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I agree, but they could have defects that are not so fine.
I agree, but they could have defects that are not so fine.
Why don't you like hatchery chickens?
- Thread starter catterbug
- Start date
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Well put!
Well put!
It's all a matter of what you want.
If showing birds is what you are interested in then a show breeder is the way to go. I've been buying Silkies for my daughter to show and those birds are head and shoulders better than the run-of-the-mill Silkies one gets from a general purpose hatchery. They also take a lot longer to develop and to start laying too for having breen inbred so much to bring out the desirable traits.
For just mobile yard art as many folks want buy anything that pleases you whether it comes from a general hatchery, a show breeder, or someone with an incubator who hatches whatever they've got.
If real production is what you want then it's to the general hatcheries you are likely to have to go and then focus on those breeds that are still actively selected for production traits. Most of what they have no longer really are but there are still some such as sex links and White Leghorns that are true production birds.
It's all a matter of what you want. No one source can be everything to everybody.
.....Alan.
If showing birds is what you are interested in then a show breeder is the way to go. I've been buying Silkies for my daughter to show and those birds are head and shoulders better than the run-of-the-mill Silkies one gets from a general purpose hatchery. They also take a lot longer to develop and to start laying too for having breen inbred so much to bring out the desirable traits.
For just mobile yard art as many folks want buy anything that pleases you whether it comes from a general hatchery, a show breeder, or someone with an incubator who hatches whatever they've got.
If real production is what you want then it's to the general hatcheries you are likely to have to go and then focus on those breeds that are still actively selected for production traits. Most of what they have no longer really are but there are still some such as sex links and White Leghorns that are true production birds.
It's all a matter of what you want. No one source can be everything to everybody.
.....Alan.
I agree with just about everyone else that has posted so far.
If you want a great show bird go with a breeder that breeds there birds true to the standard.
If you just want a layer that will give you eggs then buy from a hatchery.
For me personaly I don't show nore am I going to get into showing so my hatchery birds are great for my family. All we wanted was some chickens that we could get eggs from and be entertained by. For example, my SLW looks like a mess least to say she has a huge single comb, is smaller, and her lacing isn't great. But she lays me a great light brown almost pinkish color egg about 6 days out of the week. I would never dream of showing her or breeding her but she does her purpose for my family which is lay eggs.
If you want a great show bird go with a breeder that breeds there birds true to the standard.
If you just want a layer that will give you eggs then buy from a hatchery.
For me personaly I don't show nore am I going to get into showing so my hatchery birds are great for my family. All we wanted was some chickens that we could get eggs from and be entertained by. For example, my SLW looks like a mess least to say she has a huge single comb, is smaller, and her lacing isn't great. But she lays me a great light brown almost pinkish color egg about 6 days out of the week. I would never dream of showing her or breeding her but she does her purpose for my family which is lay eggs.
I will never show a bird - that isn't what I want, but I also do not care for the hatcheries.
They are basically puppy mills in chicken form. They dispose of the excess chicks (frequently alive) and use extra chicks as living "packing peanuts". Also, I believe in supporting my local farmers/breeders. Be it the Farmer's Market, buying a portion of a humanely raised cow from a local cow farmer or buying from a local chicken breeder I prefer local to something that has been shipped across the country.
And it would break my heart to open up a box of chicks and find one or many dead ones.
I would never fault someone for choosing to use a hatchery if that is what they desire to do - everyone gets to make their own choices. But this is why I do not like Hatcheries.
That and the fact that I can have a maximum of 9 chickens - so the minimum orders are right out.
They are basically puppy mills in chicken form. They dispose of the excess chicks (frequently alive) and use extra chicks as living "packing peanuts". Also, I believe in supporting my local farmers/breeders. Be it the Farmer's Market, buying a portion of a humanely raised cow from a local cow farmer or buying from a local chicken breeder I prefer local to something that has been shipped across the country.
And it would break my heart to open up a box of chicks and find one or many dead ones.
I would never fault someone for choosing to use a hatchery if that is what they desire to do - everyone gets to make their own choices. But this is why I do not like Hatcheries.
That and the fact that I can have a maximum of 9 chickens - so the minimum orders are right out.
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NPIP doesn't guarantee a healthy flock though. Just 2 diseases that are almost eradicated. NPIP is more about monitoring than a guarantee of disease free, even for fowl typhoid and pullorum, like every gov't program.
NPIP doesn't guarantee a healthy flock though. Just 2 diseases that are almost eradicated. NPIP is more about monitoring than a guarantee of disease free, even for fowl typhoid and pullorum, like every gov't program.
- Apr 1, 2009
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Got one too many orders of sick/exhausted/dying chicks (some responsiblity here goes to postal system) that were maybe 20% males when just girls were ordered.... that didn't meet breed standard. But if you are looking the "excellent egg production" breeds, a big hatchery is probably your best bet.
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Thanks. I always love talking about hatchery vs breeder stock. . . It's not about just whether someone wants to show their chickens or not.
It's the same for any animal really. If I want an Arabian horse, I want one that looks like an Arab: dished face, short back, strong hooves. Now they're breeding them to look like Saddlebreds.
I have a laying flock of hybrids, I sell the eggs to co-workers who love paying for farm-fresh free range eggs. But, DH wants to breed cochins. I think our original rooster is hatchery stock since his comb isn't what it should look like, but he does have distinct red and black for partridge coloring with beautiful metallic green wing and tail feathers. He's twice the size of our hybrid hens like he should be and has a wonderful cochin personality. His feathers are also nice and soft like a cochin rather than a partridge rock.
Conversely, I've seen pictures of both partridge cochins and rocks in hatchery catalogs where their colors look brownish and muddy, not distinct black/red/green. The most recent cochins have come from a private breeder who believes much the same as you, Illia, and she sent me pictures of her partridge cochin roosters, with full red single combs and distinct coloring. So far, the little chicks (not so little anymore!) exhibit nice brown and black markings and fully, fluffy feathering even though they aren't feathered out yet.
If you breed a breed, it should look like the breed standard.
Maybe it's the 20 years of Arabian breeding I've been exposed to, but I think I'll be sticking with private breeders from here on out.
Thanks. I always love talking about hatchery vs breeder stock. . . It's not about just whether someone wants to show their chickens or not.
It's the same for any animal really. If I want an Arabian horse, I want one that looks like an Arab: dished face, short back, strong hooves. Now they're breeding them to look like Saddlebreds.
I have a laying flock of hybrids, I sell the eggs to co-workers who love paying for farm-fresh free range eggs. But, DH wants to breed cochins. I think our original rooster is hatchery stock since his comb isn't what it should look like, but he does have distinct red and black for partridge coloring with beautiful metallic green wing and tail feathers. He's twice the size of our hybrid hens like he should be and has a wonderful cochin personality. His feathers are also nice and soft like a cochin rather than a partridge rock.
Conversely, I've seen pictures of both partridge cochins and rocks in hatchery catalogs where their colors look brownish and muddy, not distinct black/red/green. The most recent cochins have come from a private breeder who believes much the same as you, Illia, and she sent me pictures of her partridge cochin roosters, with full red single combs and distinct coloring. So far, the little chicks (not so little anymore!) exhibit nice brown and black markings and fully, fluffy feathering even though they aren't feathered out yet.
If you breed a breed, it should look like the breed standard.
Maybe it's the 20 years of Arabian breeding I've been exposed to, but I think I'll be sticking with private breeders from here on out.
Dont get me started on the Arabian breeding! I agree with you 100% on that one! What happened to the dry, dished, lucusious manes and tail, short croup, arched neck (not swan necked), short backed, not so wide chests looking like tanks?????? I like the Egyptians but it has been lost except for Ansata which they did a good job maintaining it but afraid down the line, it will be lost.
I'd prefer the breeder's chickens, they would give me a better example of the breed itself but not all cases, they are not bred for egg production.
If I wanted some egg laying breeds with no specifics, then the hatchery would fit the bill. I've had McMurray before and I loved all my chickens...they were better examples than the ones today which there were more flaws in patterns, combs, shank colors, etc. and a little more nastier in temperment.
I'd prefer the breeder's chickens, they would give me a better example of the breed itself but not all cases, they are not bred for egg production.
If I wanted some egg laying breeds with no specifics, then the hatchery would fit the bill. I've had McMurray before and I loved all my chickens...they were better examples than the ones today which there were more flaws in patterns, combs, shank colors, etc. and a little more nastier in temperment.
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I just choked on my coffee! I had to laugh because I've been looking for heritage Rhode Island Red's and have been googling for a good part of the morning. Looking through a few dozen sites and dismissing just about all of them because of their spelling. Isn't that awful?
A lot of these "breeders" also breed more than one type of chicken, fine with me, the most popular one I've seen is the Americana! lol The sad part is, they may be excellent birds(the RIR's), but I hesitate to even inquire because my gosh, if you can't spell the name of Americana (Ameraucana), or better yet, claim to have them and they actually have EE's in the photo! They're just not worth my time, if they can't do something as basic as spell the freaking names right!!
I just choked on my coffee! I had to laugh because I've been looking for heritage Rhode Island Red's and have been googling for a good part of the morning. Looking through a few dozen sites and dismissing just about all of them because of their spelling. Isn't that awful?
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