Breeding a new chicken breed

[Arjun Masthi]

You want to select i3 for most eggs and broody, and i4 for broody.
But one of those two needs to be a rooster, if you want to cross them and get chicks.
I'm not sure how you'd select for most eggs or broodiness in a rooster.

You are going to need to produce a LOT of birds in some generations, to find all the right traits in a single one.

I don't know how important it is to have absolutely clean legs.
If you can stand a few feather stubs here and there, it should work fine.
But from what I've read, there are probably one or more recessive genes that can cause feather stubs, so they tend to keep popping up in later generations.
So all those feather-legged ancestors may be making your project more difficult (if they're the only available birds with the other traits you need, then I understand you may just have to work with that.)



I was thinking it's more complicated than really necessary

Just an observation--chickens seem to tolerate inbreeding quite well, so it might be worth using fewer birds if it makes your life easier. A wide genetic base seems more important with big mammals than with chickens.

Haha. I now feel so very dumb. Damn. Alright, I'll perhaps select for size and maturity from i1 and i3 for the Roosters or, if I have the time, I'll use hens from them too, if I feel the necessity/have some great birds) and use them against i2 and i4. Thanks though!

Yes, I'll need to breed a lot in some generations- and for out crosses to test. But hey! More birds for the table

Clean legs are required because of our monsoon (rainy season) that lasts months. That and clay soil or even the fact that some chicken are just housed with cows (and dung). I read somewhere long ago that feathering gene is partially dominant, and those stubs are those with the feathering genes on birds that have modifiers to supress feather development. I wouldn't want it to pop back up later (though I could still use those birds till the end I guess now, get rid of the gene later while line breeding)... But if it's true that they are caused by recessive genes, perhaps I just use the clean legged ones from the crosses wherever possible, and hope for the best.
I perhaps could find an alternative to the Faverolles after using them for the beard and eggs, but I really haven't found anything large,and heavy boned/ strong framed as the Brahma in India, for that large a bird. Most large breeds tend to put on a lot of fat as mature birds too- something we don't prefer here. The Brahma doesn't do this- they have more muscle. That's what I want in the birds (though, if it is due to their slow growth rate, I need to strike a balance between that and muscle development, to ensure good meat- need to figure this out )

Lastly, yes, I am aware of it- we've had flocks ignored for about 6-7 generations, no new blood and there was perhaps a small drop in hatch rate. I just don't want to start with a small pool- especially since I'll be doing multiple bottlenecks for selecting against so many traits...

 

[CaliFarmsAR]

Sounds like a great chicken!!! I’m here as support and fallowing!!!

 

[Arjun Masthi]

Tha

Sounds like a great chicken!!! I’m here as support and fallowing!!!

Thanks! It means a lot!!!

 

[NatJ]

I'll perhaps select for size and maturity from i1 and i3 for the Roosters or, if I have the time, I'll use hens from them too, if I feel the necessity/have some great birds) and use them against i2 and i4.

For i1 and i4, you could choose roosters who had mothers that went broody. Not quite the same as selecting for a bird that itself went broody, but may help a bit.

Forgot to mention earlier: nice chart, easy to understand, and the labels make it easy to tell which parts we're talking about.

 

[Arjun Masthi]

For i1 and i4, you could choose roosters who had mothers that went broody. Not quite the same as selecting for a bird that itself went broody, but may help a bit.

Forgot to mention earlier: nice chart, easy to understand, and the labels make it easy to tell which parts we're talking about.

Thank you very much! Yes, I understand. Bonus: that also helps get out sone features while getting the F2s there.
P.S what's a breed without a fancy chart? haha
Thanks again! Glad it helps make people understand easier.

 

[halefamily_flock]

I have some new info on egg productivity. Although it's still early, my pullets sired by Spitzhauben are off to a great start! They just started laying this month, and in the past 6 days I've gotten 10 eggs from 2 pullets. That is definitely Dominique levels of productivity (or better)! So, it supports the idea that offspring will get the egg productivity of the most productive parent, regardless of whether it's sire or dam. I have 3 more pullets sired by Spitz, with very productive Dam, who should start laying in April/May. And 2 more sired by Spitz, with only moderately productive Dam. Wondering if hybrid vigor will be enough to surpass egg productivity of both parents for those 2.

 

[Arjun Masthi]

I have some new info on egg productivity. Although it's still early, my pullets sired by Spitzhauben are off to a great start! They just started laying this month, and in the past 6 days I've gotten 10 eggs from 2 pullets. That is definitely Dominique levels of productivity (or better)! So, it supports the idea that offspring will get the egg productivity of the most productive parent, regardless of whether it's sire or dam. I have 3 more pullets sired by Spitz, with very productive Dam, who should start laying in April/May. And 2 more sired by Spitz, with only moderately productive Dam. Wondering if hybrid vigor will be enough to surpass egg productivity of both parents for those 2.

Thanks for this Lovely news!!! Is of great help!!! Do keep us posted

 

[Arjun Masthi]

I have some new info on egg productivity. Although it's still early, my pullets sired by Spitzhauben are off to a great start! They just started laying this month, and in the past 6 days I've gotten 10 eggs from 2 pullets. That is definitely Dominique levels of productivity (or better)! So, it supports the idea that offspring will get the egg productivity of the most productive parent, regardless of whether it's sire or dam. I have 3 more pullets sired by Spitz, with very productive Dam, who should start laying in April/May. And 2 more sired by Spitz, with only moderately productive Dam. Wondering if hybrid vigor will be enough to surpass egg productivity of both parents for those 2.

I have a cross between a rooster from a very broody strain( of local Landrace fowl that lays about 2 dozen eggs a time) and a colour broiler hen. Lays throughout with some gaps here and there. But the egg size is intermediate. It does not go broody at all though.

 

[Arjun Masthi]

Some of the chicks are here!
The ones under the hen are some Brahma× (Landrace×Giriraja), some are Landrace(Landrace×Giriraja)
The ones in the brooder (more came later) are Brahma× (Landrace×Giriraja). Also got some Partridge Brahma Chicks.

Used some of the best and fastest growing mothers for these chicks.

 

[davidmpenning]

I hope this project is still going!! This is absolutely fascinating