Hatchery or private stock?

[WalkingWolf]

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I can't say it any better, I have ruffled a few feathers defending Ideal, who I deal with. Very simply you get what you pay for, and they mislead no one. If you want show quality SEE the bird you are buying, go to a show, deal directly in person with the breeder and get it in writing. No chicken is show quality unless that chicken has received a ribbon!

 

[NYREDS]

Let me just add that not everyone who calls themselves a breeder is worthy of the title. A breeder works to improve the quality of their chosen breed or breeds. Many people who call themselves breeders are really reproducers.
This is true of many on this site. Let me illustrate w/o naming any names: a few months boack there was a post from someone who was very upset about the 7 ****** chicks they had just received. Apparently a number of the chicks had serious defects &/or disqualifications. The person was upset because they were already advertising that they would be selling hatching eggs in this breed next year. They identified themselves as "Breeders of quality *******". They were advertising hatching eggs from birds that they hadn't seen you & having ordered only 7 chicks they sure weren't planning to do much culling.
Before you buy anything you need to define your chicken goals. If what you want is a backyard laying flock hatcheries are fine. If you're interested in breeding &/or showing quality birds you need to do a couple of things first. One is decide on a breed. Next you need to l earn about that breed ie: what are the breed characteristics that you need to look for when buying stock. The best way to do this is to go to some shows, study the birds on display & talk to some breeders. What you don't want to do is order birds sight unseen from someone you know nothing about except that they call themselves breeders.

 

[Hillbilly Rooster]

I have dealt with Townline Hacthery in Michigan with my first order last yr. order 25 pullets they sent me 26 incase one died and it did.

I ended up with one rooster and everyone thinks my chickens are good looking and healthy which comes from the kids that show chickens for FFA and 4-H. My hens are for laying eggs only.

If you would like to have quality chickens and worried about your private breeders and Hatchery's you can get a incubator and start your own line. Just a thought.

 

[elmo]

If you buy from a local breeder, you can see the chicks and the environment they live in before you buy them. One look around the premises can tell you a lot about the standard of husbandry practiced by the breeder. You have no idea what conditions those chicks shipped to you in the box came from.

Secondly, buying local means the chicks don't have to go through the stress of shipping. Every day on the chick thread here it seems I read about someone ordering chickens through the mail and opening the box to see one or more dead chicks. Rarely, but not rarely enough, the whole box of chicks will have died.

Buying your chicks locally is part of the local foods movement, too.

 

[WalkingWolf]

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If a local breeder will let you look at their chicks and environment they have poor bio security, which is one of the biggest issues when acquiring livestock. All the breeders I know do not let anyone near their flock.

 

[Hillbilly Rooster]

Great point.

You have to wear booty's and paper painter suits at some places.

When on vacation seen some chicken farmers were my buddy does electrical work and guess what you have to put on.

It is not a joke.