Posted in Homestead Barnyard

Most of us raising chickens these days probably got started by ordering chicks from one of the big hatcheries. I know I did. This is a great way to start and offers the most variety for the dollar. It also gives new poultry lovers a chance to try out different breeds of poultry. But there are alternatives to these large hatcheries: small poultry breeders.

Believe it or not, there are thousands of folks around the world who have chosen to breed certain varieties of chickens. They do this for many reasons: the love of a breed, the desire to develop certain characteristics, or to be independent.

There are advantages to using a local poultry breeder:

1. You can form a personal working relationship with the breeder.
2. You can get a look at the adult chickens before you buy eggs or chicks.
3. You get better quality birds that are closer in conformation to the breed standard.
4. A breeder focuses on quality characteristics rather than quantity of birds.
5. You are supporting a small farmer and a local economy.
6. You get expertise on chickens and the specific breed.
7. You are supporting a more diverse gene pool.

Some breeders hatch and sell chicks. Others just sell breeding quality eggs. You would need an incubator for the latter. Incubators can be had for $50 to $100 from many online poultry & farm stores. This cost is quickly recouped (no pun intended) with the savings on shipping of chicks. Or you can build your own incubator.

A Belgian Bearded D'uccle (definitely NOT breeder quality)

Now these small breeders can be hard to find so you may have to do a bit of searching. You also need have an idea which breed of chicken you are interested in raising. To find a small poultry breeder, check with your county agricultural extension agent for breeders in your area. Or search these online resources:

• The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Ask for a list of poultry breeders.
• Feathersite has a Breed Club listing.
• Yahoo Groups poultry discussion boards. Often you can find specialty poultry breeders through these boards.

Kristin Hoffman homesteads with her family in the hills of East Tennessee and blogs about alternative energy, family farming, and home schooling with her husband at www.solarfamilyfarm.com. She can also be found chasing chickens out of her garden.