Breeding question.

[Cattle dog Mom]

If someone were wanting to get into breeding a certain breed, would it be smarter to get all of the breeding animals from a single breeder, OR get pullets from one, and cockerels from another? (I know that close inbreeding is very common with poultry. Unlike many other species.)

 

[MysteryChicken]

If someone were wanting to get into breeding a certain breed, would it be smarter to get all of the breeding animals from a single breeder, OR get pullets from one, and cockerels from another? (I know that close inbreeding is very common with poultry. Unlike many other species.)

I'd get them from two different sources.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

I'd get them from two different sources.

Thank you. That is what I was thinking also. (After breeding horses for more than 30 years, all of the inbreeding over and over just makes me cringe. Even though I know it is "normal" in poultry.)

 

[MysteryChicken]

Thank you. That is what I was thinking also. (After breeding horses for more than 40 years, all of the inbreeding over and over just makes me cringe. Even though I know it is "normal" in poultry.)

It's a common practice with any animal such as pet hamsters, mice, dogs, & cats. Especially those breeding for show.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

It's a common practice with any animal such as pet hamsters, mice, dogs, & cats. Especially those breeding for show.

In some breeds/species maybe. But I know exactly ZERO dog breeders that do it. Line breeding, absolutely. But not parents to offspring, nor full siblings to each other etc...

 

[MysteryChicken]

In some breeds/species maybe. But I know exactly ZERO dog breeders that do it. Line breeding, absolutely. But not parents to offspring, nor full siblings to each other etc...

There's many breeders of dogs that do inbreeding. One reason there's so many dogs with some type of health problem. Line Breeding is a term for inbreeding.

 

[MysteryChicken]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/breedingbusiness.com/consequences-of-dog-inbreeding/amp/

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Oh, goody! One of my favorite topics!

There is not a one size fits all answer to this. In order to decide, you need to ask yourself some questions.

1) Do you have a source for high-quality birds that are free from defects and generally performing and appearing as you want them to? (It is expected you would want to continue to improve and fine-tune any birds you acquire.)
2) Does the breeder of those birds have an established line with no recent outcrosses to other lines?

If the answer to both of these is YES, absolutely DO NOT outcross to another line. Crossing established lines is as good as mixing breeds, you'll create mongrels with no consistency.

If you only have access to inferior stock with issues, day one is as good a time as any to find your parts birds. If you can find only one good bird, get it and line breed the best of the worse to them. (Male or female.)

I want to emphasize this again because the "you should add some genetic diversity" myth I see perpetuated is RUINING good stock—crossing established lines is as good as outcrossing to other breeds and breeding for mutts. It can take years and years of linebreeding and family breeding after a single outcross to get back to consistency so you can really dial in your birds. Good breeders establish their flock (preferably by acquiring stock from an established line) and work on it for decades without adding new blood. The higher the inbreeding coefficiency the better when you are working with sound birds.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I agree you should acquire the birds from one source. Crossing two lines can cause you a world of trouble. Do your homework, find the best stock you can source or afford. That's the best start.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

There's many breeders of dogs that do inbreeding. One reason there's so many dogs with some type of health problem. Line Breeding is a term for inbreeding.

But most people do NOT use the terms inbreeding and line breeding interchangeably. Big difference between breeding 2 dogs together whose nearest common ancestor is on the 6th generation, and breeding siblings together. I also have NOTHING to do with show dog breeding. I only have working dogs and everyone that I know well breeds working dogs.