Hatchery quality vs. Breeder quality

[Ducks and Banny hens]

Quote:
And it's not so much the birds he sold us, rather, the dishonesty. He is infamous for deliberately taking advantage of those who are less knowledgable about this matter, and the fact that chicks are relatively similar looking to all other chicks! It's even been rumored that he tried to sell a pekin duck as a rare bantam goose! Tho', I don't know how reliable this is. I've started a new thread about stewardship, if you're interested.

 

[aoxa]

Quote:
She is so pretty! Doesn't look like a hatchery cochin to me

Though I wouldn't say she is SQ, but definitely not hatchery either.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Do you want us to guess? I would say hatchery, or a cull from a breeder.

 

[Pyncheon guy]

Looking at color and type...I'd say "Hatchery" too.... I've seen better and I've seen worse.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Some of the difficulty of asking for photos of hatchery quality side by side with show quality, is that many people don't have both.

I did have some hatchery quality the same age and breed as my show birds, but I didn't take photos of them.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Do you want us to guess? I would say hatchery, or a cull from a breeder.

I am glad Kathy chimed in first

The penciling is way off and in an scattered pattern. If she is just used as a yard Ornament and egg provider she will do just fine.

 

[CelticMoon1]

Thanks for the compliments on my chooks - I

my six young'uns. They are very equal in body type and colouring, and none from the clutch have been culled. Now to find the perfect roo...

As I've stated before, we don't have hatcheries in Norway, at least not in the way you do in the US. (Typical egglayers are available from a hatchery like facility) Of course, not all breeder birds are SQ, but as far as I can see the major difference in Wyandottes (it's the breed I know best) is body type. I do have some culls from earlier that are WAAAAAY off in colour, but they are still quite nicely built. Of course, we don't often go around taking pics of the culls, do we *lol*

 

[hlf1996]

Here are some comparisons from SQ and PQ silkies.

SQ (Grey silkie towards the back)

Here is the SQ when younger

PQ (purchased from TSC)

 

[chickened]

Is shipping live birds not relying on the same folks or do you deliver them personally? Just curious. As a breeder myself it also allows you to not sell a potential show winner to your competition.
Quote:

 

[al6517]

Quote:

Yes it is in a way, the difference being young adult 6-8mo old birds can survive a rough handling shippment much better than a very young few day's old chick. Never had a bad experience getting or shipping live adult birds.......... now chicks that's a whole different ball of wax.

I can also ship them in confidence after the buyer has seen pic's of the very birds they are getting, they can see that there are no off colors or that it's not a cull, or that it doesn't have any physical deformity. Things like that, when folks spend the kind of $$ I am talking about there must be no doubt about anything, it's just good business and a good word goes much farther than a scathing experience.