I agree, but there are some exceptions
Of course. Here's my way of thinking. When I'm looking for birds, I'm going to buy the best I can reasonably afford. I rarely buy birds I haven't seen in person. The times I have, they were purchased directly from "name" breeders. People who have a reputation for producing birds that show well.
My goal is to produce really nice birds, whether I choose to show or sell them. Not everyone wants to do that, nor do you need to to enjoy keeping them. It would be crazy to pay what I've paid for some birds if I just wanted some to keep on the yard.
I breed 5 different varieties. I think that's too many to allow me to focus on raising really good ones. I know exactly, when a chick hatches, who it's parents are as well as its relation to other birds in my flock. That's a lot to keep up with (thank God for zip ties and toe punches), and I only hatch around a hundred a year. Without keeping up with it, you don't have a clue when you're mating birds down the road what genes you're throwing together.
Over the next year I hope to get down to blue brassys, lemon blues and blacks. That will allow me to grow out 30-50 birds of each variety and increase my odds of getting the birds I want.
If there's anyone here who raises OEGB in large numbers, I would love input on the way you do it.
