Breeding program duration

[Faraz1]

I have been learning about chickens for the last few years and now at a stage where i would like to start experiementing with breeding.

Does anyone have any information or resources about breeding programs?

What is the average number of generations and years it takes to get common characteristics from a starting pair /group of chickens ?

 

[NNYchick]

There is an excellent book about starting a breeding program. It is called Start Where You Are With What You Have- A Guide To Poultry Breeding by Ralph Sturgeon. The American Bantam Assoiciation secured the rights and has begun printing it. You can purchase it from their website.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

What is the average number of generations and years it takes to get common characteristics from a starting pair /group of chickens ?

I think that will depend on your goals. Are you trying to improve an existing breed to meet the SOP, or are you wanting to make your own breed?

I’ll throw the number of “5 years” out there on the low end. It takes time to grow birds out. You aren’t just needing them to reach sexual maturity. They have to get to 2 years old or so to really evaluate their traits.

I have 4 projects going and one will likely sub divide into a 5th. Because my goals for the 5th project are someone radical, it may take my lifetime to achieve if ever.

 

[Faraz1]

So heres is what i am trying to do. I am looking to simply create a silver/grey gamebird.

so i raised a batch of Japanese Shamo, and out of their offspring was this hen who has now reached maturity. I would like to get a similar looking rooster and breed them together to get consistent coloring across the breed.

I have since then given away the shamos, and i have crossed her with a leghorn (white) with the idea that i would get some white/grey offspring. This seems to have worked and i have a small chick that looks like it will be a boy and carries white/grey feathering.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

So heres is what i am trying to do. I am looking to simply create a silver/grey gamebird.

so i raised a batch of Japanese Shamo, and out of their offspring was this hen who has now reached maturity. I would like to get a similar looking rooster and breed them together to get consistent coloring across the breed.

I have since then given away the shamos, and i have crossed her with a leghorn (white) with the idea that i would get some white/grey offspring. This seems to have worked and i have a small chick that looks like it will be a boy and carries white/grey feathering.

If you want your line to be gamefowl and call them such, I would recommend not using the leghorns. I would only use gamefowl breeds, and at least some of the individuals you use should have high game drives. Many people find that aseel cross well to other game lines and impart good physiques and game drives. Perhaps find a silver, grey, or even blue aseel to cross to your shamo. I’m no expert on color genetics, but your shamo looks to be blue or self blue.

But what are your performance or behavioral goals? Does calling them gamefowl matter to you?

 

[Faraz1]

Yes, calling them gamefowl matters very much, in fact i would like to keep the same traits as a shamo but would like to end up with a 'self blue' shamo stock that consistently produces the same colour

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

You do not want to use a white leghorn for this. Ideally you would have bred her back to the sire since if this is actually self blue AKA lavender and not just a light Andalusian blue it's a recessive trait and meant both parents carried at least one gene for the trait. Since it seems you've sold them, I'd breed her to a black game bird with type that will get you closer to your goals.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Yes, calling them gamefowl matters very much, in fact i would like to keep the same traits as a shamo but would like to end up with a 'self blue' shamo stock that consistently produces the same colour

I’d look for a self blue aseel stag or cock then. One with a high game drive. Make as many chicks as you can off of the two of them. Be patient. Don’t necessarily select the next generation off of just the first clutch. Wait until you have many healthy adults grown out from the single pair mating of the aseel to the shamo. Then select the best brother and sister to start the next generation. From there you will have to make decisions how you want to line breed them.

 

[Faraz1]

Getting a blue cockrel will be a challenge.
The reason i crossed with a leghorn was because i thought the chicks will be either white or blue.
I guess i was right as i have what looks like a month old chick looking to be a rooster and it has both white and blue coloring.

 

[Faraz1]

You do not want to use a white leghorn for this. Ideally you would have bred her back to the sire since if this is actually self blue AKA lavender and not just a light Andalusian blue it's a recessive trait and meant both parents carried at least one gene for the trait. Since it seems you've sold them, I'd breed her to a black game bird with type that will get you closer to your goals.

I did try this and raised 2 batches of chicks from the black rooster however none of the chicks came out with the self blue color, hence the switch to a white leghorn rooster who also happened to be around.