BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[gjensen]

I was wondering about that as well, wondering if, at volume (e.g., hatchery production goals/conditions/flock management), there is a downside to have a pure NN x NN or pure NN x ? breeding plan. After all, that's what I plan to do - it gives me more control if I have at a minimum a good NN rooster (and a back up, of course), and can choose the hen to get what I want. Of course, I don't care as much about color, which could be a reason to make other decisions...

While I will admire a pretty bird as much as the next person, unless I'm breeding to SOP (which I am not likely to do), I only care about color when it affects predator resistance in birds that I might consider free ranging without overhead protection. Not there yet, but it's one reason I like my Cream Legbars - they are the same dark grey color of my dirt. Whenever I get around to getting my muscovies, which would likely range more freely by default, I will only get dark ones (likely chocolate), even though the blue and white ones are pretty to my eye. But if we had significant snow and rocks/granite, I could see those same blue and whites blending in...

- Ant Farm

I breed for color as I do everything else. I am not breeding pieces and parts of birds. I am breeding the entire in which color is a part. If I am going to do it, I want it right. I do not want junk on my yard. BUT, I get nauseated when the genetics conversations never get beyond color. It is an extreme that I detest. About as much as I dislike round fluffy birds that are good for nothing at all.

 

[gjensen]

We have wild Canadian geese that stay around 10 months out of the year....even have a pair that has raised goslings here for 15 years. They have become quite trusting, coming to the near gates and almost to the barn.
And has anyone else noticed a lot of death in the sparrows? I have been finding about three a week for the past few months. Never had this happen before.
Yes, I can always add a layer of clothing when it is cold...but...the folks during past our house on the highway during the summer aren't impressed by nudity.

You were remarking on the geese, and I was thinking, be careful for what you ask for. They are very pretty AI carriers LOL. Then you mentioned the multiple sparrow deaths LOL. I think that is reportable. LOL.

 

[bnjrob]

We have wild Canadian geese that stay around 10 months out of the year....even have a pair that has raised goslings here for 15 years. They have become quite trusting, coming to the near gates and almost to the barn.
And has anyone else noticed a lot of death in the sparrows? I have been finding about three a week for the past few months. Never had this happen before.

Aye yi yi! That is worrisome! Especially since there has been discussion elsewhere today regarding the new plan that the USDA has for *depopulating* farms that have HPAI - essentially by roasting the poultry alive inside the poultry houses by cranking up the heat and shutting down the ventilation system. They have put out a 19 pg report on their plan for HPAI control and in it, they still say that wild birds are the culprit for HPAI but they really don't know how it is getting spread. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/18/health-birdflu-ventilation-idUSL1N11O1OK20150918

 

[Kev]

I was wondering about that as well, wondering if, at volume (e.g., hatchery production goals/conditions/flock management), there is a downside to have a pure NN x NN or pure NN x ? breeding plan. After all, that's what I plan to do - it gives me more control if I have at a minimum a good NN rooster (and a back up, of course), and can choose the hen to get what I want. Of course, I don't care as much about color, which could be a reason to make other decisions...

Yeah if it's numbers game.. they could simply use NN roosters over.. anything. NN,Nn turken hens and/or Hampshires or various dual purpose breeds.. and they would not even have to consider what to do with the occasional nn chick. Yet very persistently I see NN, Nn of both sexes in breeder flocks.

To my eyes it is relatively easy to recognize the average hatchery stock NN(the breed as is this time) as while there's variation, there is something of a common type(leaning towards meat bred but still with pretty good egg production). This makes me think there is probably a usual practice of breeding them relatively "pure" -aside the usual comments of deliberate mixing of color.. OK explain how come 90% are black tail buff/orangy lol....

I have seen the occasional one with obvious influence of egg production breed- lighter weight, pretty common for these to also have white on tails- thinking red sex link production stock?

Anyways as for personally, have not noticed any harmful effects of breeding NN to NN, Nn for generations with no nn both in 'pure hatchery stock' and the hundreds of various ahem, project breeds I've done thru the years.

Quote:
I get what you're saying... there are some ways color can be important- for meat breeding, if clear skin is important then maybe light colored birds would be better. At least the lighter base color of each feather.

Unfortunately, color doesn't matter terribly much in the average backyard. Once a predator has killed, it will keep returning to that location and color will end up making no real difference. The only time it can matter some is if there's a strongly contrasting bird compared to others- example one or two white chicks in a group of blacks or vice versa because the "exception" makes for an easier visual target.. have them all the same color they have a harder time making a 'target lock'.

My major problem is with hawks that are here during the winter migration.. they take any and all chicks less than half grown. Blacks, browns, whites, zero difference.. the only real solution is to have them totally confined until they are past the hawk's target size.

 

[NanaKat]

We have wild Canadian geese that stay around 10 months out of the year....even have a pair that has raised goslings here for 15 years. They have become quite trusting, coming to the near gates and almost to the barn.

And has anyone else noticed a lot of death in the sparrows? I have been finding about three a week for the past few months. Never had this happen before.

Yes, I can always add a layer of clothing when it is cold...but...the folks during past our house on the highway during the summer aren't impressed by nudity.

 You were remarking on the geese, and I was thinking, be careful for what you ask for. They are very pretty AI carriers LOL. Then you mentioned the multiple sparrow deaths LOL. I think that is reportable. LOL.

Aye yi yi!  That is worrisome!  Especially since there has been discussion elsewhere today regarding the new plan that the USDA has for *depopulating* farms that have HPAI - essentially by roasting the poultry alive inside the poultry houses by cranking up the heat and shutting down the ventilation system.  They have put out a 19 pg report on their plan for HPAI control and in it, they still don't say that wild birds are the culprit for HPAI but they really don't know how it is getting spread.  http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/18/health-birdflu-ventilation-idUSL1N11O1OK20150918

Fortunately We haven't had any health issues with the chickens at all. And no cases have been reported in our state.
But as a precaution, we are burning any dead sparrows we find.

 

[JRNash]

Better safe than sorry. I hope yourbirds remain safe and sound.

 

[JRNash]

Can anyone tell me what kinda of color split and or possible color combinations i could expect from a white asil over a dark cornish?

 

[hellbender]

Can anyone tell me what kinda of color split and or possible color combinations i could expect from a white asil over a dark cornish?

I could only guess but when Kev cycles back around, he should have as much information about color genetics in chickens as anyone I know of.

 

[bramblefir]

Can anyone tell me what kinda of color split and or possible color combinations i could expect from a white asil over a dark cornish?

I'm coming up with the chicks being either white or black, depending on if the Asil is dominant or recessive white. I'm not quite as knowledgeable on chicken color genetics as I am with horse color genetics though.

ETA: What are your hopes for the cross? I'm not very familiar with the Aseel/Asil, but I understand they were one of the breeds used in the development of the Cornish.

 

[JRNash]

@ bramblefir, I'd like o end up with a white Cornish type,witha little more of the game attributes. I recently lost 21 birds in one night to some as yet unknown predator. The only thing to survive were my 12 geese, 3 white giants and 5 outof seven dark cornish