Brabanters and Spitzhaubens--The Differences PIC HEAVY!

[EweSheep]

They are medium to medium large. never had a large one like Leghorn size.

 

[andalusn]

Considering the size of the hen Brabanters are good layers of large eggs. Mine have never gone broody and I just about an egg a day from each of them. I am hoping to get a successful hatch out of my group. I hatched 6 last spring but so far non this year. Setting some more in a few week to try again. Our birds have been handled a lot. This in includes our rooster. They are friendly and not flighty.


Young rooster from last years hath I recently sold

 

[EweSheep]

Lovely!!!!!!!!!

 

[allen wranch]

He is beautiful...

 

[jenn-E]

Carla, were you on Austin TV recently? That's a cute Brabanter the other woman has:

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/dpp/good_day/SFC:-Funky-Chicken-Coop-Tour-20110419-ktbcgd#axzz1K553ohKT

 

[allen wranch]

Yes, that was me and my chickens.

Patricia the Brabanter is the sweetest bird. She follows me around like a little puppy... If I sit down, she HAS to be in my lap.

 

[birdwatcherohio]

I have 5 cream Brabanter chicks that are a little over a week old. One has a deformed leg. My original plan was to start a Brabanter breeding program. I am concerned, however, that the inbreeding of US Brabanters causes more genetic deformities than in breeds already established in the US. Although I love the Brabanters, I am concerned that even by adding Brabanters from another breeder, I will still not have the genetic diversity necessary.

Do people already breeding Brabanters seem to find the need to cull many of their Brabanters? How is it possible to add genetic diversity to this breed in the US? Thanks!

 

[EweSheep]

When you add another breeder's Brabanters, all you have are distant cousins so it would be even better than closer siblings that would create more problems. However with distant cousins, sometimes it would get you some stronger and more vigourous chicks OR it would end up more deformities which I think it is highly unlikely.

By all means, go ahead and try it. You will have nothing to lose yet until you have tried!

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

In any population without a wide gene pool, inbreeding is necessary. For best results, you should spend several generations culling heavily on health and hardiness first. Pick the fluffy polish-style top knot over the correct top knot if the ugly one is healthier! No breed with a small gene pool will be able to recover and become healthy again if you are breeding with the wrong priorities, and aesthetics rank rather low when the health of an entire breed is at stake, IMO. Outcrossing, even if totally unrelated, would get you nowhere if the outcross birds carry the same faults.

 

[andalusn]

Couldn't agree more on the distant cousin aspect. I want to try my hand at shipped eggs as well. I realize they will be related somehow but hopefully enough water has gone under the bridge to dilute it a little