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

[HallFamilyFarm]

There is a Chevy....GMC....Pontiac....Oldsmobile...Cadillac!

Then there is a Ford .... Mercury....Lincoln! (They also had the Edsel, but we won't mention them).

Do you want a Chevy or a Cadillac? A Ford F150 chasis is the same as a Lincoln p/u chasis. Just a bit more style. The look similiar, but there are definite differences. It is difficult to describe in print the differences. You really just have to see the differences in person.

Here is a hatchery Buff Duck:

Here is a Standard bred Exhibition Buff Duck:

 

[al6517]

Just a post to let some of you folks know a little about the inner workings of hatcheries, this post is from another member of BYC who allowed me to share it, he was a hatchery breeder contractor.

AL

Years ago we had a large multi-breed farm in Missouri and was one of the breeders that supplied eggs to one of the local hatcheries. I'm not naming names and it was many years ago, so their business practices might have changed in that time.
We had to be NPIP and I think alot of the breeders were supplied their chicks (Which eventually became their breeding stock) originally by the hatchery they sold eggs to, we didn't as we already had large established flocks, but I think the hatchery did sorta start some of the farms. I know we were called a few times over the years asking if we would be interested in raising X breed for them.
We had to sign an agreement to keep our flocks pure, keep our NPIP current, sell our eggs ONLY to this hatchery, and follow "Industry standards" of husbandry. We delevered our eggs to the hatchery once a week, they had to be marked on the trays as to breed, variety and date eggs were collected. Other's might have been different, but they bought all we delivered. I'm sure there were those who sold outside their contract, but the hatchery we dealt with had a rule of all breeders they bought eggs from had to be within I think it was 60 miles of the hatchery.
We originally started out raising to hatch ourselves and sold our chicks and started birds at auctions, flea markets, livestock clubs and shows, etc... Raising eggs for the hatchery was a sideline business that just got bigger and bigger.

I know Ideal has some at least of their own breeding stock because they have a breeding farm about 7 or 8 miles from the hatchery. Huge operation! The hatchery I dealt with raised like 5 breeds, the rest were raised for them by small breeders and farms.

I've often wondered if thing were still ran that way.

BTW, we raised chickens back then, not show stock, not breeder quality and definatly not up to SOP. That was never a goal. The goal was to sell eggs, and lots of them! I did have breeds I had my own little breeding strains going just for myself. I didn't show, but lots of folks did that I sold these "Special" birds to, and several won ribbons, trophies, etc... When I had extra eggs, they went in the trays with the rest of the eggs from the run of the mill breeders of the same breeds. When I see that someone won something with hatchery birds, I can't help but wonder if the egg sellers today do the same thing.

You have to remember also, this was before computers, the internet, etc.. Selling hatching eggs to the average person wasn't much of an option back then.

 

[EweSheep]

That was MSFarmboy's quotes and I love the candid response! Thanks for bringing it over here Al!

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

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It was orginially posted at the Ideal Poultry: A look inside the hatchery! thread at https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=450193&p=3

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

A friend of mine in NE Arkansas said his father-inlaw wanted some pretty layers. They ordered Buff Orpingtons from Cackle Hatchery. Some of those did well at some larger poultry shows. Seems Cackle has added some show quality males. I have considered ordering some Buff Orpington pullets from Cackle just to see their quality. If they are good enough, then I can mate my SQ male to them. Dan Honour stated on the Buff Leghorn thread he has considered ordering 100 Buff Leghorn pullets from Ideal and cull heavey. This would add a better egg production to his. He would amte the pullets to his top SQ males, keeping the lines seperate until he has a SQ high production line. If anyone could do this, it would be Dan.

Take the Redcaps. Are there any breeders of SQ Redcaps? If it was not for the hatcheries the Redcap might be exstinct. So the quality is not as good. At least a resemblance of some breeds still exist.

 

[WallTenters]

I guess it depends on your breed. Some breeds, like the Buff Orpingtons mentioned above, may be available with some quality at a certain hatchery. Other breeds, like Rhode Island Reds, there is such a huge difference between hatchery birds and quality breeder birds.

I noticed several posts about hatcheries going for egg laying only. I have sometimes found the opposite to be true. Hatchery flocks are much larger, so there is generally a lot less culling involved. A SQ breeder may have 5, 10, or even 100 or more hens, but they're only winning and doing well because they've culled and culled and culled and culled and culled...

This culling can involve taking out hens that aren't laying well. Sure, a breeder may want to keep a poor layer because she's got incredible type, color, or whatever they need in their flock. Unfortunately - she's not laying well. I think most breeders (I hope) are realistic and know when to say no to a beautiful hen

or at least watch her offspring in coming generations for the same faults. Some breeds are not meant to be excellent layers, so that's not a huge concern for breeders of that breed, but a hen has to lay enough eggs to be able to get some fertile ones to hatch.

For very rare breeds, it's often much easier to get them from a hatchery (if they are carried) and build up your flock from there. If there is only a handful of reputable breeders out there, and they all have the same bloodlines, but the hatchery has different lines... who would you buy from?

Not all hatchery birds are terrible. Not all breeder's birds are wonderful. The majority of the time, a quality breeder's birds will be much closer to the standard for that breed (in every way, including production) as hatchery birds.

 

[draye]

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I agree to this!!!!!

 

[lildinkem]

I know many want hatchery just for the egg production, but I like to think a well bred bird from a quality breeder's line can produce as well as many hatchery birds. Example: Last summer I was getting routinely 8 eggs outta 10 days from my Exhibition line Black Orps continously all summer long. When it hit 95 degrees that did not slow them down. I had one pullet in with one cock in my juvie Black Orp grow out pen. I do this to help the young boys see how it is done. It worked like a charm. My young juvies now are hittin the nail on the head and haven't had a non fertile egg since their girls started to lay. My only problem is they like to hide their eggs in the least likely spot. Now I have their 5 gallon bucket nesting boxes were they were laying and were golden.

 

[Chickielady]

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OK excellent point!!

 

[punky rooster]

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