Hatchery RIRs vs. private breeder RIRs?

[Timmo]

Are there differences?

If so, what are they?

Thanks.

 

[Guitartists]

Off the top of my head....

You have a better chance for a show quality bird from a good breeder... as opposed to a hatchery bird which will usually be pet quality at best. I'm sure there are other differences... I'm sure others will add.....

 

[BirdBrain]

Get your start from Bamachicken. She has lovely dark RIRs. There are NO comparisons between her birds and hatchery birds...well, they both have legs, wings and beaks, but you get the idea.

 

[FloridaChickenChick]

My hatchery RIRs have lots of white feathers in their wings...next time I'll buy from a private breeder. I love the ones I have, but I don't feel they're "real" RIRs, which is what I wanted.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, here is Scarlett, from a breeder (BamaChicken). NO comparison to hatchery RIRs at all, IMO. I have those, too. I have some of Julie's youngsters coming along, too. Scarlett is now owned by rooster-red. She was much taller than the hatchery counterparts, too.

 

[Kev]

Nice bird!

A common difference between hatchery vs private/show stock is hatchery stock tend to be better producers. Look at it this way, the hatcheries goal is better production and show folks pay more attention to looks. It's often difficult to maintain both looks and high production in a single line.

 

[Frizzledhen]

I have 2 RIRs from a hatchery. I like the girls because I can count on them to give me an egg a day but they are far from the standard of show quality birds. I now have 17 rosecomb RIRs from Dick Horstman. The difference is like night and day. First thing I notice is the color. The hatchery birds are red, my rosecombs are really really dark mahogony. The body shape is niticabley different also. The rosecombs look like a brick which is what they are suppose to look like. The hatchery birds have too straight a stance. My rosecombs are only 2 months old and are already almost the size of the hatchery girls. I won't know the comparison on laying for a while yet. Sometimes we have to give up some eggs to get show quality. Hatcheries breed more for egg laying than they do for show quality.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
So true. We'd have to ask rooster-red how well she lays since she had just started laying when I sold her. I have her siblings in the nursery coop and they are 9 weeks old now so it will be awhile till I can say how they lay, but Julie said the mothers of my chicks are some of the best layers she's ever had.

 

[Kev]

Oh that would be nice. Hope your pretties shell 'em out! I really do appreciate how nice the show stock are to look at. For example, cannot bear to even look at hatchery silkies, but I can't resist the urge to pet a show silkie.. Night and day.

Otherwise the perfect solution would be just to keep a couple more pretty birds and production will be up to the level needed..

 

[speckledhen]

Well, there ya go, then!

Perfect solution is just to keep more breeder quality RIRs for the same amt of eggs as fewer hatchery RIRs!