hatchery vs heritage

[chickenbythesea]

I am wondering if it's just me or do others find that there is a big difference between hatchery chickens and heritage breeds? We started out last year with hatchery chickens (golden comets). They were cheap and cheerful and we thought a great way to start off. These chicks were friendly, clean and pleasant. Their coop never smelt bad and we loved sitting in the coop and run with them.... we still do.

This year we got heritage breeds: silver laced wyandotte, RIR, and silver spangled hamburg (lavender orp's are coming on sunday). They are so unfriendly you can't get near them. Their water is constantly dirty and the brooder stinks. I would never have imagined there could be such a difference in birds... has the hatchery breed all these negatives out? I am wondering how it'll go when we merge the two groups. I was worried about the babies at first but now I think it's my big girls that might get the short end of the stick.

Has anyone else noticed this huge difference in breeds and how they smell, react and behave?

 

[Pele]

Hrm, there are a lot of factors that can go into this. When you say heritage, do you mean that you got them from a breeder? Or did you get them from a hatchery that labled them as 'heritage'?

 

[chickenbythesea]

no, from a local farmer who specializes in heritage breeds. His site is ActiveLifeFarm.ca

 

[Pele]

Ah, that's probably the issue then. All of the breeds you listed can get personality issues if they are not carefully cultivated by a breeder for certain qualities. A farmer is probably more concerned with production than personality. It sounds like his birds are high energy too, if they are getting into their water and not bearing confinement well.

I got a SLW from a bad line that I actually ended up giving away at 6 weeks. She was a nasty peice of work. She'd keep the other chicks from their food, relentlessly torment them, peck at me, etc. I got rid of her, then found a quality breeder, and got sweet docile girls that made all the difference.