What makes a bird “heritage”?

[ButtonHoarder]

To almost every popular chickenbreed hatcheries created their own similar looking hybrids, which often causes confusion.

Some hatcheries even point out the differences between production type and heritage:

Heritage: https://www.meyerhatchery.com/Heritage-Barred-Plymouth-Rock-Day-Old-Chicks-p213412031

https://blog.meyerhatchery.com/2020/07/breed-spotlight-barred-plymouth-rock/

Okay, this make sense. So the heritage ones are more pure, and better quality? Like the Barred Rocks from this hatchery are not pure, and are a mix they created? https://www.rochesterhatchery.com/Poultry/dualpurposebreeds/BARR

Sorry, I'm really just trying to understand, I think this is really interesting.

 

[ButtonHoarder]

Andalusians don't look like it (more like blue Leghorn) as they should look like this:

And neither do the "Cuckoo Maran" look like true Coucou Marans to me. Note that hatcheries often intentionally misspell Marans without the "S" as this is a sure sign that these birds will be hybrids and not the pure breed or heritage kind.

This is what true Coucou Marans look like: http://marans.eu/ca.htm#ca

Wow, thank you! I have some of the Cuckoo Marans from there, so this is really interesting!

 

[Kiki]

The other question I have, is are these actually heritage birds? https://www.rochesterhatchery.com/PoultryCategory/heritagebreeds

The other question I have, is are these actually heritage birds? https://www.rochesterhatchery.com/PoultryCategory/heritagebreeds

I have no idea if the word heritage means something different to people in Canada or not.
I just noticed that this website you have linked here is in Canada.
It's possible they're using a word that people in the United States would use differently.

 

[ButtonHoarder]

I have no idea if the word heritage means something different to people in Canada or not.
I just noticed that this website you have linked here is in Canada.
It's possible they're using a word that people in the United States would use differently.

I guess I didn't really think of that. I'm in Canada, but IDK.

 

[LaFleche]

These birds, declared as RIR Rhode Island Reds don't look like the real thing either, just like production Reds https://www.rochesterhatchery.com/Poultry/dualpurposebreeds/RIR

The real and pure RIR look like this:

(Source: http://www.huehnerwelt.de/rassenaz/rhodelaender3.htm)

 

[ButtonHoarder]

These birds, declared as RIR Rhode Island Reds don't look like the real thing either, just like production Reds https://www.rochesterhatchery.com/Poultry/dualpurposebreeds/RIR

The real and pure RIR look like this:

(Source: http://www.huehnerwelt.de/rassenaz/rhodelaender3.htm)


View attachment 2950851

I have noticed that they are different looking than other nice birds I've seen, but could they just be poor quality? I love that deep color

 

[LaFleche]

In Germany there exists a Society for the Preservation of Rare and old Heritage Breeds, which informs every year about the endangered breeds, tghe amount of breeders/specimens etc. etc.

https://www.g-e-h.de/index.php/rote-liste-menu/rote-liste2

 

[LaFleche]

I have noticed that they are different looking than other nice birds I've seen, but could they just be poor quality? I love that deep color

Its not only about colour, although this very deep burgundy red is a special RIR trait.
The body shape and posture is very different, tail angle, body weight and much more.

Have a look at one of my late RIR roosters:

Their chicks should be a light orangy yellow colour.

 

[ButtonHoarder]

Its not only about colour, although this very deep burgundy red is a special RIR trait.
The body shape and posture is very different, tail angle, body weight and much more.

Have a look at one of my late RIR roosters:

View attachment 2950854



Their chicks should be a light orangy yellow colour.

Yes, so they're probably not pure then? He's very handsome.

 

[LaFleche]

Yes, so they're probably not pure then? He's very handsome.

Usually, to the normal chicken keeper it will not matter much whether they are pure or rather production line birds.
Production line birds often start earlier with egg production and thus lay more, are prone to reproductive issues and are spent way earlier than heritage breeds which often lay regularly for many years.

Usually, only breeders will be very particular about the genetics and the ancestry of their pure bred birds, the common backyard chicken keeper is more interested in early laying and inexpensive birds that look nice, and the production birds comply with these requirements. The hatcheries even try to surpass oneanother by mixing "new breeds" and giving them fancy fantasy names.