Project birds. Do it right and get it right.

[firedude2628]

Ok, so I have to throw this out there. After seeing some "project" birds on rarebreedauctions.com, I just had to shake my head and laugh. One was described as first generation, and we can't guarantee what color offspring will be since it's first generation. Could be buff, white or pure. Come on people, if you're trying to make a new color, get it right before you try selling offspring. Learn how to breed and do the projects right! Don't sell people something when you don't even know what it is! Yeah, you might have a lot of money wrapped up in the flock, but you will have a better reputation as a breeder if you get it right before you start selling. People aren't going to pay top dollar for mix and match mutts!

 

[aoxa]

Ok, so I have to throw this out there.  After seeing some "project" birds on rarebreedauctions.com, I just had to shake my head and laugh.  One was described as first generation, and we can't guarantee what color offspring will be since it's first generation.  Could be buff, white or pure.  Come on people, if you're trying to make a new color, get it right before you try selling offspring.  Learn how to breed and do the projects right!  Don't sell people something when you don't even know what it is!  Yeah, you might have a lot of money wrapped up in the flock, but you will have a better reputation as a breeder if you get it right before you start selling.  People aren't going to pay top dollar for mix and match mutts!

:/

If you are starting a project colour, you have to sell off the ones that don't make the cut. I find it admirable that this seller was actually letting people know they were project birds, and being honest. Nothing wrong with that at all.

 

[pawtraitart]

If you are starting a project colour, you have to sell off the ones that don't make the cut. I find it admirable that this seller was actually letting people know they were project birds, and being honest. Nothing wrong with that at all.

The choices for a breeder working on project birds is:

a) Butcher all undesirable offspring
b) Sell undesirable offspring as pet chickens

I don't have a problem selling baby chicks that don't hatch with the proper down color or other unwanted traits as pets, although during the off season I have culled immediately as well. For birds that are partially grown out that don't make the cut, I do sell pet quality pullets to folks who don't breed birds. They are told up front and I price them accordingly. Cull cockerals we put in our own freezer. I do NOT however, ever sell hatching eggs out of my project bird pens unless it is to a fellow breeder who wants to help me work on the program. I don't have a problem with people who do as long as they are honest about what they are offering. I've been burned more than once from people selling "pure" birds of one breed or another and have ended up with mystery chicks.

 

[aoxa]

:/

If you are starting a project colour, you have to sell off the ones that don't make the cut. I find it admirable that this seller was actually letting people know they were project birds, and being honest. Nothing wrong with that at all.

The choices for a breeder working on project birds is:

a) Butcher all undesirable offspring 
b) Sell undesirable offspring as pet chickens

I don't have a problem selling baby chicks that don't hatch with the proper down color or other unwanted traits as pets, although during the off season I have culled immediately as well. For birds that are partially grown out that don't make the cut, I do sell pet quality pullets to folks who don't breed birds. They are told up front and I price them accordingly. Cull cockerals we put in our own freezer. I do NOT however, ever sell hatching eggs out of my project bird pens unless it is to a fellow breeder who wants to help me work on the program. I don't have a problem with people who do as long as they are honest about what they are offering. I've been burned more than once from people selling "pure" birds of one breed or another and have ended up with mystery chicks. 

That is completely understandable.

Right now my project is sizzles. Not worth eating. They are sold, and people are told that they are project birds, and first generation.

Need to get them more to the silkie standard. People loved these birds that I've sold.

 

[Georgia Boy 1970]

When I have birds from my projects that are not going to be used in the project.I just give them away to friends or family or sell them and they are labelled as mixed breeds.

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

I saw the same auction the other day. In the past with some projects, we sold eggs on ebay and right up front we mention that they are not perfect yet. Like our dun laced wyandotte bantams. When we sold eggs, we were still getting about 1/4 solid chicks but the laced ones were great. And with that color, there was no guarantee that they would be dun laced, some could hatch silver laced. We put all that out up front and people still paid $70/half dozen eggs.
Right now I am working on a few projects (as always) and I am planning on selling a cockerel from one of them. I am working on rose combed cream legbars and have an extra cockerel. I planned on sending him to Camp G.E. but I am tempted to sell him because when mated to pure hens, all the offspring should be rose combed cream legbars. Things like this I will sell because I know other folks are wanting to work on the same project but don't have the right birds so I know this will be a booster in their flock.

Hens from projects always get sold at work or swaps as 'mixed breed layer hens/pullets' because they almost always will be great layers, just not pure bred or pure color.

 

[aoxa]

I saw the same auction the other day. In the past with some projects, we sold eggs on ebay and right up front we mention that they are not perfect yet. Like our dun laced wyandotte bantams. When we sold eggs, we were still getting about 1/4 solid chicks but the laced ones were great. And with that color, there was no guarantee that they would be dun laced, some could hatch silver laced. We put all that out up front and people still paid $70/half dozen eggs.
 Right now I am working on a few projects (as always) and I am planning on selling a cockerel from one of them. I am working on rose combed cream legbars and have an extra cockerel. I planned on sending him to Camp G.E. but I am tempted to sell him because when mated to pure hens, all the offspring should be rose combed cream legbars. Things like this I will sell because I know other folks are wanting to work on the same project but don't have the right birds so I know this will be a booster in their flock.

 Hens from projects always get sold at work or swaps as 'mixed breed layer hens/pullets' because they almost always will be great layers, just not pure bred or pure color.

If you don't want project birds, don't buy them. Many people do. A chicken is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. My first generation sizzles went for $40 a pair no problem.

 

[Georgia Boy 1970]

If you don't want project birds, don't buy them. Many people do. A chicken is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. My first generation sizzles went for $40 a pair no problem.

I agree.I have paid just as much for mixed breed birds as pure bred birds.If they have an unusual look,characteristic or color that I liked and wanted it.But with 38 years of owning chickens I know what I am buying.