Heritage Vs. Hatchery

 Purebred Heritage Poultry History

Heritage breeds here in America date back to the early 17th century, including the earliest settler days, which were used to help them survive (1) in the rugged expanses of North America. Some sources state that the earliest settlers brought poultry when landing in Jamestown in 1609. Furthermore, Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620, which is in fact, one of the names of a heritage breed here in the US (Barred Plymouth Rock shown to the right). Poultry has played a significant role in the historical framework of our nation; it’s something that most modern Americans may not realize. 

With the first poultry show taking place in the US in 1849 (2), and the American Poultry Association established in 1873, it is important to understand the vital role poultry played in the lives of earlier people in the United States. This was due to the fact that chickens offered a plethora of benefits to these settlements living off of the land, including meat and eggs as a food source, their nature of being self-sufficient, and useful for trade and barter. Chickens were also used in clothing and fertilizer for crops. These various benefits and contributions were crucial for survival and development at that time.

                                             Heritage Poultry: Keeping the Past Alive

Many people wonder why they should want or need heritage poultry over buying from a hatchery.  Here’s a key difference: history and genetics.

Heritage breeds boast generations of intentional breeding for purity, with some bloodlines dating back to over 100 years. Unlike their commercially-optimized counterparts, they haven’t been bred solely for rapid growth or egg production, and they look and are more closely aligned to birds of the past.

Some purebred and exhibition poultry breeders strive for adherence to the Standard of Perfection set forth by the American Poultry Association in 1874 in order to show them in exhibitions. This standard is crucial for following if showing these heritage breeds are your intent; however, you do not need to show poultry in order to own these marvelous birds, as purebred poultry breeds are appreciated and enjoyed by all: from small farmers, to backyard poultry enthusiasts, and sustainable agriculture proponents alike. So, owning heritage poultry isn’t only about winning ribbons at poultry shows (though you’re welcome to try with these breeds.) Owning heritage breeds to us is about embracing a rich genetic history, and enjoying unique and rare birds.

 

 

What’s the difference between Hatchery and Heritage Poultry?

Purebred chickens appear closer to the originally bred poultry found in the early eras of America in their pure form. This breeding standard is also more closely aligned to how nature intended these birds to look. However, as the years have gone by and with the rise of industrial agriculture, the genetics of poultry bred through commercial hatcheries as well as backyard flocks have watered down strains and breeds of poultry through interbreeding, which have caused a drift away significantly from poultry breeds original aesthetics in the Standard of Perfection. This caused several of these poultry breeds to become endangered throughout the 1900s (3). 


The difference in appearance has been large and drastic, partly due to the breeding processes of hatcheries. Hatcheries started to interbreed and mix poultry breeds to gain favorable traits geared toward egg production and tailored for backyard enthusiasts; however, in doing so, sacrificed the original appearance of the purebred breeds. This focus on egg production rather than quality of appearance has largely caused some of these breeds to become a concern for dwindling numbers. During this process, hatchery birds have lost a lot genetically from the original stock breeds. This has caused the breeds to become “messy” and vary vastly from their ancestral strains.  However, it is important to note that heritage poultry are far more aesthetically pleasing and have robust color and body types, and also tend to have a slower growth rate (due to the size difference as well as growing at a more natural rate, as nature intended.) Some purebred poultry have lineages that date back decades (and even as far back as the late 1800’s.)

 Visual Comparison of Hatchery vs. Heritage Poultry

Pictured below are the differences between hatchery quality and purebred poultry:

On the left, Hatchery Quality Silver Laced Wyandotte. On the right, a Purebred Silver Laced Wyandotte
On the left, a Hatchery (poor quality) Barred Rock. On the right, a Purebred Quality Barred Rock. Note the size comparison of the adult birds, as well as plumage. The hatchery bird's small stature and messy barring, versus the purebred's crisp barring and larger size.

Why would hatcheries do this? It’s simple: hatcheries want to provide birds to the public that grow fast, are hardy, and lay a massive amount of eggs for backyard enthusiasts and farmers. Some of the traits that hatcheries gain by these specific practices are faster growth rate, more egg production, higher fertility and overall, less fragility; in doing so, sacrificing appearance quality. These traits are more sought after for backyard enthusiasts who want a lot of eggs and do not care about the look of their poultry, or simply do not know what a “true” chicken of that breed is supposed to look like. Throughout the years, backyard owners simply lost the appearance guide to these heritage poultry breeds, and these generations forgot what these birds truly looked like. 

Comparing heritage purebred poultry to hatchery poultry; that is, chickens that come from large production hatcheries (in which you or your neighbor are likely to have in your backyard flocks), the difference is highly noticeable.