Creating a new breed

[mychooks]

Just think what fun it would be to create a new breed. All breeds evolved from crosses of other breeds. Maybe you have an exceptionaly beautiful or extreme looking crossbreed in your pen. Maybe your 4 way crosses are laying 320 eggs a year. Maybe your favorite cross breeds are breeding on to all have similar traits. Maybe you have a unique color. Do you have a white polish with a black crest? try it !
Let us see your pictures of amazing looking crossbreeds that you would like to establish as a breed

 

[cubalaya]

I really think we should just pick a breed and try to improve it. there are already breeds that exist that aren't in the apa standard. if these don't have enough interest to be able to show, then why create another breed?

 

[big medicine]

Has anyone tried mixing a dark cornish hen with a wyandotte roo?

I have some experience with crosses involving those two breeds. If you can give more detail as to what variety Wyandotte, and refrain from using the word roo , I can give you some idea as what to expect.

 

[S&SPoultryExchange]

I am planning to cross turkens and a polish. Then have Pulkens!!

 

[Junkmanme]

I'm planning to breed my best "layers" with the Biggest, strongest, healthiest. Maybe just always be (in my Lifetime) "Mutts".

But, I need to study more "genetics" and improve my record-keeping...(Can't keep it all in my head).

I also need to set up a "chicken gymnasium" to test for strength, stamina, etc.

I probably will need the services of a "personal trainer" for my chickens.

Or maybe, I'll just feed them and let them feed me eggs.

I'm gettin' kinda lazy lately.

-Junkmanme-

 

[fiftyfifty]

I disagree with the idea that we already have enough breeds. Breeds are created by humans to fill a certain need. Most of the breeds we have now seem to me to fit into one of these 4 catagories:

1. Pure production birds. Examples: Commercial white leghorns, cornish cross, production red. Focus is on production, not personality or looks.

2. Old Time farm birds. Examples are Barred Rocks, RIR, many many others. Focus is on a bird that can lay eggs but also be eaten, can forage pretty well, decent personality, often can raise its own young. These breeds are often what I would call "handsome" but not exactly "pretty"....(I do realize that beauty is in the eye of the beholder).

3. Fancy Birds. Focus is on beauty (although some of these breeds are derived from more practical birds, and of course any chicken lays at least a few eggs, and any chicken *can* be eaten ). Examples: Cochin, silkie, true bantams etc.

4. Sport Birds (Game breeds).

It seems to me that there is a new demand for a new catagory that has been created because of the recent trend of backyard chickens/ pet chickens:

5. Backyard Birds
Chickens in this new catagory would be kept for laying, not meat. They should look very nice, or at least look very interesting. They must have good personalities. They must lay pretty well although production is not the very top focus. A beautiful or unique egg is a big plus. Being sexable at birth is a plus because most backyard owners do not keep roosters. They do not need to go broody. They should be able to live in the northern as well as the southern states. They must be readily available...not something you have to search all over to get ahold of. They should have a name that is attractive and not "in dispute" (I think that I speak for a lot of backyarders when I saw that the whole EE/Ameraucana/Americana/Araucana cat fight has been a HUGE turnoff).

Easter eggers, Ameraucanas, Welsummers and Cukoo Marans each meet some of these criteria, but not all.

I think that in England, they have more choices aimed at this market: the Speckeldy, Fenton Blues etc. I wish we had more breeds like this in the States. Here are some examples of breeds I think we need:

A. An Olive Egger breed. I have heard someone say they would name them Olivias. If I could create Olivias they would be a barred, autosexing olive egg laying bird with muffs, beards and a pea comb.

B. A calm, beautiful white egg layer. Right now about our only choices are the Barred Holland and Dorking, both of which are hard to find and often end up laying a light tan, not white egg. Hey, how about something Blue/Black/Splash! Wouldn't that be cool? Maybe something based on the Blue Andalusian but not flighty and prone to frost-bite.

C. Something that reliably lays those eggs with a pink or plum blush that I see posted every once in awhile. Cool!

What do you all think?

 

[3riverschick]

I really think we should just pick a breed and try to improve it. there are already breeds that exist that aren't in the apa standard. if these don't have enough interest to be able to show, then why create another breed?

I agree. there are many breeds in need of conservators. If one looks around, it's very possible one very like the one desired may already exist.
If one wants rarest of the rare, check the conservation lists. There are vintage breeds in dire nee dof conservation. The Barred Holland comes
to mind. Want fame or to "make a difference"? Look at the prestige, respect and acclaim Kathy in Missouri has attained with her dedicated
recreation of the Delaware breed. This is the kind of dedication the elite in the poultry world take notice of. Just want to be creative and/or
don't care about acclaim? The plethora of sex-linked genes in poultry even a well established breed...let alone a very rare one!...will
provide plenty of challenge in a breeding program
Best Regards,
Karen in western PA, USA

 

[lazy gardener]

I can appreciate the statements from you folks who want to put your efforts into maintaining and improving existing breeds. Yes, that is necessary. But, there's room in the hobby of keeping poultry for you, and for those of us who like to play around with the genetic pool. That's where the land race breeds came from. So, while I respect your opinions, please don't rain on the parade of those of us who are enjoying the genetic opportunities. I have one foot in each camp. Currently working on a barn yard mix, focused on green/blue egg laying black sex linked, birds with pea/rose/or walnut comb. (and perhaps ending up with an autosexing green/blue egg layer with a small comb) Every now and then... I'll jump into the other camp to breed some nice birds to keep my genetic pool going in the direction I'm hoping for it to go. IMO, it's the barnyard mixes who will prove to be the superior bird for the back yard flockster, b/c they have been selectively bred to thrive in exactly those conditions.

 

[canada-goose]

I want the Gourmet Black to become a breed!

 

[protodon]

I posted this pic before but I want this black star/buff orp hen to become a breed. I'm not sure what mix of the 2 she is at this point. Perhaps 3/4 black star because the definite 1st generation 50/50 crosses are really ugly! I hatched another chick that is getting the same coloration as her. If it is a boy, then I hit the jackpot! However, I am pretty sure it's a hen since so far all of the boys i've hatched have a reddish color to them and no black, like a darker red buff orp and so far there have been no females that weren't black.