In the Beginning - Getting Started

Suddenly I was faced with some very serious decisions to make. What seemed like sound decisions at that time proved later to be wrong. Yes, I learned some very important lessons by trial and error, and with any lesson in life usually it comes with a price. That serious price was the actual price tag! So, with that said, my hopes now are to guide you through a wonderful experience in poultry with as few mistakes as possible. By the way, never name a chicken after a girl you like, I did, and that neighbor girl never did like me!

The number one lesson you need to learn and live by, right out of the gate is, "I will research, research, and research again!" Like most poultry people starting out, I grabbed what birds I could, from whomever was willing to sell to me, and now I know why. What I ended up with was a lot of birds, most of them not very good for many reasons, but I had no one to blame but myself, because I rushed, JUST needing those birds today instead of really knowing what it was I wanted. Needless to say, all of those birds are gone, most died, or were eaten by varmints, or met their maker by my own hand because they were so pathetic I didn't want anyone else to see them! I learned and so will you. Again, you need to research ahead of time and follow your plan.

When I decided I really liked the Dutch breed and wanted to raise them, I researched the Dutch breed for two years. I talked with many breeders, read every piece of literature available, searched the Internet up one side and down the other, attended many poultry shows to compare all my gathered notes and information, and then studied it all over again. Yes, the Dutch were for me. It paid off! When I decided I was ready to purchase my birds I knew exactly which breeders I wanted to acquire my birds from and all the right questions to ask. Studying the breed is one of the most important things I recommend you do for yourself and the Dutch breed. I am still learning everyday, relying on the resources of my fellow breeders, comparing notes, and still making adjustments where needed. I am sure you have heard the old saying, "A breeder won't sell you their best bird." I am here to tell you differently. A breeder should know that by selling you his "best" bird is the best advertisement he and the breed can get. My motto has always been, "If I wouldn't show it, I wouldn't sell it." I stand by that, and the best thing which can happen to me and any Dutch breeder at this point is to have a new or established breeder as a return buyer, to purchase additional birds, or having me recommended by a previous buyer. THEN, I know I am breeding a good bird and I am promoting the Dutch breed in a positive manner. I have heard more gossip and chatter about a terrible bird from fellow exhibitor's than a good bird usually for the obvious reasons. It seems we as Dutch breeders have developed a "taste" for knowing good bird qualities and won't except anything less.

After two years of research on the Dutch breed, I had spoken with many breeders, attended many shows, read everything related to the Dutch breed I could find and I was then ready to make my first purchase. What was I going to start with? Fertile eggs so I could hatch my own? Did I have an adequate incubator to do the job? Was I going to be available several times a day, every day, for 21 days, to turn them by hand if my incubator didn't do it for me? Did I know what temperature it must remain? Do I know what levels of humidity are needed and when to increase the levels? Hmmm, these were very important questions. Did I have all the answers? NOT!! A fellow breeder once told me, "no question is to dumb, unless you ask the same question over and over again." So pay close attention. I made most of these mistakes myself, again, research is everything. I was in such a hurry. Lord only knows how many innocent chicks met their deaths at my hands only because of my impatience and lack of knowledge. After all, how difficult can it be to hatch an egg? Well, I found out very quickly!

My next choice was to start with day old chicks. Where was I going to obtain them? Was I going to have them shipped to me? Did I know about stress to the bird and what stress was involved in shipping any aged bird? The one stress I knew at that stage of the game was the stress I was giving myself! Possibly I could purchase sexed birds. That would give me a better idea of the birds I was going to have from the very start. It was more expensive to purchase pre-sexed, but because I was looking for more pullets than cockerels it made more sense to do this, especially in looking at ways to cut feed expenses. Why feed a lot of cockerels when I was desiring more pullets. Regardless whether I purchased chicks or eggs, which by the way there is never a guarantee to the fertility of the eggs, being the novice, I was unable to use all my research and studying thus far due to the fact if I purchased chicks or eggs I wasn't going to be sure of the type of bird I was starting with.

As a beginner, and having the goals of becoming a long time Dutch breeder, I purchased started and mature birds. Raising started birds or mature birds is a learning experience in it's self. If you purchase older birds, at least for the novice, you will have a better idea of "type" and appearance of the bird you purchase compared to the uncertainty of eggs or young chicks. Regardless of your decision, remember everything you have learned and gathered from your research, and always purchase from pullorum-typhoid free parents and flocks. Some breeders prefer additional vaccinations, which is fine, but you will find quickly, even the most vaccinated bird will someday die too. Some sooner than others for various reasons.

Now came the hard part. Once I had settled on the ages of birds to purchase and on the breeder to purchase them from, I was finally faced with putting all my research information to work for myself. What type of bird was I looking for? When I say "type," I mean, what kind of confirmation traits were appealing to me as a breeder, and yet, the correct type which are the standard descriptions as printed in the APA and ABA Standards. I knew I could have the most beautifully, feathered bird, and could have it conditioned out of this world, but if and when I put it in front of a judge, and, or started breeding for production, I knew if the type wasn't there, I had wasted way too much time, money and sleepless nights for nothing. What you breed is what you get a bad bird only breeds another bad bird. Been there, done that, and guess what...that miracle never happened! If you are breeding for show and production, it makes all the difference in the world, but if you are just breeding for the typical, barnyard bird, then none of this will make any difference to you. Still, ask yourself this, "Wouldn't you like to have the correct type of bird from the beginning?" What if you someday decide to sell or exhibit your birds? Doesn't it make sense to do it right from the very beginning? Again, RESEARCH, RESEARCH and RESEARCH again. Then put all your knowledge and efforts to work. What you do well for yourself, you are doing well for the breed.

One final word....."Priscilla," that chicken of mine I named after the neighbor girl I was so smitten with, well, I saw her some years later, the girl that is. She not only hated it that I named a "chicken" after her, she had legally changed her name. Well, I don't know if it had anything to do with me naming my prized chicken after her or not, but one thing for sure, chickens have had more of an impact on my life than hers hopefully.