Part 0800.0005

[amc]

Looking to get new hens, in my conversations with suppliers I have learnt that apparently most hybrids are now hatched abroad. This had not occurred to me before and has led me to wonder where they are hatched, how the chicks are transported to the UK, what welfare controls are in place, where and how these chicks are centrally kept upon arriving in the UK before being transported on to the end seller. I am curious rather than concerned but having mulled it over for some days would really be interested to find out if anybody has any facts on the % of imported hybrid chicks, and any information on how you can know as to which hybrids come from abroad and which originate in the UK?

[Olly]

I've not heard this, I wonder if it relates to commercially-farmed hens?

 

I bought my last hens from a local supplier and whilst I didn't see any chicks there, I am 100% confident she bred them herself - I think your best bet would be to find a local, reputable supplier and ask them the question directly. Someone else may have heard about this - I'd have thought the cost implications of importing chicks would be huge. Where did you hear this?

[Roobaloo]

I've not heard this, I wonder if it relates to commercially-farmed hens?

 

I bought my last hens from a local supplier and whilst I didn't see any chicks there, I am 100% confident she bred them herself - I think your best bet would be to find a local, reputable supplier and ask them the question directly. Someone else may have heard about this - I'd have thought the cost implications of importing chicks would be huge. Where did you hear this?

 

I agree it must be commercially farmed birds as surely it would be cheaper to buy an incubator than import chicks for the average garden hen supplier??

[sjp]

There were rumours last year on another forum that chicks were been hatched overseas by at least one major supplier but I don’t think it got any further than rumours

[Snowy]

I was also under the impression that they are bred on a massive scale in Poland and the Czech republic. If you think abouty the sheer volume of hybrids going through the small distributors, they are obviously bred en masse somewhere. Merrydale have a delivery roughly every fortnight and they mostly sell out before the next delivery.

 

OK, I dug out the book 'Poultry Breeds and Management':

'Dominant CZ Hybrids: This company, based in the czech republic, has agents in the UK and other countries that supply an unusual range of hybrids that, because of their unusual colours, are likely to appeal to hobbyist keepers' The following list includes the bluebells, whitestars, gingernuts, pied suffolks, ambers etc.

 

Black Rocks, Hebden Blacks, Calder Rangers and Speckledies seem to be bred by UK companies.

[Patricia W]

I wonder if that's where the ex-bats start life? Having said that, there are some breeders over here. I seem to remember Taj has one near her.

 

Tricia

[amc]

Might be worth looking into a bit further, I think I'll probably ask the supplier in the future where they come from, as long as there haven't been too many middle men they should know, and if they are happy to say. It's an interesting thought anyway about the chicks provenance. Having hunted through various suppliers websites looking for some more hybrids it's true all the hens do look identical, just each supplier seems to tweak the name a bit.

[Snowy]

Some of them are definitely UK based - for example the genuine Black Rocks are bred at Muirfield Hatchery, Kinross, Scotland and the book talks about Calder Valley breeders of Hebden Bridge and Cyril Bason of Shropshire who produce the Hebden Black, Calder Ranger and Speckledy. The other big company is the one that does the ISAs - the Tom Barron ISA Company who are also UK based.

[Mollie333]

I was also wondering this.. I know that my girls are from the UK though.

[sezra]

I bought my girls from Cotswold Chickens. They are agents for Meadowsweet poultry and their website actually states which of their chickens come from the Czech republic. I did not realise this, I presumed they were bred in the UK. I have no idea if any what the implications are? I am new to chicken keeping so maybe a bit naive?

 

http://www.meadowsweetpoultry.co.uk/poultry.htm

 

Regardless of where they come from they are lovely birds and I have been very pleased with them.

[Patricia W]

So that's why some chickens don't understand English!

 

Tricia

[amc]

Does explain a lot doesn't it!!

[daj198]

Buying an incubator and hatching some myself suddenly got a lot more appealing!

[Snowy]

Buying an incubator and hatching some myself suddenly got a lot more appealing!

Trouble is, what to do with all the cockerels? The hybrids are bred to be sexable as day olds, so all the males are culled and sold as reptile food. The ideal would be to raise dual purpose birds and keep the males for the table

[lillybettybabs]

I bought my two Crested from somewhere in Leicester,The young girl told be they where from France , But they have had a full vacc program.

I have had some laying problems with them and one came with a damaged toe but in my eyes they might(not sure ) have had a bad start but they are well loved and cared for now.