Show Quality Chicks?

[Brahma Chicken5000]

http://eaglenestohio.com

Thank you

 

[Acre4Me]

I can’t seem to find their website on google

http://eaglenestohio.com

I do have to say I have a very hard time taking them seriously as producing exhibition quality birds when they choose to use the oh so awful "Americana" label for their Easter Eggers.

Their EE's are not listed as exhibition quality and they were up front about the fact that these were for colorful eggs, since lots of people like them. As I mentioned before, only 2 full size chicken breeds are listed in their catalogue as exhibition quality, and the EE was not one of them.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Their EE's are not listed as exhibition quality and they were up front about the fact that these were for colorful eggs, since lots of people like them. As I mentioned before, only 2 full size chicken breeds are listed in their catalogue as exhibition quality, and the EE was not one of them.

Point was they insist on carrying on that ridiculous spelling rather than just label them what they are to begin with. I realize they go on to say Easter egger and talk about rainbow of eggs blah blah blah But why even bother with the name? Something a true poultry person, especially one trying to reach the show ring, would avoid even in the non show birds they list.

 

[Acre4Me]

http://eaglenestohio.com

I do have to say I have a very hard time taking them seriously as producing exhibition quality birds when they choose to use the oh so awful "Americana" label for their Easter Eggers. There is exhibition quality for 4H/FFA and and there is true years of time invested developing a line of standard of perfection showbird

Yes, I think that it is confusing for the hobbyist as the names are similar for EE birds, and without doing research I wouldn't have been aware about true to breed, etc. However very quickly in reading up on EE's, it was clear to me (a complete and utter chicken novice) that any EE with the spelling of Americana was not a true to breed type. We are buying from Eagles nest since they are closer to us than Meyer. Recently I purchased from Meyer and received a full box of ALL dead chicks via USPS. This was very disappointing to my child, so I figured for our first batch of chicks I could either buy whatever TSC or RK sells, or get a selection of healthy chicks in person. I would consider getting mailed chicks again, but after we get a flock established. The colorful eggs of an EE were important to my 11yo, whereas breed standard was not. The person at Eagles nest indicated you won't know the color an EE will produce until they start to lay, so that is exciting to my child!

 

[Acre4Me]

Point was they insist on carrying on that ridiculous spelling rather than just label them what they are to begin with. I realize they go on to say Easter egger and talk about rainbow of eggs blah blah blah But why even bother with the name? Something a true poultry person, especially one trying to reach the show ring, would avoid even in the non show birds they list.

Yes, as a novice, I came to realize pretty quickly that most EE's aren't true to breed, but that there is a real breed in there somewhere that would take some serious research to know that you were getting the right thing. However, from my limited knowledge and research, it seems that a big hatchery is not the place for getting any kind of show or exhibition birds, but rather someone who focuses on that breed. I got the impression that Eagles Nest works with smaller breeders for getting eggs (all? or just some of them?), since the person I spoke to mentioned some other breeders. This may be why they offer "exhibition quality" if they are working with specialized breeders to obtain eggs for certain breeds.

 

[Folly's place]

I did get healthy chicks from eagle's Nest a few years ago, but the Belgian d'Uccle 'SQ' birds weren't.
Generally, it's necessary to get a fairly large number of chicks from ANY breeder, and select a very few of them for showing. The percentage of truly SQ birds from any hatching seems pretty small, IMO. Then again, a 4H show isn't going to be the same as a big national breed show! And, for juniors, there's the showing classes, which would be more fun anyway.
Pick some breeds that interest you, and then find sources.
Mary

 

[Acre4Me]

Generally, it's necessary to get a fairly large number of chicks from ANY breeder, and select a very few of them for showing. The percentage of truly SQ birds from any hatching seems pretty small, IMO.
Mary

Probably very true. I've never shown an animal, and that is not what I am looking for anyway. But, I did work with a woman who showed dogs. It was interesting to hear her stories of how she would screen potential puppies for the types of shows she was involved in (for purchase and further training) and how many she would decline due to whatever it is she was looking for. My 11yo may decide to participate in 4-H poultry shows, so it may be a more important issue in the future! For now, we just want some healthy living chicks to begin our poultry adventures! And for the record, my 11yo thinks the EE's look like the dwarves in Lord of the Rings (ear tufts and beards), and has already decided on some dwarf names for them - kinda funny since the dwarves are all males in the movie!

 

[MadisonOde]

I am interested in Speckled Sussexs, Wyandottes, Orpingtons, and Marans. Maybe a couple of others too

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Point was they insist on carrying on that ridiculous spelling rather than just label them what they are to begin with. I realize they go on to say Easter egger and talk about rainbow of eggs blah blah blah But why even bother with the name? Something a true poultry person, especially one trying to reach the show ring, would avoid even in the non show birds they list.

It is hard to trust someone that misspells what they are trying to sell. Maybe the misspelling is intended.

I did get healthy chicks from eagle's Nest a few years ago, but the Belgian d'Uccle 'SQ' birds weren't.
Generally, it's necessary to get a fairly large number of chicks from ANY breeder, and select a very few of them for showing. The percentage of truly SQ birds from any hatching seems pretty small, IMO. Then again, a 4H show isn't going to be the same as a big national breed show! And, for juniors, there's the showing classes, which would be more fun anyway.
Pick some breeds that interest you, and then find sources.
Mary

So true. If someone got enough birds from a regular hatchery, there would likely be a few stars in that group.
I sometimes quote a line from Greenfire Farms website. It says, "You should not expect a cosmetically perfect bird. In fact, you should expect to find some defects in virtually every bird you raise. Just as every child is not destined to become a supermodel, every bird is not destined to win ribbons at shows. Only a tiny fraction of chickens conform to their breed standard in all respects. We do not represent that every bird we sell is show quality or is flawless."

I am interested in Speckled Sussexs, Wyandottes, Orpingtons, and Marans. Maybe a couple of others too

If the requirement is that you show your birds in order to keep them, You don't have to buy a supposed "show quality" bird in order to show your birds.
Perhaps @Acre4Me approach would work. Look for those in your state that have NPIP flocks. Your state Department of Agriculture should be able to provide that to you.
The Missouri Ag Department publishes The Missouri Poultry Yearbook online. It lists every NPIP flock in the state. Lots of those people show.
http://agriculture.mo.gov/animals/pdf/poultry_yearbook.pdf
A poultry show doesn't require that exhibitors only show birds that someone has deemed 'show quality'.

 

[Alexandra33]

Not terribly sure if their birds are "truly" exhibition-quality as I am no judge of specimens, but I do love Eagle Nest. I have bought most of my bantams (a large variety) from them, and been quite satisfied with their birds' looks/health. Definitely will continue to be a consistent customer. Completely agree, it's irritating when hatcheries mislabel Easter Eggers as Ameraucanas, as Eagle Nest does concerning their large fowl, but they do in fact sell true Wheaten Ameraucana bantams. My pair is absolutely lovely. An Ameraucana breeder once stated my hen, Selah, was nice enough to use for breeding. Most (if not all) of the birds shown in our county's fair each year are Eagle Nest stock. For whatever it's worth, I had to put in a good word!

~Alex