Breeds needing preservation - how rare

[jnjross]

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wow those two are night and day, good example

 

[CurlyLindsay]

So how does one find a good breeder?

I'm wanting to get into Welsh Harlequin ducks. This hatchery claims to specialize in rare breeds and has different pricing for "show quality": http://www.holderreadfarm.com/ Would those ducks be purebred. Has anyone ordered from them?

 

[astylishgirl]

This is very interesting and something that i am interested in as well.

 

[My Little Sister's Farm]

I figured they were doing what they do with Amearucanas (ee's) they did with all their breeds. They breed and hatch all those eggs and many of them are not blue in color.

I am trying to decide on if I want to work with dorkings, chantecler, or andalusians and I definately wasn't looking to those hatcheries, but wondered regarding the breeds.

I want to do a heritage duck too, either Wlesh Harlis or Silver Appleyards. Again, having a hard time deciding because what ever I do I want to do it right!

Thanks for all the healthy feedback all!

 

[jnjross]

birds from mass hatcheries are normally, tall, slim bodied, long legged with nonstandard leg color pink when it should be yellow or green/gray and vise versa, long tails often called squirrel tails, and nonstandard or multicolored beaks,

 

[walkswithdog]

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Thank you Cuban! I was just about to write something along those same lines myself.

What Cuban said..

A hatchery like MM does not produce birds that meet a breed's standard and do nothing to "preserve" anything.

People who are preserving a breed, breed for the Standard, breed for health, hopefully health and well rounded animal.

Not for public mass sale of substandard birds.

That said... you can rarely get many eggs from people who have Show Quality Partridge Rocks because - they tend toward infertility and low rate of lay.

So I am working with hatchery stock and improving it with better examples of the breed when I can get them. My breed is supposed to NOT be rare and you can't find a healthy, standard heritage flock anywhere.

It's even harder when the numbers are even tinier in the Rare breeds. I'm starting to keep Delawares, they're gorgeous and they're a source breed for the size and dual purpose nature of the Partridge Rocks. Started one project - ended up with two.

People like Steve, who fill out the forms, breed healthy animals to the standard, that's where a breed's future lies.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

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By doing exactly what you've done, by asking the question.

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If you posted this question on the forum, separate from this thread I am sure you would get plenty of feedback.

Lots of folk don't read through everything, just touch on certain areas. Since it involves ducks, you might want to try posting it in the Waterfowl section.

 

[Krys109uk]

You will be fine with Holderread's if you get their top exhibition quality.....they are known all over the world for their excellent waterfowl.

 

[Whispering Winds]

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Is there a website you can go too to explain these breeds, and how to keep them? That is something of interest to me, but I was thinking the other day that you would have to keep them all separate from each other, or have genetic messes, or am I wrong? I saw pidgeons and doves today in old messy cages when I was out looking for a house to take pics of, and that is what got me started on thinking about keeping breeds pure . . .not something to take lightly for sure.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

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When I decided that I would like to preserve the Cubalaya, I websearched everything I could on the breed. I came across an online breeders club and joined it. I started talking to the members, as one of them had written an article I came across. From that point on I had people willing to aid me in acquiring stock, giving tips on how to select for the right traits and so forth. I still learn more about them, nearly every day, as my breed mentor brings new and interesting things to light and other breeders share their thoughts and ideas. There are also books and magazine resources, along with organizations dedicated to the purpose of breeding, showing, and preservation like the APA, ABA, SPPA, etc...

A good poultry person will help you out and point you in the right direction if you ask the right questions and let them know you're serious about your desire to preserve a breed.

Yes, you will need a way of keeping breeds separated during the breeding seasons. Most important: Do keep good breeding records! This will help you avoid undesired results and keep track of what progress you've made.