What are differences between buying from a hatchery versus a breeder?

[faykokoWV]

hackles down and back on topic guys....

play nice

 

[punky rooster]

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[Illia]

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x2

I get my "knowledge" from the same sources many other people do. It's not inaccessible.

 

[Chickielady]

It is true, that anyone can access knowledge and study, on the web, through lecture, understudy, experience or/ and books, and am I leaving anything out ?
The big question is, that this is not a challenge of who has more knowledge nor where such a person got the knowledge.
The fact is, this person HAS the knowledge.
And so do many more.

And those that choose to no study, that have more fun watching TV for example, will always be jealouse of those that actually KNOW something about anything.
My DH studies Chervrolet like a hawk.
NO ONE can know more than this guy

And so it goes.
We all have what we love, and even not, those that study will always rule the earth.

 

[UrbanGrower]

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What breed are you looking for? we are happy to help

I guess I really don't know. I'm mostly concerned with the short production life of my hatchery birds. Instead I want a bird that will put a decent number eggs on the table (less is ok) for many years. I don't like the idea of replacing them as that doesn't seem to coincide with the grand scheme we call nature. Maybe that is achieved well by many breeds. I'm pretty amazed by how much better a bred chicken looks at maturity in comparison. I was hoping there was a good source to show all the breeds with nice crisp pics. Maybe that doesn't exist?

For now I'm using the Henderson's Breed Chart, maybe that will work.

 

[teddiliza]

Quoting the original topic...... What are the differences between buying from a hatchery versus a breeder? --The answer is what are your personal goals......but in my opinion a breeder is generally someone who has fallen in love with their particular breeds and is infatuated like an artist in making their flock develop into what they want-- whether it be for show or production. You find what you really like about that breed and try to make that easily apparent in your flock.


I loved the hatchery birds I've bought from the feed store, and I really think it's a great way to find what breeds you like, and what characteristics you need from a chicken. I've decided for my large fowl, I want friendly, cuddleable, pickupable hardy hens who are reliable egg layers all year round for at least 3 years-- Quantity of eggs isn't important to me as: Lays at least 2 eggs per week all year long. For a large rooster-- I want a big Teddy bear that won't scratch up the hens backs, is calm and doesn't crow alot. Since I'm not breeding the large fowl I don't even care if he's all that fertile. I don't care if they meet the standard or can be shown.

But for my bantams, A bantam purchase from the feed store helped me discover the wonderful little bantam d'uccles, and they are the bantam breed I've decided I want to get serious about. I never gave showing a thought until I discovered how cute & sweet these birds were and wanted to 'Show them off'. I bought an incubator after deciding the roosters were too sweet to get rid of, and that started it all. So I bought some hatching eggs from a breeder and got two pretty good looking roosters that I'm breeding with some hatchery hens. It's a start, but I do find myself keeping the ones that have the sweet temperment I'm looking for and the fluffy beards & muffs and amply feathered feet and full figured look. (no skinny necks). For the rooster's I'm only keeping the ones who have the right # of points on their comb, and all the previously listed characteristics since I need to be more choosy. I try to find homes for my extra roosters unless they appear sick or unhardy or have a mean streak-- which means they get culled. Because I'm infatuated with the breed I obsessively read up on everything I can find about them and look for others who have the same breed with stock that has the characteristics I'm looking for. So I'm kind of on the doorstep of 'hobbyist turning breeder'.

 

[speckledhen]

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I did exactly the same thing. I am not sure I will love the D'Uccles so when my broody hatched chicks, I bought what turned out to be a trio of MF D'Uccles from the assorted bantam bin at the feed store to see if I would like them. If I do, I may be buying eggs from a breeder, but for now, these are perfectly fine for me. They serve the purpose that I had in mind.

 

[new chick 203]

I guess that leads me to the next question. How do you know the difference between a good breeder and someone who is just producing allot of birds (a la hatcheries) .

I want to ask the right questions and I am still on the front end of the learning curve. I know with time and experience it will be more obvious, but for now I don't know the warning signs to look for.

 

[EweSheep]

There is a special place in my heart with several hatcheries which I've had in mind. I've had with the good and bad with both of them but to each their own.

Marti's Poultry, I love their EE's because of their friendliness and wild and wide assortment of colors and they were pretty close to the standard in comformation wise. Egg color was the same across the board, no differences in them in shade, that is what was disppointing for me.

Ideal hatchery--for their Spitzhaubens, I love them all and I find them very interesting breed but have to do alot of work culling them. Wished for breeders but they are facing the same problems with their hairdo's and body types. Love their EE's too!

McMurray--they were the first hatchery I've had twenty years ago, had fun with them and wide ranges of colors and the excitement of raising the chicks to adult. Sadly the ones today are poorer quality, not good colors and the RIR does not look like RIRs, Hamburgs looks like mixed up freaks of wild colors more mottled than spangles and the vigor is poor. Just disappointed. However their EE's would be the only ones I would buy from them.

As for the newbies, it never hurt to start off with hatchery birds until they figure out which breeds they want to work from and go for the more pricer and exhibition birds.

 

[Happy Chooks]

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Watch the hatching eggs auctions here. They frequently have pictures of their stock (very important), but also you can see how many people bid on them. Of course you always have the "hot" item of the year that everyone wants to bid on (last year it seemed to be blue laced red wyandottes). After you watch them intensely for a while, you can compare the stock of people selling the same breeds. Certain breeds like Ameraucana's and Marans, egg color is just as important as the birds. This can be more difficult though, as egg colors are hard to photograph. (especially blue eggs)

For me, I look for breeders that sell a few different breeds. There are exceptions of course, but in my opinion someone that sells 20 different breeds can't really focus on improving each breed.