Why do hatcheries do this? Seems morally wrong and totally dishonest

[BANTAMWYANDOTTE]

I left out the name of this hatchery to avoid slandering them publicly which is a crime and is immoral. If you have a similar experiance then please share it. I would like to know that I am not alone.

I know they are not the best quality bird sellers but can't I expect an honest transaction from a hatchery that is very very old???

I have had it up to my neck with the same problem happening over and over agian from a Hatchery and I am never ordering from them agian. They keep sending chickens that grow up to be nothing like they do in the catalog. They even send chicks that look nothing like the chicks they show. I do not expect show quality birds from a hatchery. Believe me, if that was the case I would not be upset, I would be insane. The reason I am so upset is likely because I am a private breeder of American Gamefowl show-birds. I would never mis-lead my customers like they have me and my family/friends. I sell birds that look the way they do in the pictures I show my buyers and even keep the parent stock on the property in case the want more proof.

I simply could just not say a word but I would never conduct my chicken production that way. I fully understand that they handle WAY more birds than I do on my little farm but ethics and morals still apply? Maybe I am wrong but I am giving a warning to all who order from them, look what they sent me!!!!!!!!

Is this common among hatcheries or is this a problem with this one in particular? I am not new to ordering from hatcheries but changed to this one because everyone claimed they were better, I ordered from them four times in four years and each order was not the way it should have been:


This blue-legged hen is supposed to be a Golden Comet (or some kind of Red Sex-Link) but is just a RIR or PR who is "hatchery quality" but most definately not a Red Sex-Link (she was yellow and red as a chick) The hatchery assured me that it was a female because the male would have no red and the female could have yellow at birth:

This rooster is an (obvious) RIR but looks like the NH they advertise. I co-ordered with a friend an order of brown egg-layers that she asked to not include the red colored chickens and we recieved one red rooster and they advertise roosters like this as a New Hampshire but he is a RIR from what I gather:

They even sent me five White Rock Pullets that were all grey and one was a rooster!

And this was an ordered Dominque pullet (not by me but a friend I purchsed her from. same hatchery) turned to be a Barred Rock. The order was for 25 Dominique pullets and 25 Light Brahma (st.run). They recieved 18 Dominque hens, my BR hen and six roosters, two of which were BR.

 

[Nikkumz]

a hatchery cant guarentee 100% pullets, they will usually sell them as pullets and guarentee around 90% pullets usually.

 

[Oregon Blues]

The buyers from hatcheries generally want an easy purchase of an inexpensive bird with feathers and a moderately friendly temperament that will lay eggs and eat treats. That's what they get and lots of people are really happy with the birds they have purchased.

If you want birds that meet the SOP, you'll have better luck buying from breeders. If you want breeders, you will have to hunt them down. If you want easy, you go on line, pay with your credit card and receive chicks in the mail, but those chicks are going to be mass produced, assembly line, economy models.

I don't think that there is anything wrong with the hatcheries. They do what they say they will do. I think the problem is that your expectations don't match reality.

 

[Tala]

I dunno, black sexlinks have slate blue to almost black legs. Or at least mine do. I've crossed BO x BR and gotten beautiful blue/black legs on the girls (normal pale BO color legs on the males, if I remember correctly) and neither of those parent breeds have dark legs, and RIR x Cuckoo Marans, and Brown Leghorn x Cuckoo Marans and again got greyish-almost black legs on the girls (normal yellow on some boys, Marans grey on some of the boys) they weren't quite as stunning as my first girls legs, but still neither parent had dark legs. I need to get some pictures of the new girls, they're getting pretty as they mature (one just started laying last week) Since sexlinks can be made from a variety of breeds nothing really surprises me. If your hen was really plain PR/RIR/NHR it would have yellow legs for sure. I would be curious as to her parentage, but not upset, you did get a red girl and that's really all a red sexlink pullet is supposed to be.

Most people don't know the difference between the Dominique and the BR, some think any barred chicken is a Dominique coz that's what their grandma had. You really can't find "real" Dominique at a hatchery. Period. People want a barred chicken that is called a Dominique so that's what the hatchery sells them. They get away with it because people don't know any better so they keep buying them. Follow the money.

 

[BANTAMWYANDOTTE]

My reality is that I am not the only person who hates receiving chicks that are supposed to be this breed and are actually another. I am an very respected breeder of American Gamefowl and I know show-quality. I know not to expect anything but a low-quality product from hatcheries. The chickens I have are better at laying than any expensive show bird I have ever known. I am not unhappy with the birds I have, in fact they are more dear to me than my breeding stock. They are well-cared for and very happy. I have spent my life providing a good home for many chickens. I am not abusive nor neglectful to my animals and control the flock population like a responsible owner.

I do not expect perfection breeds at the prices hatcheries offer. I do expect honesty and a true commitment to customer service. I do not expect to be lied to and shown a product's photo only to find out that when you order that product the you a completely different one. That is dishonest, that is reality. This is why I posted this.

I am not talking about all hatcheries here, had you read my post you would see that I have only ordered from two hatcheries in 15 years of raising chickens. I have no experience with them and they apparently do this often. I wanted to know if they all do this or if the one I dealt with was just worse than others. I simply expected to get some people replying that they had similar experiences or had never. Not that I had a warped-reality. That was a bit un-called for.

I only expect to get the product I paid for, not pay for one and get another. I spend alot of time on BYC and never has anyone accused me of being in my own reality. I post replies and try to help people by offering all the information I have. I am all about educating people on chickens and how to provide them a happy home. I am not someone who simply replies with negativity or replies in a manner that implies the original poster is stupid, or ignorant. I want to help people. Had I answered this topic, I would have suggested a hatchery that I knew was easy to deal with or even my own experience. I would have never suggested that you change your expectations because you are in fantasy land.

I never said there was anything wrong with hatcheries. They make it affordable to start your own flock and help people from all walks of life find the love for chickens I have. That is a good thing

However, I have never been more offended in my entire life and would appreciate your not replying again. Reality is that my birds win or place in every show they are entered in nearly 80 percent of the time. I know what breed perfection is and now I really know what rude is!

 

[Mama Austranought]

Hello, I have read your post out of interest really. I don't want to get off the subject but PSST aren't some posters...a bit... unfeeling in what comments they make. Not sure if they think we are not experienced! I seem to find some "strong" answers/judgements on here. But then most are good. I just replied to

!

 

[BANTAMWYANDOTTE]

Quote:

 

[aprophet]

I have always bought from breeders not from, hatcheries LOL there is something about you get what you pay for most of the folks buying from hatcheries do not know the difference they JUST want chickens LOL that is what they get after a few years of being around shows and so on they learn and start buying from breeders ROFL Good LUCK with the hatcheries you pays your money and takes your chances LOL

 

[theoldchick]

I understand the OP completely. As a former breeder of Dobermans I was shocked to see what passed as a Doberman. The OP strives to breed top quality birds. But as most breeders know to meet SOP some things are sacrificed such as temperament, egg laying ability, broodiness and so forth. Takes incredible dedication to create that one bird who meets show standards.

When I started back into chickens I wanted to enjoy visiting with area breeders to see what they had. Unfortunately, the hubby decided to order chicks from a hatchery. He knew what breed I wanted and I wanted pullets. So I was angrily surprised to get an email stating when my chicks would be shipped.

They arrived in good condition and all survived. I have two cockerels and a few green-eyed black Jersey Giant pullets. They are not even close to any standard of Jersey Giant (though, the bottoms of their feet are yellow!) but they are friendly and pleasant to be around. Still, the perfectionist in me is disappointed to realize that in some situations, quantity rather than quality, is the priority. Dang it, if I order a Rhode Island Red I want a Rhode Island Red, not some blue-legged hen of mixed ancestry!

Hatchery quality is well.....like buying generic you never know what the inactive ingredients are.

 

[misslady]

I don't think your expectatons are too high. A hatchery should supply you with the correct birds you ordered. There is no acceptable reason you should have gotten anything but. Any good business that is producing a product should have some sort of quality control or they will lose business, including a hatchery. If I was breeding dogs, and let my purebred Akita run with an Alaskan Malamute, it would be unethical to sell their offspring as a purebred of either breed, despite some of their genetic similarities, and regardless of show quality.

With that said, I don't think that every hatchery is bad at all. I purchased from a local hatchery and am very happy with my birds, because the birds are healthy, growing, and are exactly what they were advertised as. Wishing you better luck in the future.