Here's what true of 90% of these high quality birds, birds bred to standard and likely to produce birds of quality to exhibit.
No, they're not available from hatcheries.
Yes, they have to be gotten from fanciers who keep, breed, improve, and exhibit them. That breeder is very likely to a major player in the breed club for that breed. One is wise to start there. Join that club and get involved. There, usually through that famous social media site, one starts to rub shoulders with people who share a love for that breed and know all the tops breeders, who's who and who might have stock for sale. Breeders show for reasons of peer review and to share the hobby. The love of the breed comes first and breeding and exhibitions follow naturally. It would be extremely rare to find a truly reputable breeder who hasn't exhibited his/her stock for peer review and self evaluation for inner blindness.
Exhibitions themselves provide a major transaction place for stock. Arrangements for stock are often pre-arranged or at least, breeders can be met, hands get shaken, introductions made and friendship forged.
This isn't a business like a hatchery is. This is a hobby and these birds are kept by hobbyists. You've got to go into that world to know who's who. Join the APA or ABA and you'll receive a yearbook. In that thick yearbook are advertisements and contact information posted by great breeders of all the major breeds and by some of the most obscure. But you gotta join the APA to actually get that yearbook. Again, this is a hobby not a business, per se. You've got to get into that world to get hooked up. Just the way it is.
So hopefully, you'll re-read carefully what I've shared and you'll be on your way. It's how I got into this and it is how everyone gets into this. Social networking and connecting. One well known social networking site has literally hundreds of breed specific "groups" where the birds are discussed and friendships and acquaintances made. That's how it is done. Since it sin't done the way folks here get chicks from a feedstore or a hatchery catalog or online site, it seems a mystery to so many people. It isn't really meant to be a secret society and it is far from being one. But it is a hobby, not an advertised business so social networking, by phone, in person at a show, by connecting? You'll it done. That is truly how it is done. It's pretty good stuff.
but I'm not looking to show, I just don't want the stock they have at the hatcheries. I am only a small free range setup and am just looking for quality birds for personal use. I feel any breeding of heritage breeds should be done to at least maintain breed standards. I just thought maybe there was a farm that sold what I am looking for.
