pedigree - proof of heritage

[John-1948]

I am new to this streamlined poultry stuff. Now, am developing a keen interest in the
magnificent breeds, cross breeds and hybrids you guys are showing !!!!
I think chickens, just by themselves alone, are a Gift from the Gods.


my question is this ........... with dogs, cats, cows, horses, etc etc etc
you get papers with them to prove heritage, parentage, etc.

I see so many advertisements of VERY RARE - VERY VERY RARE - GLOBAL RARITY
from GreenFire Farm, Aunt Rosie's Barnyard, etc etc etc .....
I know that buying from an online source is like buying a used car .... you get what you pay for.
So, without actual pedigree documentation, how can one tell how pure the strain is ??

I often see 6 Legbar eggs for $20.00 then 6 for $90.00 and both say from GreenFire line.
I guess it is the same as us humans saying we are from the Adam & Eve line ???

sooooooooooooooooo what is one to do ???

any pointers into the right direction will be most appreciated !!

 

[Fred's Hens]

A chicken doesn't come with papers, as a dog would. Chickens are judged, at poultry shows. They are judged according the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection. High quality, top strains of breeds, in the hands of a skillful breeder sometimes represent decades of careful breeding.

The internet has created a virtual world where poultry and hatching eggs are sold everywhere. The odds are great that not everything is as it would appear to be. Buyer beware.

Take your time. Focus on one breed at a time. Discover who really has the very best birds, who has shown them with champion results, personally look at the parent stock of the birds you are considering, enlist the wisdom of those very, very familiar with the breed. Ask on the thread here dedicated to the breed you seek. There is a thread for almost every breed. Take your time to read a few hundred pages of such a thread.

Finally, go to a major poultry show yourself and look at the magnificent fowl with your own eyes. You'd be amazed.

Take your time to get educated, as an educated buyer is not easily fooled and not easily taken advantage of when shopping.