The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club > Exhibiting & Promoting

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DeWayne Edgin:
I was at tractor supply yesterday getting feed and they were out of what i wanted. I asked the lady that was working in that department, if there was any in the back. She said no. Then she asked me what kind of chickens i have. I told her and she said she had Ameraucanas to. I asked her if they were pure breed and she said yes. So i asked her what kind she had and she said just Ameraucanas. So i pulled this site up on my phone and showed her the picuters of the different varieties and she looked at me and said well these came from the hatchery and they wouldn`t lie! I told her to look this site up on her computer when she got home and she said, she don`t have internet and walked away. As an employee that works at a place that sells chicks in the spring, you would hope they would tell people the difference. Instead they are helping the hatchery lie!  :(

Don:
   It's never easy breaking bad news to folks.  Most people are happy in Bliss with what they have and where they are in life and in raising chickens.  The hatchery source of birds and information will continue until most of us are old and grey, or beyond.  Lots of folks think that hatcheries have quality birds in all breeds/varieties.  But they just don't.  I wouldn't buy Barred Rocks from a hatchery and expect a quality flock of birds. People don't know.
   We just have to be patient and kind to those who have been sold something else.  We have to give them enough info to see if they are interested in going thru the effort to obtain and raise quality birds.  Some will be interested and open to learn more. Some will just want to run from the truth and keep their head in the sand.  One convert at a time.

Schroeder:
This reminds me of a discussion I had with a know it all at the paint store.  Somehow I got to talking about my chickens and told him about blue egg layers. He went into quite a speech about how he had tried those fancy brown  and other colored eggs.  He didn't like them.  He refused to eat anything but the white eggs from the grocery store and turned down the brown eggs a friend would offer him.  (I'm wondering about this friend!)  I said, "Well I think farm raised eggs are better for you."  He started into his rant again and I knew there was no sense of me trying to educate such a knowledgeable person!

KalJen Farm:
It is very ironic you bring up the "you can't get good birds from hatcheries" argument DeWayne. I too experienced something similar. The only issues was it came from an APA judge at our local county 4H show in front of kids and parents. He said on the loudspeaker to not get your birds from Murry McMurry Hatchery. That they needed to seek out breeder that raise the birds you want. you will get better quality birds bla, bla, bla, bla. A big part of me was amen to that, but then we had a few angry parents and more or less angry poultry committee member the rest of the show. Except for one family, who's father has show and attended APA shows all his life, no one else knows how to care for or get show worthy birds. In some ways i don't blame them. All they have seen is the hatchery birds and raised hatchery birds so how could they know the difference?? I am now to old to show there but i have sold/give some of my birds. one to a close friend who sill shows, and one to a 9 year old who just loves chickens in general. The 9 year old just does not have the knowhow yet to keep her birds in good condition or the setup, and i just have yet to get ahold of my friend to show her whats what. other than that everyone else's birds have probably just been plucked from the hatchery laying flock the day before the show. Myself and the father of the girl who has the good birds has offered numerous people to find them good birds "just tell us what you want' but they never get back with us. Right now that family is getting a lot of flack because the girl has won EVERYTHING 3 years in a row. the flip side is the girl takes care of her birds well, I know that for a fact. I am thinking about next year actually putting something on our bulletin board. Anyone know of some good "gentle breaking" articles on what is show quality birds and APA shows?

Mike Gilbert:
I would encourage them to check out the APA website, especially the article found at the following link.

http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/Pure_bred_poultry.htm

If they show any interest, share older copies of Poultry Press so they can see what the world of exhibition poultry is all about.   That said, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink.  Realize that most folks who keep chickens will never be interested in showing competitively.   

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