"Breeding mutts worsens the poultry hobby for everyone"???

[WoodlandWoman]

It's not like there is only one poultry hobby. There are a lot of different ways to have chickens as a hobby, that have very little to do with each other, other than the fact that some type of chicken is involved in some way.

People who are serious about showing chickens or maintaining heirloom bloodlines know who they're getting their chickens from. It's not like they're going to go buy mixed bloodlines from some auction.

I don't expect people raising chickens as a business to have the same priorities as someone who has pets. I don't expect someone who shows or is maintaining heirloom bloodlines to have the same priorities as someone that's in the egg business. People have chickens for all kinds of different reasons. One doesn't invalidate the others.

 

[navasima]

Hey - wake up folks! Chickens should never be crossed! Everything I've read here backs that up!
My rabbits and chickens live together and if I get even a hint of monkey business.....

Chickens should only ever breed with chickens and that is that!!

 

[nickie]

Quote:
What about ducks? They are birds, I was thinking of calling the chicks or dickens. Lol.

 

[Moochie]

He said that having your rooster breed with whatever hen and hatching the outcome is irresponsible and it means ya don't care. I care. That's why I got rid of alot of my cochins. They're not great layers (mine aren't anyways) and I didn't want to breed and hatch out any cochins or cochin crosses. Plus they were flighty, even as young pullets. Only 2 grew to like me.
I want to breed more light sussex/barred rock in hoping I get a hen, see her laying abilities, if they're good I would make more if not then no more of that. Got rid of the light sussex roo though.. He was just too big for a rooster and causing some hens to lose saddle feathers.
I kept 1 roo from the first hatch and he is nice, I wonder which BR mommy was his. It seems I'm going to have to get rid of a cochin rooster because he's starting to act mean, and I don't want any mean traits passed on to future chickies.

^ Hey see I'm selective too!

 

[galanie]

Well HORRORS I at least hope you aren't eating these mutts, cause I'm sure they will taste horrid, with all the bad blood and all!

What an absolute jerk that guy was. As if hatcheries don't sell mutts and pretend they are pure breeds. Sheesh, And as if you were selling them yourself as pure breeds. That is the only way I can see raising mutts causing any problems.

 

[Noymira]

It was very rude for him to call you stupid or irresponsible, your flock is your business as long as they are cared for humanely.

We are deliberately going to be crossing our flock to breed for dual purpose birds, and probably will keep some strictly for egg laying.

I think it would only be irresponsible if you were selling them as pure breeds if they were in fact crosses, because that would be misrepresentation. But you aren't, and a lot of people love crossed breeds because they are so unique looking and they don't have to worry about keeping breeding birds separate.

If someone wants to breed purebreds, or continue heritage lines, good for them. But that is no reason to assume their approach is the only correct one.

 

[justtoni44]

HI, Couldn't resist the thread...........

I have both.Some very nice breeding stock and my layers for eggs to sell.
Having bred and raised purebred sheep, I am aware how cross breeding can be helpful.
Cross breeding for market lambs is common practice.
Many of my layer flock are cross breeds and really great healthy layers..........
And as mentioned,very lovely with the variety of colors..........
I do think it is a good thing to have a variety of opinions also..........makes us think
and it is definately OK to not agree ...................It's the " I'm right the other person is wrong" that gets us into trouble.........
JMHO................
Have fun with your chickies.................
I have a barn full of " who's your daddy" chicks with 6 very content hens right now..............

 

[navasima]

Quote:
What about ducks? They are birds, I was thinking of calling the chicks or dickens. Lol.

Dickens may be a specialized new purebred - like Goldendoodles! I am adamant that I have one from the first clutch! I shall name him Sir Wha Dafuque = I promise!

 

[BirdEggs]

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"who's your daddy chicks"- Love it!

I am not breeding chickens, I only have 4 layers to produce eggs for myself and friends, but if I had more time and wasn't afraid of neighbors complaining of noise, I would probably breed "mutt" chickens. I am not interested in showing chickens, and I would like a variety of colors/types, so crosses appeal to me. It would also allow me to select for certain characteristics of different breeds which sounds like it would be fun. The birds I have now are golden comets, so they are a cross breed, and I don't feel like they are hurting anyone. Raising chickens is a fun hobby, and as long as you take care of your mutts, and don't mislead potential buyers into thinking they are pure bred chickens, it should be fine. They are not contaminating the gene pool of any pure bred chickens that serious breeders are working to improve, so I don't see how it hurts the hobby. And if you are not interested in showing or sticking to one breed, you shouldn't have to feel guilty.
That guy has the right to feel that his pure bred chickens are superior to your mutts, but not to tell you that you are wrong or stupid! And you have the right to feel that your mutts are wonderful and that he is missing out, but not to insult him. Like another poster said, there are many different aspects to the hobby of raising chickens, and there is not a right or wrong way to do it regarding the breeds or crosses you choose for your own flock!

 

[Yonaton]

Quote:
X2. Well said and needed to be said. The OP seems to think that anything s/he says is okay though, but orders others to not say anything at all if it isn't "nice". 'Nice' is a relative term and I'd be in someones face if they *told* me when I should/could say something or not.