Breeding up

[Shylis]

Oh yay! A chart. I love charts.

On a somewhat similar note, if you have birds that are of unknown breeding but look similar to a breed, could you use selective breeding to get at the breed you're looking for?

 

[chickendales]

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yes

 

[Shylis]

what is being asked is if you add a different breed to a line to improve, let say color, you need to then line breed to remove the added breed, is that what your asking, not the making of a new breed like the showgirl

Yes, my question is if it common/acceptable to use another breed to improve your breed. not making new breeds.​

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

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what is being asked is if you add a different breed to a line to improve, let say color, you need to then line breed to remove the added breed, is that what your asking, not the making of a new breed like the showgirl

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I was clarifying what was asked no need to get upset, sorry

 

[MobyQuail]

I like the question, makes me think, what did they breed to the first ameraucanas to standardize the colors. the example of ameraucana to australorp was a good one. did they breed andalusion(sp)? wheaten ams- what did they use to get those, makes me think. thanks,

 

[Illia]

Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas got their blue from the same blue normal EE's got it - The spaniards who first arrived with Blue Andalusians and introduced it hundreds of years ago.



Crossbreeding is indeed a common thing. You have to consider where most birds got, say, the Buff color from. Buff originally came on Cochins, then was introduced to Orpingtons, Cornish, Ameraucanas, etc. Right there is showing that crossbreeding for a trait is indeed common.

Even now, it is still done. Silver Laced Brahmas had Cornish and Wyandotte behind them, many Lavender Orpingtons had Easter Egger behind them, Silver Ameraucanas I believe had Leghorn behind them, and so on.

Now, for "improving" something in a breed, most people just use a different line or color. I find it silly, absolutely silly, to improve something like egg production in Ameraucanas by adding Leghorn. Gosh, it's called get new lines or a new color.

That or just make Easter Eggers and do with them. . . Considering most "Ameraucanas" out there are Easter Eggers anyway.

I do understand that was just an example though, but to me it's also a great example of where crossbreeding for "improvement" is not needed. For example if I need longer legs on my Black Copper Marans, well, I get new blood from other Black Coppers out there. There's a huge variety in them, as are there in many breeds.


But to answer in a nutshell, yes, crossbreeding is done all the time. The big key though is using a breed that does NOT wreck your original breed or color of breed in need of improvement, and using one most similar in body, egg color, etc.

For example - Using Australorp x Ameraucana for whatever reason to improve Ameraucanas (honestly, what reason is there?) wouldn't be wise, as you've got the single comb, clean face, brown eggs (which turn the blue eggs green, big no-no) too puffy or too thin of body, (depending on hatchery Australorp vs good quality one) too pinched of tail, and generally wrong body type. That's a lot to deal with, and all for that one trait.

 

[Shylis]

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Your welcome? lol
I often get thoughts that provoke others and then I have to go look it up. My fiance laughs at me all the time when I tell him I'm looking something up.

About 2 weeks ago...
"What are you doing?"
"Looking something up."
Laugh. "What are you looking up?"
"Green eggs."
Laugh.

Next day...
"What are you doing?"
"Looking something up."
Laugh. "What now? Green ham?"
Both laugh.

 

[MobyQuail]

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thanks for that, I have often wondered where the green eggs came from in Ameracaunas, breeding diff. brown egg chickens inc. EEs in to get either color or body type or anything, am I near the nest box?

so, in a simple example, if they started with araucanas and only introduced white egg laying chickens, we would only have blue eggs- is that a correct statement?

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

only after a few generations of crossing back, i have a batch of pure white Ameraucanas that i had 4 white leghorn in with them since you can tell the difference with egg color, hatched a few, all the hens lay white, off-white eggs, though they lay extremely well

 

[Celtic Hill]

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Yes. This goes with what you are talking about. People may use a similar breed to cross with their breed to improve something. "Breeds" in chickens goes more on type then acutall bloodline even though there are some previlent and well known 'blood lines' with some breeds. I hope that didn't confuse you!