Genetics Calculator Chat Thread

[OhZark Biddies]

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

Who wants a RIR anyway? (now we'll really start something)

I think I see what you're saying now....

Shape and size, I'm really not sure? I just don't have a qualified opinion on that, other than to say I've not seen anything that is grossly under or over sized, or really off shape in the grown birds that I've seen from friends and family's flocks that have cackle birds.... but it'd likely have to be pretty extreme before I'd even notice.

But colors/markings, feet, combs, etc. all seem right... and they seem to be healthy birds with few defects.

But, I think we are speaking to different things (both with our own bias concerning quality), in that I am indeed talking about quality layers and pets, and you are talking about quality breeding stock, i think?

 

[BlackHackle]

and you are talking about quality breeding stock, i think?

I see what you are talking about now. I was talking about the rarity of birds coming from Cackle Hatchery meeting the requirements of the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection. Of course Cackle has nice birds, but I'm studying poultry judging and I have to be pretty aware of what doesn't meet the standard, even down to the nearest fluff on a chicken

Who wants a RIR anyway? (now we'll really start something)

Don't worry, I'm not gonna start something...even though I am a very huge RIR fan

But colors/markings, feet, combs, etc. all seem right... and they seem to be healthy birds with few defects.

Yup, I could imagine them looking like healthy birds. But I consider comparing them to the standard's requirements would be pretty foolish considering the breeders in hatcheries aren't breeding to standard, so it only makes sense

 

[OhZark Biddies]

I see what you are talking about now. I was talking about the rarity of birds coming from Cackle Hatchery meeting the requirements of the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection. Of course Cackle has nice birds, but I'm studying poultry judging and I have to be pretty aware of what doesn't meet the standard, even down to the nearest fluff on a chicken
...

I just back-read some of the last couple of pages of this thread... and realized I just kind of barged in on some of the conversation you and others were having ...

I've known people that have ordered from other hatcheries, usually a breed that was something sort of "fancy"... something they could not get locally... and have received some unhealthy chicks or something that grew into some really off looking adult birds... so that was what I was speaking to.

I could never be a poultry judge because I always prefer the "interesting" one in the group ... so if there was a show full of nearly perfect SOP birds but somehow one had 3 eyeballs, that would be the one that I'd be drawn to.

Probably one of the reasons barred rocks and RIR don't "do it" for me. Even some of the really nice dark red RIRs that I've seen pictures of, just seem like the "same old" chickens that all the old people had as I was growing up. But I know others that like a classic looking hen, and prefer that over all others.

 

[BlackHackle]

I just back-read some of the last couple of pages of this thread... and realized I just kind of barged in on some of the conversation you and others were having ...

I've known people that have ordered from other hatcheries, usually a breed that was something sort of "fancy"... something they could not get locally... and have received some unhealthy chicks or something that grew into some really off looking adult birds... so that was what I was speaking to.

I could never be a poultry judge because I always prefer the "interesting" one in the group ... so if there was a show full of nearly perfect SOP birds but somehow one had 3 eyeballs, that would be the one that I'd be drawn to.

Probably one of the reasons barred rocks and RIR don't "do it" for me. Even some of the really nice dark red RIRs that I've seen pictures of, just seem like the "same old" chickens that all the old people had as I was growing up. But I know others that like a classic looking hen, and prefer that over all others.

OKay, that makes sense now. Yea, I'm a big classics fan. I love birds like the Light Sussex, the RIR, and the Barred Rock. But that's why there are soo many breeds and varieties out there, right?

 

[LilJoe]

For their catalogs and website I think they go to the state fair and take pictures of birds just to make theirs seem better.

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

 

[BlackHackle]

For their catalogs and website I think they go to the state fair and take pictures of birds just to make theirs seem better.

That's exactly what they do

 

[OhZark Biddies]

For their catalogs and website I think they go to the state fair and take pictures of birds just to make theirs seem better.

That's exactly what they do

They address the source of their photos on their website:
https://www.cacklehatchery.com/guarantees-policies/

OUR PHOTOS
All of the different pure breed birds are representations of the pure breed poultry named and may or may not be of our bloodlines. Our goal at Cackle Hatchery® is to mate parent stock that will produce chicks that will mature into similar representations of each breed that is photographed. We have numerous flock owners and customers who show their birds at poultry shows throughout the United States. Of course, the birds shown at poultry shows are usually the best marked bird of their entire flock. Most flocks of a pure breed will have some kind or degree of variance from one bird to another. A large percentage of the photos on our site are of our bloodlines.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

A snippet of their breeding farms info:
https://www.cacklehatchery.com/breeding-farms/

...Some of our lines are bred for production type while others are bred to meet the American Standard of Perfection. A lot of our rare breeds and bantams are bred from exhibition/show stock...

 

[Amer]

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

Totally fine to have your own bias of course, but remember, this is the US, you live in good ol' Canada. Things could be different. And yes, they can be poorly set up. Had problems ordering from Strombergs. Sandhill Preservation doesn't always hatch enough chicks so you may have to wait a year. Plus can be disorganized.
Many hatcheries mislabel the birds as Americana when they are Easter Eggers, Cackle actually has Ameraucanas.
My Dominiques were good, and the only flaw in the silkies is some were a little smaller than others, but none were too big.

 

[Amer]

I just back-read some of the last couple of pages of this thread... and realized I just kind of barged in on some of the conversation you and others were having ...

I've known people that have ordered from other hatcheries, usually a breed that was something sort of "fancy"... something they could not get locally... and have received some unhealthy chicks or something that grew into some really off looking adult birds... so that was what I was speaking to.

I could never be a poultry judge because I always prefer the "interesting" one in the group ... so if there was a show full of nearly perfect SOP birds but somehow one had 3 eyeballs, that would be the one that I'd be drawn to.

Probably one of the reasons barred rocks and RIR don't "do it" for me. Even some of the really nice dark red RIRs that I've seen pictures of, just seem like the "same old" chickens that all the old people had as I was growing up. But I know others that like a classic looking hen, and prefer that over all others.

I'm a big fan of dual purpose. I used to be drawn to the unsual, but now I'm drawn to birds who look like they lay three hundred eggs a year, and have meat to boot. Also d'Anvers lol.