Why is there such a bias against hatcheries?

[Bullitt]

Most hatcheries treat the newborn chicks like they have no feelings:

Also, some people are against them because they believe that baby chicks should be hatched and raised by a broody and grow up naturally.

Is this common practice at all hatcheries? I think there are differences between hatcheries.

 

[Bullitt]

Merry Christmas! No matter where our birds come from, it is sure that they are truely loved by all that visit this blessed website.

That is cute. I was out of town for a while so I just saw this.

I would like everyone who owns any animals to take good care of them. I am sure that the people visiting this website to learn more are taking better care of their animals than the average person out in the world.

 

[BunnyMomma]

That is cute. I was out of town for a while so I just saw this.

I would like everyone who owns any animals to take good care of them. I am sure that the people visiting this website to learn more are taking better care of their animals than the average person out in the world.

Thanks, These are my favorites on the farm. They are super sweet birds. Unbelievably friendly and charming. They want me to pick them up every time I am in the barn. It is hard to get your work all finished on time when you have to stop and spoil them. I swear, they try to talk to me!
I took them to a show a few weeks ago. It was my first poultry show and they did well on their first trip out.
They are # 1 with me! Spoiled rotten

 

[3KillerBs]

As a published scientist I would have to disagree with your statement. Please provide actual proof before making such a broad statement as "definitely being bred wrong." I would suggest that with every choice in a breeding program, there are unexpected results that crop up. But that does not end with the conclusion that someone is breeding wrong. The more likely scenario is that the breeder was simply working with what they had available.

Let's try to get back on topic here. The original topic was about why some people do not choose hatcheries for their chicks. Let's not stray into topic where we call someone's breeding program wrong.

As a matter of principle, any animal which has been been bred to have a characteristic which renders it incapable of reproducing without human assistance has been bred wrong.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

You have a beautiful cockerel there.

"The fact that hatchery birds are sold as pure bred angers me because they obviously aren't; they are bred on a huge scale for production because that is what will make the hatcheries money."

Sometimes hatchery birds are obviously not pure. You can't say this is true in all cases.

"If you just want eggs get hatchery birds but don't expect any good quality birds."

If a person just wants hens that lay many eggs and the hatchery birds do that, then those are good quality hens based on that person's definition of quality. When you say "don't expect any good quality birds" you are referring to chickens bred to the standard of perfection, and it is true that hatcheries do not pay much attention to the standard of perfection. But what is a quality chicken depends on what a person wants from his or her chicken.

Bullitt is absolutely correct that there are different definitions of what makes a quality bird. Take the Decorah Hatchery old style egg laying Barred Rock strain. They aren't likely to win any awards in a show since breeding for egg production for several decades has made them smaller than the Barred Rock standard - but they are extremely productive and efficient layers. If you want to show, purchase a bird from someone who breeds to the standard for show purposes; if you want eggs, buy a good productive strain from a hatchery. Since production isn't part of the standard, I have found that many breeds that meet the standard are great posers and poor producers.

I realize the above is heresy - but it is also the unfortunate reality.