Why are the chickens at the poultry shows so much bigger than the ones

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Quote:
I know what you mean. I see tons and tons of silkies and cochin bantams that weigh as much as some large birds.

 

[Bo Garrett]

Quality vs. Quantity is the major issue here. Most hatcheries will breed from healthy vigorous birds but they may be smaller strains which have not been bred to achieve standard weight, color or type. They have a specific purpose in mind and that is to get a chick into the hands of the customer. In that purpose they have achieved their goal.
The birds you saw at the poultry show in Lucasville were bred to a standard for type (what the bird is supposed to look like), color and condition. Not only were the birds at the show the right size they were in most respects the right color for their variety and they were the right condition meaning they were in excellent feather, no parasites and not too fat-not too thin.
Most of us had to learn the hard way that hatcheries with the exception of a rare few do not produce birds that meet the APA or ABA Standards of Perfection. Those who do breed birds to meet the standard have put forth many years of effort and lots of money to achieve the magnificent examples of poultrydom that you saw in Lucasville.
Most of these poultry people are just as willing to let some of their stock go each year to eager persons willing to give them a good home and possibly start showing them as well.
My recommendation is to visit the shows in your area and see what is on display. The Ohio National in Columbus, OH is the second weekend of November each year and normally has about 4000 birds on display with a huge sale area where one can find just about any breed or variety for sale. Other shows offer this on a smaller scale but the opportunity is still there.
Give'm a look and have fun!

Bo

 

[chickenchickenbulkbulk]

Bo..where is the ohio national in cols. held. What is the address?

 

[Bo Garrett]

The Ohio National is held each year about the second weekend of November at the State Fairgrounds in Columbus, OH in the Voinovich (sp.?) building. A huge building that will hold 10,000+ birds and has in the past. It is a great opportunity for anyone who likes to see breeds of poultry only seen in books. The quality is normally second to none as well. They have a large sale area with quality offerings but it is always good to contact breeders who will be attending to secure birds ahead of time for delivery to that show. This one is a must attend as is the Oklahoma State Poultry Federation show in Shawnee, OK (second weekend in Dec). This show will have on average about 2500 to 2800 birds of exceptional quality and a good sale area as well. It is at the Heart of America Exposition Center on HWY 177 immediately off of I-40.

Bo

 

[walkswithdog]

I started with hatchery Partridge Rocks. Because I read the standard I knew some were improperly colored, some had poor combs, some were off in size.

I culled down to 8 of 75 birds. The first two orders I sold off completely. The last order had sufficiently good chicks - those I grew out.

I still have some color and comb and size issues but I will keep moving them up. Mine are free range, lay well, and brood. At NO point will I accept a bird that is so fussy it can't grow properly and lay well on free range. But I will still push toward the standard. I wouldn't mind a Big bird but I know the absolute perfection that show people go for does reduce fertility and that I am NOT interested in.

Mine are slightly below the standard in weight and don't have the breast to be significantly dual-purpose, so I have some improvements to make. I'll be adding show stock to get some of that and adding in Delawares for two generations to improve growth rate and size and then back to ... proper color and type. In essence probably a six year project or more. Well, lifelong probably.

There's nothing "wrong" with hatchery stock. They just don't represent the standard in many cases. Mine were actually not a bad start considering that they go broody, which is NOT common from hatchery stock.

And they're even GOOD broodies.

You have to start somewhere. Most people start with hatchery birds then do their homework and find out there's a whole nother level to the thing.

Heritage and Show. I prefer Heritage - the breeder is shooting for good type but emphasizes birds that breed naturally, are fertile, often they free-range and brood.

A good solid Heritage flock of Partridge Rocks and Delawares are what I'm shooting for long term. It was just PRs and then I saw Seriousbills and shortcakes, and speckledhens delawares and I needed to improve size and then I was so hooked...

Welcome to the addiction..

 

[Pathfinders]

I love the OH National, such a great show, especially for the Youth!

 

[McSpin]

Quote:
Yes, it would be a shame. It would also be a shame if we lost the egg laying ability that many of the hatchery birds have. Quality means different things to different people. Show quality is a useless a t... on a boar, to a person wanting lots of eggs, if you know what I mean.

Hatchery birds are not necessarily low quality and in many cases they are extremely high quality - depending on what a person wants from their chickens. Keep in mind - chickens are a utility animal - kept and bred to supply the meat and eggs. Shooting for blue ribbons without regards to production is something derived by bored, competitive people. I happen to like it myself, but is certainly not why chickens were developed.

A high quality chicken can be a last place competitor in a show.

 

[Stina]

Don't get me wrong..I love and enjoy every chick I have bought. I just feel that a Buff should be a buff. All chickens should be bred equally and the same quality in every stock. I didn't know all about this quantity vs quality, I thought all chickens were bred equally, this is all new to me..I should have done my home work!! Should I question if my chickens are full stock. I ordered full stock?! I am satisfied with my chickens..I know now that I will have to buy show chickens from a breeder not a feed store. Lessened learned. Thanks for all the advice and your thoughts. I appreciate all of them. DJ

Would you expect a puppy from a petstore or backyard breeder to be able to compete with champion conformation dogs? Or say a labrador bred for conformation to compete with top hunters? There is no species of animal that every specimen of every breed is bred for the same purposes and results, so you really can never expect to get something without looking for it specifically. I would look at it as a lesson learned and you will know next time that you need to research your source to get what you are looking for​