The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Stereo on October 06, 2014, 01:08:08 pm
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Just looking back over the last couple years of keeping hens more seriously and it's occurred to me that the hens I have been most disappointed with are the ones we bought from so called pro breeders who have retail premises. Our Light Sussex (hybrid strain) have been a disaster. Thin and mucky eggs, won't stay out of the nests at night, poor laying numbers and egg shape. Very prone to dropping dead at a second's notice. The same with the CLB's I bought which look very good but don't lay up to numbers and all show sings of IB which none of our other birds do so I'm putting this down to over vaccination (?). All our home bred mungrels and pure breeds seem to be feisty and strong and good layers to boot.
I now gather that rather than breeding their own stock, a lot of these guys are just buying POL hens from big time rearers who bring in day old chicks from Eastern Europe. From chatting to one such rearer I know, they are more interested in breeding in traits so that birds can be sexed at a day old (even in LS etc) than they are in breeding quality.
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I always buy my hens off breeders local to where I live or through contacts. I agree that hybrids are rubbish, I bought so called light sussex point of lay pullets 7 years ago it was. After 1 year they had to go, I found out later from a guy who makes hen houses that he knew who this breeder was and knew for a fact they were not pure. Anyway I found some fantastic breeders who live in the same county as me and sell fantastic poultry. :)
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Find someone who isn't doing it for profit. Then you can be more confident of their stock. I would aim to get hatching eggs rather than reared.
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Yeah, we've gone down that route now. I've found a fantastic lady nearby who breeds traditional LS and also Exchequer Leghorns and we have bought some really nice stock and also eggs from her this year. Copper Blacks and Ixworths I am trying to breed myself. Also doing RIR and Welsummer and trying to get back to larger, dual purpose strains of those as well.
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Try to buy off farm and ask to see some of their other stock. Their enthusiasm for the breeds and the living conditions of the birds can give good indications of the background of the flock.
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Contact the breed clubs they will help put you in touch with decent breeders