Line breeding: how do I get started?

The best information on line breeding specific to chickens I have found has been on the game bird cock fighting forums. I don't approve of the practice, but most of the famous lines have been line bred for decades, some for more than one hundred years.
 
Hi Trident,
What breed of dog are they?
 Best,
 Karen


I'm sorry Karen, but it's off topic for this thread and so gave the impression it was a rhetorical question. However have you tried searching the forum? That is always a good first step when looking for information.
 
The best information on line breeding specific to chickens I have found has been on the game bird cock fighting forums. I don't approve of the practice, but most of the famous lines have been line bred for decades, some for more than one hundred years.


Snort!!! Same with the game dog people decades ago. When massive amounts of money are involved there is a definite prejudice to hone variables down to a minimum. Money is a great basic indicator of success.
 
The best information on line breeding specific to chickens I have found has been on the game bird cock fighting forums. I don't approve of the practice, but most of the famous lines have been line bred for decades, some for more than one hundred years.

They have been doing it for thousands of years. They have taught us a lot about poultry, and breeding livestock.

You are right, those sites are a great resource for this kind of information, and poultry in general. Though their goals are different, we can take something from the emphasis and the perspective.

To them, breeding along a line, is about breeding proven performing individuals. The sire and dam is proven, and the offspring are proven. Where we tend to get stuck on color genetics, they are the opposite. They have little regard for color. The emphasis on genotype/phenotype is the opposite of what we find here.
Still a lesson that we can gather from the emphasis is proving the offspring before any real commitment is made to them.

When inheritance is as much or more about the family behind the bird, what we see is not always what we get. I have a cock bird, that I will not use again. He showed promise, but his offspring have showed otherwise. His brother, though he is equal on his own, has been a greater contributor. I intend to use him another season at least.

Good breeders of games, are also very concerned with vigor. Line breeding raises the bar concerning the emphasis on vigor. Maintaining vigor in a line will allow the breeder to go much farther than he/she would have otherwise. Vigor is priority number one. .

Among well bred birds, you will not find any breeds that have vigor equal to the game fowl.

The best game breeders that I have met, do not fight their birds anymore. Many are still at it because they love their birds.

They are also great at conditioning poultry.
 
 They have been doing it for thousands of years. They have taught us a lot about poultry, and breeding livestock.

 You are right, those sites are a great resource for this kind of information, and poultry in general. Though their goals are different, we can take something from the emphasis and the perspective.

 To them, breeding along a line, is about breeding proven performing individuals. The sire and dam is proven, and the offspring are proven. Where we tend to get stuck on color genetics, they are the opposite. They have little regard for color. The emphasis on genotype/phenotype is the opposite of what we find here.
 Still a lesson that we can gather from the emphasis is proving the offspring before any real commitment is made to them.

 When inheritance is as much or more about the family behind the bird, what we see is not always what we get. I have a cock bird, that I will not use again. He showed promise, but his offspring have showed otherwise. His brother, though he is equal on his own, has been a greater contributor. I intend to use him another season at least.

 Good breeders of games, are also very concerned with vigor. Line breeding raises the bar concerning the emphasis on vigor. Maintaining vigor in a line will allow the breeder to go much farther than he/she would have otherwise. Vigor is priority number one. .

 Among well bred birds, you will not find any breeds that have vigor equal to the game fowl.

 The best game breeders that I have met, do not fight their birds anymore. Many are still at it because they love their birds.

 They are also great at conditioning poultry.


I'd have to agree with this. Actually I have experience with breeding game birds. Here it is still legal to fight them. I actually started breeding because of them. I liked the form and the style of play of a breed then I get my hands on the best I could afford. I DO NOT FIGHT BIRDS.

Now the exp i have in game birds i apply to heritage birds - which I've switched to now.

There can be a lot to be learned from the experience and operation of these people and their forums. Years of practical experience for the backyard breeder (like me) or for those who really can have hundreds of birds.

Fixing a trait in a "winning line"... Vigor and line breeding.. Etc
 

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