Why? Because you are a breeder and you make money off putting down one product and promoting another.
You know, I almost started to think like you you a few years back.
That the breeders all knocked the hatcheries just to drum up business for themselves.
I began going to shows and REALLY looking at the birds. The breeder birds are not just cosmetically better, they are the TRUE, REAL DEAL, what the breed was intended to be. A Wyandotte or an Orpington from a breeder are literally twice the size of many hatcheries bird of the same breed. If all you want are eggs, the many larger hatcheries breeds are great. If you want real "dual-purpose", or real birds of any breed with the correct traits that make the breed great, you need to get them from a real breeder. Hatcheries serve a great purpose, but producing standard bred birds they do not do all that well. I'm really sorry that you had a bad experience with ONE breeder. There are many good ones out there. There are APA shows in your area, there are chickenstocks, there are all these message boards and forums. You CAN find breeders , that are producing good honest fowl. You may have to be patient, you may have to drive long distances, or ship birds. That's just how it is. I just drove 3 1/2 hours today to trade chickens with a friend. I've waited nearly a year for birds, and driven 2-3 hours to meet people at shows to pick up birds. If you really want good birds, they are there. The breeder versions of the birds are so very, very ,worth it. They all cost the same to keep. Why not keep the best you can get?
You know, I almost started to think like you you a few years back.
That the breeders all knocked the hatcheries just to drum up business for themselves.
I began going to shows and REALLY looking at the birds. The breeder birds are not just cosmetically better, they are the TRUE, REAL DEAL, what the breed was intended to be. A Wyandotte or an Orpington from a breeder are literally twice the size of many hatcheries bird of the same breed. If all you want are eggs, the many larger hatcheries breeds are great. If you want real "dual-purpose", or real birds of any breed with the correct traits that make the breed great, you need to get them from a real breeder. Hatcheries serve a great purpose, but producing standard bred birds they do not do all that well. I'm really sorry that you had a bad experience with ONE breeder. There are many good ones out there. There are APA shows in your area, there are chickenstocks, there are all these message boards and forums. You CAN find breeders , that are producing good honest fowl. You may have to be patient, you may have to drive long distances, or ship birds. That's just how it is. I just drove 3 1/2 hours today to trade chickens with a friend. I've waited nearly a year for birds, and driven 2-3 hours to meet people at shows to pick up birds. If you really want good birds, they are there. The breeder versions of the birds are so very, very ,worth it. They all cost the same to keep. Why not keep the best you can get?