Lara,
I have not been raising poultry for as many years as some of the experienced breeders here, so take my comments with a grain of salt. That being said, here\'s what I think:
Hatcheries are very nice for when you are first getting into poultry. They allow you to order a mix of breeds, which lets you get an idea of what you like and don\'t like. Most of those birds would not be considered \"show quality\" for anything other than perhaps a 4-H show (which is a whole \'nuther topic I may post on later.)
Once you\'ve cut your teeth on your first batch of hatchery birds, and figured out what you like and don\'t like, then you should consider ordering some purebred birds from experienced breeders. One thing I learned from breeding dairy goats is, when buying what we call \"foundation stock\", you will do better if you buy the very best you can afford. It\'s enough of a challenge to breed good animals from good stock, why struggle to \"breed up\" from bad stock. And a bad bird costs just as much to feed as a good bird.
So, I will echo what has been said here. Enjoy your hatchery birds, but if you want to get serious about showing poultry, you\'ll want to purchase some purebred birds from breeders. And if you\'re sure you want to focus on a particular breed, it\'s a good idea to join the breed club. That will get you the list of club members, and buying stock from them (be it eggs, chicks, or started birds) will give you the best chance at getting something worth showing. There are no guarantees in life, of course, but that\'s the road I\'d choose (and have chosen.)
Cheers,