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- #3,881
As Yard Full 'o Rocks said above, the reality is that these aren't businesses. Raising, breeding and exhibiting top birds is a hobby. There's no splashy web entry point for sales, no colorful catalogs to pour over, no local TSC or feed store outlets as there are for mass produced, non standard chicks.
There is a lot of need for phone conversations, face to face handshakes and meet 'n greets at exhibitions and club meetings. This is still the way most of this is done in the culture of this hobby.
Many breeders only have a relatively small number of birds to sell each year. Certainly not thousands and usually, not even hundreds. Many prefer to share stock with those they can help along in the hobby. On the whole, this hobby is shared by some of the most generous and wonderful people, but again, this is a hobby and folks have full time jobs, families, church responsibilities, chores to do, club duties, and so forth. Answering every email that comes their way isn't a high priority and cannot be done. Who would spend a hour or two each night doing this? Few will. These are just private citizens and they regard most of the inquiries as they would spam.
As a Barred Rock breeder myself, one of the issues is simply the popularity of the variety. It is THE most recognized chicken variety ever produced so a lot of folks who have a nostalgic longing for the birds, really would be much better served getting egg layers, off standard, "Barred Rocks" from a bin at their local feed store. They'll be much happier with them and life will be good.
Getting strains of breeding stock capable of producing exhibition quality Barred Rocks is much more challenging. It can be done through patience and learning how and where to meet the hobbyists with this variety. Local eggs might come available in April. 6 week old chicks in May or June and started K's and P's in October. Please keep in touch. It all works out.
BTW, juveniles shipped is pretty easy on them. The time elapse is only 24 hours, door to door, as live birds go by air. A little Gro Gell or apple slices to tide them over and they're just fine upon arrival. No problems.
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lol!
