BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[RedRidge]

Roos

I agree Beer Can. I have WAY too many cockerels right now with this genetic project I'm working on. Tired of the noise, I like my quiet. I need to get back down to less than 8-12... the only thing worse is guineas. Maybe that's why I love my rabbits, sheep and cattle so much. They are quiet (except the bull when I have heifers, so I rarely keep heifers).

 

[dfr1973]

Roos

LOL!

 

[LindaB220]

Just touching base. Surgery is tomorrow. I'll check in when I can.

 

[jbkirk]

Just touching base. Surgery is tomorrow. I'll check in when I can.

Hope it goes well !!!!

 

[n3kms]

Just touching base. Surgery is tomorrow. I'll check in when I can.

I'll pray it goes well and you heal quickly.

 

[gevshiba]

I used to work in the Quarter Horse halter industry. I've had a lot of experience with HYPP. We always kept bottles of calcium on hand to IV with a small bore needle when muscle relaxers didn't work. This was back before it was called HYPP. Later we started mixing the calcium with ringers and using a large bore needle. I've never understood breeding with a chance for HH. It's basically a death sentence. But I see both sides of NH. On one hand it's a genetic nightmare. On the other, you have entire breeding programs based on these horses. Putting aside the fact that they win more often (right or wrong), banning these horses would have ruined a lot of people. I'm no longer in the horse industry. I got to where I couldn't stand how the horses were treated as a commodity. I haven't kept up with the new rules or the HYPP issues. I lost my last horse 4 years ago and will probably never have another. BTW, my mare was not Impressive bred, but some of her foals were. None were ever symptomatic.

 

[southernmomma]

Quote:
I'm curious who, if anyone, includes courtship dancing behavior in cock bird selection?

M

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

I'm curious who, if anyone, includes courtship dancing behavior in cock bird selection?

M

I have a new set of chocolates in the bator. I AM looking at kinder Mates for my birds in this next grow out of offspring.. My current chocolate dances a little, but I think there is merit to this trait.

 

[bnjrob]

Quote:

I'm curious who, if anyone, includes courtship dancing behavior in cock bird selection?

M

We separate our males and females before they hit puberty, and they grow out separately until breeders are chosen. While we do sometimes see this behavior while they are in their bachelor grow out pens (generally prior to starting a sparring match), it is not as common until they are allowed to be with a female - which could be as long as a couple of years before they are allowed mate. We have not had any problems with getting vigorous males that are willing to mate, so we don't feel a need to use this behavior in the breeder selection process.

 

[gjensen]

I can't say that I have.

Be cautious about making these judgments. For example, someone flock mating may have a subordinate male that sneaks it in every now and then. He is not going to take the time to go through the motions, etc. The hens are going to be less likely to submit to. This is not a behavior problem, this is normal behavior. The hen might cry fowl, but for him it is surviving. It would be easy to assume that there is something wrong with him.

For all of the complaints that I have heard about "proper roo behavior", I have rarely heard mention any consideration for the way that they are managed.

Even a bird that does "do his dance" does not necessarily do it all of the time.

There is the danger of crossing the line, and crossing into picking gentle birds that is more about our world view and perception. It is an unnecessary burden on us as the selector, and them as the birds that will never conform, or behave the way we think that they should. Calm and gentle, just as often means lethargic.

I have had a couple birds along the way that were absolute nut cases. A terror to their flock mates, and to the keeper. There is no good reason to keep a bird like this, unless you want more of them. There is no good reason to keep man fighters, unless you want more of them. I would say to select against extremes, and otherwise worry about health and vigor.

These extreme behaviors seam to be more common among hatchery birds. This is not to pick on these, because it is as often not the case. It is just that when flocks start numbering in the hundreds, the birds are under a lot of stress, they are crowded and over stimulated, and it is survival of the "fittest". Over many generations this could have an effect on who is represented in the offspring. There is nothing "normal" or "natural" about these settings. Then after countless generations, should we expect them to behave "normally" or "naturally"?

The good news is that most chickens act like chickens.