06/05/2026
With so many people in the valley now being a "breeder" this is something I had to share.
The Difference Between Breeders and Reproducers
TL/DR version:
There are varying degrees of breeders, each according to how much effort they put forth in evaluating their stock and their understanding of the standards. Before you scoff at the price a breeder is asking for day old chicks or growout stock, one should consider the amount of effort that went into producing the bird and getting it to the point of sale. On the other hand, just because a chick or mature bird is priced more than the competition does NOT equate to quality!
Even if you are only interested in chickens as pets and egg-layers, where you source your chicks is important. While supporting local is a noble gesture, starting your flock with healthy birds is more important. An added bonus from buying from conscientious breeders is that you have better odds of getting attractive birds with better temperaments as well. Researching breeders and their dedication to their flock’s success can also equate to your success.
Long version:
Commercial hatcheries are reproducers – pretty much without exception. There are some hatcheries that put some pretty hefty price tags on day old chicks. Do not be fooled into thinking that the high priced hatchery chick is a guarantee of quality. Be especially cautious of ordering hatchery quality chicks to form your future breeding stock.
We are approaching the time of year when many breeders begin the process of selecting next year’s breeding stock. Casual chicken owners are allowed to be oblivious to the intricacies of this process, but in case you’re curious, read on.
A good breeder will spend many hours, cumulatively, evaluating their birds. Promoting a bird to breeder status doesn’t happen as a result of one evaluation on one day. It happens over the course of months. Legband and wingband numbers are cataloged, mental or hard copy notes are made on specific birds. There are a dizzying number of factors that good breeders consider when deciding what to keep and what to dub as pet quality. The large hatcheries simply do not have the time, resources or want-to, to devote to many of the checkpoints a quality breeder will use to evaluate. When I’m sitting with my birds, it is not only peaceful and calming, it is work.
**Skip to the end if you can’t bear to read this list.**
Stomach churning list of checkpoints I am silently considering as our birds grow:
• Consideration of parentage and grandparentage (genetic history)
Conformation
• Overall symmetry and balance when viewed from top, front, back, and sides.
• Width of head
• Shape of head appropriate per breed standard
• Eyes large, bright, and prominent, with distinct and perfectly formed iris
• Correct comb type (single, rose, pea, walnut, buttercup, cushion, V, etc.)
• Comb serrations even and appropriately deep per breed standard
• Sufficient width of comb attachment
• Comb shape, size, erectness, and linearity are appropriate per breed standard
• Comb free of inverted spike, side sprigs, split blade, thumb marks
• # of points on the comb
• Quality and shape of the comb’s blade (following or not following the shape of the neck as the standard calls for)
• Texture of the skin in the face, comb, wattles and earlobes should be fine and soft in all APA accepted breeds and varieties
• Wattles of correct size and symmetry
• Earlobes of correct size and symmetry
• Beak length
• Beak thickness
• Beak alignment (no crossbeak/undershot/overshot)
• Length of neck appropriate per breed standard
• Carriage correct per breed standard (angle of topline and undercarriage)
• No split wing (general disqualification for all breeds)
• No slipped wing
• Wing carriage (angle) correct per breed standard
• No twisted or reversed wing feathers
• Tail angle correct per breed standard
• Tail spread (as viewed from side) correct per breed standard
• Tail width (as viewed from rear) correct per breed standard
• No split tail
• No wry tail
• No twisted main tail or sickle feathers
• Width of back, through to the tail, correct per breed standard
• Depth of breast correct per breed standard
• Straight keel bone
• Sufficient length of keel bone
• Sufficient width of pin/pubic bones
• Abdomen of a sufficient capacity
• Width and angle of stance – not knock-kneed, bow-legged, or too narrow
• Straight toes
• Correct number of toes per the breed standard
• Toes are not webbed or foreshortened
• Not duck toed (rear toe points forward)
• Does not display vulture hocks (unless standard requires it)
• Spurs present or absent as called for in the standard
Plumage
• Width of feather
• Quality of feather
• Feather type correct per breed standard (silky feathered, close feathered, soft feathered, hard feathered, etc.)
• Pillowing (or lack thereof) in the saddle
• Sufficient crest for crested breeds
• Sufficient feather on shanks for feather-legged breeds
• Absence of feathers or stubs for clean-legged breeds
• Sufficient beard and muffs for muff/beard breeds
Color
• Skin color appropriate per the breed standard
• Shank color appropriate per the breed standard
• Beak color appropriate per the breed standard
• Comb color appropriate per the breed standard
• Mouth/tongue color appropriate per the breed standard (for Ayam Cemani)
• Eye color (iris) rich and appropriate per the breed standard
• Undercolor (down) appropriate per the breed standard
• Free from brassiness where the standard calls for silver/white
• Earlobe color appropriate per breed standard
• Feather shafting (or lack therof) appropriate per breed standard
• Foreign color/leakage
• Plumage color correct in all areas of the body per breed standard – this point deserves its own exhaustive lists for patterned or otherwise not solid-colored breeds.
• Quill color correct
Laying Hen Performance
• Does this hen lay more or less often than others of her breed?
• Does the hen lay the correct egg color?
• Does the hen lay eggs of an acceptable size for her breed?
• Is this hen excessively broody?
• Has this hen been tried and failed as a mother?
Age, Health & Condition
• Has the bird ever suffered from a health issue that impeded development?
• Has the bird been a fast grower or a slow developer?
• Is the bird the smallest or largest of the hatch?
• Has the bird shown good vigor throughout its development?
• Fleshing on the bone is appropriate for age and breed
• Weight is appropriate per breed standard
• Is the bird of a sufficient age to pass judgement?
Temperament
• Is the bird aggressive to its flockmates?
• Has the bird shown unreasonable defensiveness towards humans?
• Curious chicks tend to be more intelligent
• Which birds overreact to stimulus and upset the surrounding flock?
Early history
• Was the bird one of the first or last to hatch?
• Did this bird need assistance at hatch?
• Was this bird or brood given an adequate start, with proper heat, and constant access to quality feed, grit and clean water?
• Was the chick the correct color and pattern of chick down at hatch?
This exhaustive list is the reason breeders and judges will tell you, “There is no such thing as the perfect bird”. No bird is going to check all the boxes. But these guidelines give breeders an idea on where to focus on improvements in each generation.
Making thorough evaluations is both agonizing and exciting. Agonizing because the friendliest birds are often the ones that have to be cut. Exciting because this year’s hatch includes at least one or more youngsters that possess the traits you were hoping to improve upon.
So if you’ve read this far, thank you. My mind is a busy and sometimes ridiculous place, but I love it. If you are also a breeder, I hope this gives you some ideas on what to improve in your own flock. If you are a casual owner, I hope this gives you some insight into what goes into producing your future friends and egg-layers.
