a converstion with a show breeder.

[Oregon Blues]

Minister Man, while there are many different plans and systems for breeding show stock, they all have one thing in common. If you want success, you will cull hard. Be unforgiving of faults.

Personally, I consider a lot of other things besides the SOP: temperament, robust health, and egg laying, both for breeds that are supposed to be egg layers and breeds that are not. If a breed is only supposed to lay 30 eggs a year, I want 30 eggs, not 7.

My breeds are supposed to be good table breeds, so I watch the feed conversion rate and speed of growth (probably not a consideration with Silkies)

Usually when breeding show animals, there is a very small percentage that are really outstanding. I find that by only keep the few that are really outstanding, I can keep the numbers down. That comes back down to culling ruthlessly. If you breed outstanding breeders, you should get outstanding chicks. If you breed chickens with lots of flaws or chickens that are almost good enough, you will get chicks with lots of flaws or lots of chicks that are almost good enough.

 

[minister man]

That is an interesting comparison to ask, if it is a hobby or a business, based on the plans that I am working on. The only real comment I can make on that is that " failing to plan.... Is Planning to Fail" To me it is like Oregon Blues said about the birds. The quality in the breeding pen will determine the quality in the incubator, and to me, the thought, research and planning, will produce results in the sucess or failure of the plan.

First of all, as Many of you know I have been asking questions and trying to pick a breeding plan for about 3 years ( just ask my wife) I have purchased probably about 300 $ worth of books, I have emailed back and forth with people, until they got annoyed and wouldn't write back. The reason? Because I only have the original birds once, good birds are not plentiful around here, and I don't want to hap-hazardly ruin then ones I have. I don't want them eaten by bobcats, or raccons or foxes, or mink or anyother creature.

I am not sure that providing them with a safe and secure enviroment, with free choice feed, and pine shavings to dig in makes it a busness though. However, it doesn't make it a "chicken Mill" either I want the birds to be comfortable, that is why I ask so many people what has worked for them.

I am not really sure how much showing I am going to do, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to breed good birds. I am thinking that they don't cost any more to feed than poor ones, but I just love to watch them...... I could stand there all day and watch them dig and play, they are simply beutiful.

For those that raise them in huge areas and outside at that, I can just imagine how beutiful they must be there and how much you must enjoy them. For me...... somedays I don't know if they are a hobby or an obsesion, but they are definately not a buisness! I guess I would discribe myself as a "rule Follower" Which makes me a little nervous when there are no rules.


I know that I am babbling, I am just trying to figure this chicken breeding thing out. thanks for all the help and feed back, this is one of the best learning experiences I have has so far.

 

[chickendales]

Quote:
the best way to figure out this chickens breeding thing is to go out do it there nothing wrong with failing as long a u learn from ur failures

 

[ultasol]

Quote:
There are some faults to be forgiving of, especially in the breeding pen.

For instance, many many silkie people are foot fanatics, and will cull a bird for poor toe spacing that is otherwise excellent. Every time I will choose a bird with better type over poor toe spacing- after all toe spacing can be seen at hatch and therefore is easier to eliminate if needed.

However,.. there are always faults not to be tolerated. In silkies the faults I don't tolerate are: single comb, split wing, poor skin color, light eyes, poor type, issues with foot feathering.

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
the best way to figure out this chickens breeding thing is to go out do it there nothing wrong with failing as long a u learn from ur failures

Too true. MM-you've been planning for quite some time now. How many threads doe sthis make? At some point you need to stop planning & start doing if you do in fact intend to breed some chickens. There is no "plan" that will ensure a breeding program will be problem free & will produce no culls. But that's really where the fun comes from. If there was a plan that always produced a perfect outcome there really wouldn't be any challenge to this would there?

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
the best way to figure out this chickens breeding thing is to go out do it there nothing wrong with failing as long a u learn from ur failures

Not sure why this posted twice

 

[Pyncheon guy]

My Pyncheon Bantam house is 16' X 36"....and is two floors high (up stairs and a down stairs). Up stairs has a 6' x 16' foyer/feed room....show cages.....feed buckets etc. There are six 4'x 10' pens and one 6' x 10' pen.....along the South side is an isle way 6' x 36' which can double as a young bird pen. Down stairs I have divided the whole coop into 3 large pens.....one for young growing cockerels....another for young growing pullets...and the other one is for my Silkies..... All of the birds have plenty of space. I do pair and trio matings sometimes 1 male and 3-4 females....I like to use full sisters or daughter/mother in each pen.....so I can have a closer gene pool from that pen.....I'm hoping to somehow put outside runs from the upstairs areas for the breeders this next year. Anyway.......This has worked for me..... Just thought I would share.

Rusty

 

[chicken pickin]

Posting so I can subscribe and read this thread.