't do this for money

Cackle Hatchery...hmmm...I'm gonna just let you pass on this one. I mean, it is a bit comparable to Performance Poultry in Canada. They source from local breeders as well. But I highly doubt any birds from there are show worthy...considering the breeder is actually using a hatchery to sell his birds

But to be honest, I much prefer meeting Hortsman, Schiofield, MacKinnon, Hunter, Stevenson, and all the other breeders I buy from, in person at a show and handing that $500 bill over in exchange for Nation Champion stock that will serve me for life. I also love to buy birds from heritage lines. Like I won't buy a plymouth rock, even if they are good quality, from a guy who can't name the line he breeds. I would buy them from a guy who has like the original Spaulding, the Crocker, or the Thompson heritage lines.

 

[LilJoe]

Unfortunately when you call them "barred laying hens" they would probably think you have lack in intellect.



I actually like Cackle Hatchery (in Missouri I think.) It sells shapes. True Ameraucanas.

Good silkies and Dominique bantams. But some of their birds are from local breeders or something I think. I haven't even tried buying one of the more popular birds there though.

Yep, Missouri. In my area actually. I got my first chickens from Cackle. They put quantity over quality like any other hatchery, but their birds are decent.
I got silkies from there and their crest are small and they are scrawny. Leghorns are decent- not show worthy, but good size and shape. Now the cochins... that's probably the best I got from Cackle. I had four: 2 black cockerels, 1 partridge pullet, 1 buff pullet. They pretty much only had common defects. Black in some tail feathers on the buff, regular (not poofy) tail on the partridge (plus color defects), white shank feathers on the blacks, and one black was a little long-legged...
Anyways. . .
Yes, they do breed Brahmas ( https://www.cacklehatchery.com/exhibition-light-brahma.html )and OEGB ( https://www.cacklehatchery.com/cackle-s-show-class-old-english-bantam-s-r-assortment-10.html )from show breeders, but I'm sure they've already messed them up.
I agree, hatcheries suck. But if I were forced to order from a hatchery again I would order from Cackle or McMurray.

 

[BlackHackle]

Yep, Missouri. In my area actually. I got my first chickens from Cackle. They put quantity over quality like any other hatchery, but their birds are decent.
I got silkies from there and their crest are small and they are scrawny. Leghorns are decent- not show worthy, but good size and shape. Now the cochins... that's probably the best I got from Cackle. I had four: 2 black cockerels, 1 partridge pullet, 1 buff pullet. They pretty much only had common defects. Black in some tail feathers on the buff, regular (not poofy) tail on the partridge (plus color defects), white shank feathers on the blacks, and one black was a little long-legged...
Anyways. . .
Yes, they do breed Brahmas ( https://www.cacklehatchery.com/exhibition-light-brahma.html )and OEGB ( https://www.cacklehatchery.com/cackle-s-show-class-old-english-bantam-s-r-assortment-10.html )from show breeders, but I'm sure they've already messed them up.
I agree, hatcheries suck. But if I were forced to order from a hatchery again I would order from Cackle or McMurray.

The words Cackle and McMurray make my spine shiver

 

[Amer]

Cackle has very nice Ameraucanas, (or at least better than my Ameraucanas, which are easy to beat. I should give up the username, but I don't really care enough) plus it gave us good Dominiques.

The words Cackle and McMurray make my spine shiver

*rolleyes* I actually like Cackle Hatchery, at least they are well organized.

 

[BlackHackle]

Cackle has very nice Ameraucanas, (or at least better than my Ameraucanas, which are easy to beat. I should give up the username, but I don't really care enough) plus it gave us good Dominiques.







*rolleyes* I actually like Cackle Hatchery, at least they are well organized.

I'm so sorry, but I'm having a pretty hard time even thinking that Cackle would have quality in anything.

I'm curious to find one hatchery that isn't well organized, but I'm just gonna let ya float your boat. I personally don't give hatcheries that water down poultry breeds any support at all, regardless how organized they may be

 

[OhZark Biddies]

I'm so sorry, but I'm having a pretty hard time even thinking that Cackle would have quality in anything.

Could be just your own bias?

I've had very good luck with Cackle recently and 25 years ago. And I know many people around here that get birds that come from them ... since they are local....

But I know nothing about "show quality"....and don't have a need for show quality, but from what I've seen from some of the threads on here (particularly concerning Slamon Faveroells ) they do seem to be a bit better than what is known on BYC as "hatchery quality"..' which seems to be a bit of a slur at times

Also, if I'm not mistaken, many of the breeds from Cackle come from Amish breeders in from that area of Missouri. So maybe that makes a bit of a difference... maybe not?

 

[BlackHackle]

Could be just your own bias?

I've had very good luck with Cackle recently and 25 years ago. And I know many people around here that get birds that come from them ... since they are local....

But I know nothing about "show quality"....and don't have a need for show quality, but from what I've seen from some of the threads on here (particularly concerning Slamon Faveroells ) they do seem to be a bit better than what is known on BYC as "hatchery quality"..' which seems to be a bit of a slur at times

Also, if I'm not mistaken, many of the breeds from Cackle come from Amish breeders in from that area of Missouri. So maybe that makes a bit of a difference... maybe not?

Yea, Cackle's birds are great for laying or pets, but I was more of saying shape-wise or weight. They don't actually sell what they say they are. They'll sell you RIR's with a picture of a really nice one and then you buy them and they are scrawny and almost a light brown color