what can i expect from hatchery birds?

[mike8937]

i bought black giants, buff orpingtons and barred rocks from mt.healthy hatcheries. i think my birds are nice but can i expect them to be true to the breeds or are these industrialized birds? i wish i knew i could have bought eggs from a more specialized breeder but would i really be getting better birds for sure?

 

[FireTigeris]

better for what?

My breeder birds have been less healthy two different occasions, my hatchery birds have not have any hatchery bird problems (blow out, egg issues...)- but they are not close to standard.

I would not show these mutty looking birds.

I love them just the same as the fancier breeder birds.

 

[mike8937]

by better i would mean holding true to breed standards. i wouldnt expect all my birds to be show birds but should be at least close to the standards. i would have never thought that a breeder bird could have more health issues over mass produced chicks. all my birds are in great health, are great foragers even tho they are only 2 months old and they get along very well(so far). maybe i am just wanting what i dont have but i see these big beautiful splash giants and i say i should have looked a little deeper.

 

[Kevin565]

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Hatchery birds are usually bred to be "Represenatives" of the breeds. They usually aren't bred to the standard breeders breed for. They are also usually better layers than Show birds but not always. They usually look like the breed they are being sold for but don't have each and every breed quality a breeder bird would have.

 

[FireTigeris]

Unless you get something from a hatchery that specializes in show stock- (greenfire as an example) you are out of luck mostly in my experience.

My hatchery birds and BYM (barnyard mutts) seem to be more resistant and/or I have lousy luck in general or the breeders were lying to me...

I've rescued birds that were healthier then some 'breeder' birds- but that may have just been my luck- I have the same luck with pet rats, the two I spent a fortune on died at 9 months and 11 months when my petstore rats lived 3+ to just a 4 years...

 

[Oregon Blues]

As a generalization, hatchery birds are going to be pet quality and I suspect that many are not purebred. Since they tend to be both much smaller and heavy egg layers, I am suspicious that leghorn has been bred in to increase egg production.

Fire tigeris has had bad luck. My exhibition birds have no health issues and temperaments are lovely. Every show breeder I know (and I know many) will cull for health issues and laying problems. With one exception, every show breeder I know will cull for bad temperament, and that exception catches a lot of flack from the rest of us.

Not every "breeder" will produce good birds. There are those who buy from hatcheries, breed those birds and call themselves breeders. All they are producing is more hatchery quality birds. Breeders must be interviewed before you buy.

If you want to buy mail order chicks, the only place I know that raises and sells show chickens mail order is Urch/ Turnland. Other than that, you'll want to look for a serious show breeder in order to buy quality birds.

 

[RedDrgn]

You can expect them to be good birds. Most won't be show quality, but some well may be. Our flock consists of hatchery birds (because no one local to our area had any of the breeds we wanted) and we love them. Good looking, good laying, wonderfully dispositioned birds thus far.

 

[FireTigeris]

I should have used lots of heavy quotes around the words "breeders" in my post also.