My chickens are shrimps...

[SlipsWife]

We have Cackle and Privett chickens. Health wise there's no complaints. For the most part they are laying and doing what they should do. They look like their breeds, I'm sure just hatchery quality but that's all we are looking for. Temperaments (minus one rooster who no longer resides here...) they are all pretty good. The Privett chicks have always been more standoffish, we blame ourselves for not handling them as much as our first group. All in all, no complaints BUT...

THEY ARE SHRIMPY! Seriously, if other chickens ever saw our chickens, they would laugh at them. We didn't really notice it until we went to visit our local FFA and saw their chickens. It's like comparing Chihuahua's to Great Danes...seriously. Their silky was the size of our standard girls. We are feeding them the same feed they use. The only difference is we did let ours free range once old enough (but still fed them). Could it be that they are hatchery stock? Could the free ranging played a factor? It doesn't matter once it's all said and done, we aren't that worried about it but I was wondering if there's really that much difference between hatchery stock and private breeding. My husband said something about trying to get a few of their chickens but we can have 2 for every 1 of theirs space wise!

 

[popsicle]

It could be feed or something else. What breeds do you have?

My current flock are all from Cackle and Welp (so Privett).

My Cackle Silver Laced Wyandotte and Welp Rhode Island Red are the only two that're smaller than should be. The rest are big. I'll try to remember to take a scale out and get weights on a couple.

I've currently got from Cackle: Cuckoo Marans, BSL, red layers (came in a surprise assortment so I don't know what they're sold as) and EE. From Welp I've got: Rhode Island Red (that's what she was labeled as, but actually a production red), Jersey Giant and Dark Brahma (also had SLW, California White, Light Brahma from Welp). I guess the Dark Brahma is smaller than ideal for Brahmas, but I think it's fairly common for the hatchery darks to be small.

 

[BGMatt]

We have Cackle and Privett chickens. Health wise there's no complaints. For the most part they are laying and doing what they should do. They look like their breeds, I'm sure just hatchery quality but that's all we are looking for. Temperaments (minus one rooster who no longer resides here...) they are all pretty good. The Privett chicks have always been more standoffish, we blame ourselves for not handling them as much as our first group. All in all, no complaints BUT...

THEY ARE SHRIMPY! Seriously, if other chickens ever saw our chickens, they would laugh at them. We didn't really notice it until we went to visit our local FFA and saw their chickens. It's like comparing Chihuahua's to Great Danes...seriously. Their silky was the size of our standard girls. We are feeding them the same feed they use. The only difference is we did let ours free range once old enough (but still fed them). Could it be that they are hatchery stock? Could the free ranging played a factor? It doesn't matter once it's all said and done, we aren't that worried about it but I was wondering if there's really that much difference between hatchery stock and private breeding. My husband said something about trying to get a few of their chickens but we can have 2 for every 1 of theirs space wise!

It is very common for hatchery stock to be severely undersized. Yes there really is that much difference between hatchery birds and the real thing.

 

[Michael Apple]

It is very common for hatchery stock to be severely undersized. Yes there really is that much difference between hatchery birds and the real thing.

That is a broad statement to make, and little truth in it from what I've seen over plenty of years. Some hatcheries produce better lines of birds than private breeders and their "real thing".

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
x2

 

[BGMatt]

That is a broad statement to make, and little truth in it from what I've seen over plenty of years. Some hatcheries produce better lines of birds than private breeders and their "real thing".

You either know horrible breeders, or top secret hatcheries the rest of us don't know about then. 20+ years, and having raised over eighty breeds and varieties personally back up my statement. The difference is even more apparent in the dual purpose birds, and the bigger the bird is supposed to be the more apparent the size difference is. I'm not exaggerating when I say that hatchery Langshans can't even look over the back of my birds. Or that hatchery Leghorns are barely bigger than bantam Leghorns.

I see you're in Northern CA, perhaps consider checking out the largest poultry show on the west coast is in Stockton, CA this weekend, you can see for yourself what the real birds are supposed to look like and then compare it to the hatchery birds. It'll blow your mind.

Edit to add a picture:
Breeder bird on Left, Hatchery on Right:

 

[Michael Apple]

You either know horrible breeders, or top secret hatcheries the rest of us don't know about then. 20+ years, and having raised over eighty breeds and varieties personally back up my statement. The difference is even more apparent in the dual purpose birds, and the bigger the bird is supposed to be the more apparent the size difference is. I'm not exaggerating when I say that hatchery Langshans can't even look over the back of my birds. Or that hatchery Leghorns are barely bigger than bantam Leghorns.

I see you're in Northern CA, perhaps consider checking out the largest poultry show on the west coast is in Stockton, CA this weekend, you can see for yourself what the real birds are supposed to look like and then compare it to the hatchery birds. It'll blow your mind.

Edit to add a picture:

Been to plenty of shows including the Pacific Poultry Breeders shows. I have 10+ years on you, BGMatt. I don't think you know what you're talking about, or perhaps just trying to sell your own birds.

 

[BGMatt]

Been to plenty of shows including the Pacific Poultry Breeders shows. I don't think you know what you're talking about, or perhaps just trying to sell your own birds.

I don't need to sell more birds, I've already have an extensive waiting list thanks for your concern. If you really can't see the difference between a quality bird and a hatchery bird...I don't even know what to say, nothing I can say to that, just another novice I guess.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:

How about private breeders breeding their birds bigger? I've seen some breeds at shoes where the chickens were grossly big. I don't think all breeds are normally as big as a Jersey Giant.

30% of my chickens are hatchery, and they are all appropriate size. In fact my first 3 chicks were from a hatchery, and they are still with me laying. They are 6 1/2 years old and I still get eggs from them.

 

[ten chicks]

FYI regarding comment about the size of silkies,you do realize that silkies come in bantam and standard size.

Those photos are ridiculous,seriously the birds all the look the same,the only difference is the birds on the right are heavier,probably from receiving a better diet or they are older. There is no proof at all as to the age of birds,and these photos are for the benefit of whomever Dark Star Farms is to "promote" their business!

This blanket statement of breeder birds being better over hatchery birds,is to be taken with a grain of salt.