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Interesting indeed, but I don't like how those posts have been supporting Murray McMurray or Ideal Hatchery, claiming that they keep the lines going. They don't. Ideal has been crossing Blue Wheaten and Wheaten Ameraucanas with the original stock as well as Production layers for quite some time, AND, Murray McMurray also has been using the same ol stock for a LONG time as well as adding Production layers to the genepool. Hatcheries should never be praised for breeding something and keeping it right.
Same thing with many breeds. Surveys done through the ALBC and elsewhere have highly inflated numbers for many breeds of poultry that really ARE rare because all of the hatchery line birds are counted, despite the fact that a hatchery bird and an exhibition bird of that same breed/variety placed side by side look like different breeds.
Take the wyandotte for instance. Compare a white wyandotte from a hatchery to a wyandotte bred to standard. Compare them in shape, type, size, comb quality, leg color, beak color... at the LEAST the hatchery bird will be at least half the size of the true wyandotte. Standard bred poultry are, in general, in need of preservation.
Part of the reason I keep Dewlap Toulouse despite the fact that they are hard to hatch and eat quite a lot (well, they do grow quickly, so there is payoff) is because they truly are in need of preservation. Most of the toulouse are the production type, which is quite different from the dewlap toulouse.
Exactly why I am raising heritage breeds, and some will be hatching Black Java as well.
I have raised hatchery birds for eggs only, but will not ever again.
I also vaccinate my birds.
I read an article somewhere not too long ago where a hatchery official meantioned that they, the big hatcheries and egg farms were not resposible for the avian disease outbreaks, it was we, the small home avain breeders who do not vaccinate and attend bird shows, that are spreading disease everywhere.
Made me mad...wish I could remember where I read it.
