Just Ordered from Holderreads

[Frizzledhen]

I just ordered 4 white sabastoplo goslings from Holderreads. These goslings are from their exhibition birds. I think they have very good prices and an excellent selection of waterfowl to choose from. They have some very good packages made up from ducklings and goslings left over from filled orders at a substantial savings. If you are looking for very good quality to excellent quality in your ducklings or goslings, Holderreads is the place to go. Although you can't oder only little girls, you can order pairs of sabastopols. I am so excited, can't hardly wait.

 

[Crunchie]

YAY! Sebbies are so gorgeous (and so adorable as goslings). I'm on the list of a local breeder for a couple of goslings sometime this year. I can't wait, either! But we're not ready for them yet....it's a good thing they haven't hatched yet, we've got enough going on around here....

I've heard good things about Holderreads. Hope you find something to keep you occupied while you wait for those cuties!!

 

[Frizzledhen]

Thanks Crunchie. I have plenty to do to get ready for my sebies. I even joined a yahoo goose group so I can learn everything I need to know. It was all I could do not to order their runner collection too. Great looking birds. They look like little soldiers all lined up at attention.

 

[Professional]

I just ordered 4 white sabastoplo goslings from Holderreads.

Good luck. Hopefully you'll get what it is you think you're paying for.​

 

[Frizzledhen]

Why? Have you had problems with them? They came with a great recommendation. They sell both good quality and from their exhibition flock which is what I ordered. Not all goslings, even from their exhibition flock will be exhibition quality. We all know that. But my odds are much better than buying from non exhibition birds.

 

[Professional]

Many have had problems with them. They are still riding on a reputation from years past, but many people have experienced problems since they've changed from a smaller dedicated preservationist, to basically a commercial hatchery. Still, you're probably going to get birds which will be closer to show type than from any other hatchery. You're expectations are reasonable, so that's good, but I've known people to order show quality adults, and receive much less.

Some common complaints about their claims that I've heard:

This business about raising 2 or 3 to get one show bird. Highly optimistic at best. False advertising at worst. Anyone who raises exhibition birds knows that the real number is 10 times that, 20 or 30 to get one good show bird, more or less depending on the breed, variety, and the skill of the breeder.

Unsubstantiated claims about the origin of some of their breeds: the Australian spotted is supposedly a hybrid of Call, Mallard, Pintail and some mysterious Australian species. No explaination is made to account for how a single hybrid has come to be fertile, let alone how a cross from multiple species came to successfully reproduce. It's a nice story, and they are a neat little breed in their own right, but the claimed origin is suspect. Same with the so-called Ancona duck. Supposedly from England, none of the English exhibitors or writers have ever mentioned it. It appears to be nothing more than a crossbred, mismarked Magpie. Is it just a coincidence that the same hatchery also sells magpies, which often hatch with mismarks that can't be sold as honestly representing the breed?

His books, on the other hand, are top notch. While his goose book is slightly outdated, it's still a great book, one of the best out there. Same with his duck book, which has an equal, but none better.

 

[Frizzledhen]

Thank you Professional for some very thought pervoking material. I can't personally say anything one way or the other. I have always heard that they are a top notch breeder of exhibition birds. So who now holds that title? Do you know or have an opinion?
Thanks,
Gayle

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

You will have to let us know how they turn out. I noticed that he sells smooth and curly breasted sebastopols, which 'variety' did you get? His lavender sebastapols look great, but I dont really want to spend that much money on a gosling that there is no garuntee of its quality, or if it will live. Remember, even though the birds come from show stock, there is a high chance that they wont be show birds. We raise white wyandotte bantams, and it seems that out of every hundred chicks, we only get maybe 10 worth showing. The main thing with buying goslings/chicks is that there is no garuntee of anything, other than that you will get a $50 gosling. We got chocolate runners from holderreads from their exhibition runner duckling assortment, and they are the same quality of the chocolate runners we got from Metzers. I agree, they are probably over rated, but thats just me.

 

[Frizzledhen]

Ok, my humungous bubble has burst. My dream of having show quality birds was probably just that, a dream. I haven't got the guts to show anything anyway. As long as they don't have angle wings I will be happy.
I don't have them yet flyingmonkeypoop but when I get them I will let you know. I will hijack my granddaughter and make her take pix so I can post them. Guess I will go play with my chickens.

 

[ksacres]

Frizzled:

I have heard the same thing about Holderread's, but it pays to remember that unsatisfied customers are a lot louder than happy ones. Perhaps their voices have just been overshadowed?

Maybe you'll get some of those "one in a hundred" birds. Don't give up hope yet-you don't even have the goslings! Good luck.