Who is making the Breed hybird decisions at hatcheries??

[Chicalina]

I don't even know any hatcheries in the UK, except maybe Omlet who sell hybrids to consumers but only when you buy an overpriced plastic coop from them.

Hatcheries here mostly supply high volumes to commercial egg and meat producers.

Backyard chicken keepers buy them from small breeders, local farms, other chicken keepers who might hatch a few, etc. Either through word of mouth, local listings, or online.

I live in a rural community and we have no equivalent of TSC here. You can't just go to a farm store to buy hay and come back with 10 day old oops chicks.

 

[Joyfillednomads]

I don't even know any hatcheries in the UK, except maybe Omlet who sell hybrids to consumers but only when you buy an overpriced plastic coop from them.

Hatcheries here mostly supply high volumes to commercial egg and meat producers.

Backyard chicken keepers buy them from small breeders, local farms, other chicken keepers who might hatch a few, etc. Either through word of mouth, local listings, or online.

I live in a rural community and we have no equivalent of TSC here. You can't just go to a farm store to buy hay and come back with 10 day old oops chicks.

Chain stores aren't as amazing or special as they seem. They do tend to keep the shelves stocked better than the rural or directly owned stores.
Usually it's just fun to go check out the chicks makes the trip fun for the kids, so if we need something from the chain store not carried or wasn't available at rural store we make the trip to chain store.
Even our chain stores have had great difficulty this past year with inventory.
If you see something you think you may want or might need, buy it.
Tractor supply TSC is 1/5 clothing, 1/5 tools, 1/5 dog & cat, 1/5 farm animal & 1/5 fencing & dog kennels & fence posts. Oh wait they have chicks & ducks in the middle during chick days and seasonal items, cruddy toys and snacks & candies. Its not a mini mall like Walmart. There are better "smaller type chains" that are more the "super store" that you can get just about everything except your steak cause you raised it, the best one we visited was called "rural king" and you can clothe the family, sock shoes and all. Buy a outdoor grill, hunting gear... attractor paint, plumbing supplies, gardening items even starter seed potatoes, lawn mowers and yard equipment, tractor and vehicle supplies, feed stations, fencing, feed for every kinda animal and their medications, pet stuff, gifts and toys, seasonal stuff, food, canning and pickling, household cleaning supplies, dog & cat everything... and plants, soil, hay,etc... everything! And chicks, ducks, turkeys, and all sorts of fowl.
Wish they were more popular than tractor supply and other chains.
We have been looking into joining a feed co-op, some Don't require memberships to shop there.
We would rather buy direct from farmer than stores and are trying to minimize our need for outside purchases. Several people my hubby works with have farms but they live further out. Tossing bails from one truck to another in the employee parking lot might draw too much attention. People leave baskets of produce on his desk sometimes and we give stuff too. It's nice. Sometimes gifting is better for the soul than money and paying taxes.