Hatchery~Show Quality?

[lildinkem]

Some breeders do sell their best. Seabrightmom here sells her best. She can only physically handle so many chicks. And Ameraucanas don't show their sex till later. So you would have to handle hundreds of chicks to see who is the best. It is not possible for some breeders to do that. I have bought from a local Buff Orpngton breeder, and IF you buy chicks, there is NO WAY to tell day 2 old chicks, who is and is not exhibition quality. He only breeds his 2 top show winning Roo's to his birds. ALL of his eggs can and sometimes do yield WINNING SHOW BIRDS. OR that breeders best quality. Buy eggs and chicks from people like these folks and you will hit near 20% to 40% exhibition quality. And show, WIN and be happy

 

[Cheep a'lil Talk a'lil]

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I have been to the APA web site and was a little put off. They did not have a whole lot of information, more a long the lines of record keeping. I was also very disapointed that I was not able to look up breed standard information, that I had to buy the book. I was hoping for something like the AKC has, that you could look up what ever breed and get all the information you need right there on their site. Maybe I missed something?

I'm thinking that we will go with the 4-H leaders' White Silkies. Get the kids into showing this fall and do the meet and greet at the fairs. Get to know as many of the other showers/breeders as we can and let them know what we are interested in. I have to agree with many of you that I will have to "meet the parents", see what their winning line is.

I just talked with my mother who is in Kansas and asked her to check in to breeders there for me. She would have a better chance of finding a good Standard chicken there then I would here. They have so many fairs and shows there!! We are going down there for a month this summer and will have to see what they have. Should be fun to go chicken shopping!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Don't know where Frks is, but htere are a number of shows in the Pacific NW area, and some very active poultry clubs.

 

[Krys109uk]

It is reasonable to expect there are sometimes exceptions, it can only be a generalisation that hatchery stock is not what one would buy if wanting exhibition stock. Going to a well known breeder, would be a better bet

I'd have thought it rather unusual for breeders to sell their best birds. Most breeders who are serious about improving their birds hatch & raise their birds grow them on & then sell off those which they do not need. Those birds will usually be very nice birds & make good birds for someone to start with.

About Cackle..... I heard that McKinney Govero sold some of their breeders to Cackle when they closed a few years ago. Though I don't know how good their birds were.
We once got some Derbyshire Redcaps from Murray McMurray.....they were a joke; they certainly weren't Redcaps.

 

[Ryu]

Most breeders really like getting youngsters involved. You can usually get good birds for 4-H kids at a very reasonable price.

If you go to the breeds club web page, they usually have a description of the birds. But not all breeds have websites.

Best of luck!

 

[Cheep a'lil Talk a'lil]

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We are h#ll and gone out on the Olympic Peninsula! Just kidding, well...not really.

But the nearest town is just over an hour away. And yes, there are many large Fairs out on this end of Washington. We will get our feet wet with our local county fair.

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I was told that there is an older couple out here that use to be really involved with 4-H poultry showing back in the day and are very willing to help newbie kids learn. They aslo still breed some.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I wasn't really referring to fairs, but to poultry shows. Some exhibitors avoid fairs because they often want you to leave your birds there for extended periods of time. And/or they are too frequently not sanctioned shows--some, however are. I exhibit at our state fair, but have no interest in the county fair. Some of our other counties have better fairs.

 

[lildinkem]

I would not leave any of my birds at a county fair. Or even expose them to other birds. IF you are going to risk it make it worth your while. Go to sanctioned events. That makes sense to me