Breeding for pure question

[Bebop]

I can't seem to find many dorking breeders right now. I'm trying to do my research for the spring.
I got my Dorkings from Black Diamond Ranch, there is a breeder in Alaska, but her birds are from the same stock (I will most likely still get eggs from her in the spring though), there is another breeder, but all he has are bantams (which I will probably get to start a bantam breeding program with). I do not want to buy from big hatcheries because I want breeding and show quality birds. I also know of SandHill, and will attempt to get stock from them in the spring.
Do chicken breeders keep lineages though, like with other animals? How do people breed with minimal stock? Will I need to mix breeds to produce new lines, but further down the line, will they be considered pure?
Thanks so much for any help!
>^.^<

 

[Bebop]

Really, no one knows for sure?
I can't seem to find much info on this subject surprisingly enough, but I will keep searching!
>^.^<

 

[shelleyd2008]

I am not sure, but I believe a good breeder would have records of where their birds came form. But I wouldn't worry about it too much. I have heard that it is OK to interbreed, as long as it is not full brother to full sister kind of thing. Hope someone else comes along to help out.

 

[Mahonri]

Those are the only ones I've heard about also... hmm....

 

[tdballew]

I am getting ready to order eggs from black diamond and wanted to know how you liked ordering from them. I have email back and forth a few time. They seem to be very nice. What did you thank about them. Did you get some good eggs?

Thanks

 

[kstaven]

Quote:
You do not need to mix breeds.

What type of dorking? Silver/grey, red, etc..........

 

[NYREDS]

Why do you want to produce "new lines"? If you are not having fertility problems &/or there are not major flaws you're trying to correct you'd be better off breeding the line you have.
There's a now out of print book by Ralph Sturgeon titled "Start where you are with what you have". It's a great outline of the line breeding process.
Many people, eager to add "new blood" succeed in messing up what they have & are never able to recover. I've bred the same line of RI Red Bantams for over 20 years. They lay well, hatch well & compete well.
Approach any out cross with caution.

 

[blackred]

I think the idea of line breeding poultry is one of the hardest ones for new breeders to grasp.
People think of birds like mammals and so close breeding should be a no-no to them, but when you are trying to consolidate good genes the only way to do it is thru line breeding.
When you start out crossing you open up a Pandora's box of bad traits and if you are not a seasoned breeder you are in deep trouble. If you are going to out cross you better have a game plan, and always make it a side breeding that way if it goes awry you haven't got a total lost.

Bob

 

[patandchickens]

"If it ain't broke don't fix it"

If there is a specific flaw you are trying to fix it seems to me that you'd be best off getting *related* i.e. same-general-line stock that lacks the flaw, then breed and cull in whatever volume is possible. Only reason I could see for HAVING to outcross is if fertility has gotten poor -- and then, again, you don't necessarily want totally unrelated birds, just a bit LESS related ones.

JMHO from animal breeding and genetics in general,

Pat,