hatchery vs breeder?

[City Gardener]

So I got my first five chickens last year, and like many other backyard chicken keepers, I'm revving up to expand my flock!

I've been looking at many of the breed threads on BYC, and following links to various breeders.

I'm wondering, what is the advantage of going with a breeder rather than a hatchery?

For example, we have four bantam Buff Brahmas and a lovely, perfect bantam EE from My Pet Chicken. For our next round we are thinking of more EEs, because our EE is such a perfect chicken. But then I went on a little jag, wanting to get true Americaunas. But, like.. why?

If I'm not ever planning to show them, is there a compelling reason to go with a Americaunas, rather than scruffy mongrel EE?

And likewise with other breeds? Like wyandottes or cochins or barred plymouth rocks or marans... any of the many other breeds I'm thinking about!

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Stick with hatcheries, unless you're interested in preserving a certain breed and breeding towards the breed standard.

 

[math ace]

I got my EE and leghorns from a hatchery because I have no intention of showing them.

I got my Marans from a BREEDER because I am looking for very dark eggs.

My next wyandottes will come from a BREEDER because
I have heard that some of the hatcheries are not selling chicks with a well defined lace pattern.

SO if you want the bird to look a certain way - - -
go to a breeder where you can see pics of the parents or current stocks.

If you just want the bird to lay an egg - - - go to a hatchery.
If you only want a few birds or want a particular look or characteristic - go to a breeder.

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

I have a mix. I only got my pure Ameraucanas to get a couple of pure blue eggs, and my pure Marans to get dark eggs.

The rest are hatchery girls, and that's fine by me. The hatcheries select for more productive birds, since more eggs = more chicks to sell. Thus they tend to be more productive in your yard as well.

In my flock the "fancier" the chicken, the fewer the eggs. The mutts and hatchery girls do most of the work, and have most of the personality.

If I ever get into showing or selling birds, I might change my tune, but I want pets and eggs, and I've got 'em.

 

[pips&peeps]

Quote:
Hey is that a blue wheaten ameraucana you're holding in that avatar?????

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

pips&peeps :

Quote:
Hey is that a blue wheaten ameraucana you're holding in that avatar?????

That is one of my purebred girls. She was from a flock of Wheaten and Blue Wheatens. She has some black markings on her tail, so I assumed she was Wheaten.... Unless you tell me otherwise.​

 

[pips&peeps]

If the feathers are black, then she is a wheaten. Aren't they the sweetest!

 

[City Gardener]

Great advice! Thanks, all. Hatcheries it is.

 

[Illia]

Honestly if you like your EE's and want more of something like that but don't really plan to have uniformity or breed, sell, or show a "better" bird, stick with hatchery EE's. I find nothing wrong with them, and as like many others say, they're a "surprise package," each one of them. Color, personality, egg color.

The only reason I'm switching to Ameraucanas is to get a bird I know will lay blue eggs, to get an attractive bird, and one that will do good in my projects. I still love my two EE chickens, but if I'm going to get serious with the whole egg color thing, I'm going to get Ameraucanas.

Buying from a breeder doesn't always mean you're going to show it, it means you want a bird that lives up to standards.

 

[greathorse]

I can only tell you from my perspective why I chose to move from a hatchery flock to a flock that is now 95% breeder stock. As my interest in poultry increased and my eye for what the standard calls for in my breeds I became aware that though I had a flock that layed eggs, pecked around my back yard etc. I really was not happy with what I saw in my yard compared to some of the awesome stuff I saw on this site.

It was a real revelation to me when I went to a show and saw what a quality Silver laced wyandotte looked like. The same when I compared my RIR to some of the great stuff I saw on here.

I also became intersted in hatching chicks. I just found little satisfaction in hatching mutts. I wanted to be challenged to hatch stock that reflected the pure bred stock that pleases my eye so much more.

I may never show a chicken but I take a lot of pleasure in feeding my purebred stock and knowing that I have birds that fairly closely reflect the breed standard.

If none of this is relevant to you then it is far easier and requires far less effort to buy from the closest hatchery to you and go from there.

I enjoy seeking out breeders and establishing relationships with them as a part of my hobby as well..

Everyone must decide for themselves which elements of the hobby are most enjoyable for them