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Robert Blosl
Rest in Peace 1947-2013
After writing this this was to give a big scope on what some of the questions asked. To me its keep it simple stupid. KISS the nuns did not teach me this in grade school but dont get caught up in all this mubo jumbo voodoo line breeding stuff. I will never forget reading a old Plymouth Rock Monthly from about the 1920. Mr. E B Thompson who was one heck of a breeder and winner at Madison Square Garden shows in those days did it this way. He had a big conditioning room with show coops in it. He would get a male that caught his eye and look him over very carefully.
He would take a tablet and draw a line down the middle of the page. On one side he wrote a positive sign on the other the negative sign. Then he would go out to a pen not related to this male and look for a female to compensate for his faults but still a very good typed and colored female. He then put her next to the male in the conditioning pen and then go out and find another. He he found one that was great if not he said the mating was done and over. He did this on many matings and said he had up to 50 matings for that year. Maybe one two or three females. Remember, he made a living raising barred rock chickens. We cant do this but we can have two or three per breed.
I never forgot this and told this story to Mr. E W Reese when I visited him at his farm 30 years ago. He said that's about what I have to do after they clean me out of all the good show birds. I mate culls to culls and then get more show birds for next year.
Remember KISS. It works in all works of life and also in breeding chickens. But most of all do not have FEAR of failure. You must be a optimist and look at the glass of water as half full.
He would take a tablet and draw a line down the middle of the page. On one side he wrote a positive sign on the other the negative sign. Then he would go out to a pen not related to this male and look for a female to compensate for his faults but still a very good typed and colored female. He then put her next to the male in the conditioning pen and then go out and find another. He he found one that was great if not he said the mating was done and over. He did this on many matings and said he had up to 50 matings for that year. Maybe one two or three females. Remember, he made a living raising barred rock chickens. We cant do this but we can have two or three per breed.
I never forgot this and told this story to Mr. E W Reese when I visited him at his farm 30 years ago. He said that's about what I have to do after they clean me out of all the good show birds. I mate culls to culls and then get more show birds for next year.
Remember KISS. It works in all works of life and also in breeding chickens. But most of all do not have FEAR of failure. You must be a optimist and look at the glass of water as half full.
Well, agree that poultry breeding is so complicated when done properly. I like challenges and even complications sometimes, but this "breeding chickens" is a whole 'nother ball of wax. The charts confuse me to be honest, but I'm trying to figure out the right way to view them in order to understand them - hopefully I'll "get it" one of these times I look? lol
