Chicks not up to snuff- what would you do?

[pasofinofarm]

We have been raising Salmon and Blue Salmon Faverolles for several years and have a (I like to think) good reputation for very nice birds.

Last year we decided that our line was getting a little inbred and we needed a good out cross. Lots of our layers were getting older too and so we wanted some replacement layers.

Sooo... we brought in a couple of birds from arguably the best breeder in the US. The birds were right out of their breeding pens and looked a little raggedy but so what?

We hatched tons of chicks from them and sold off a good portion of our flock.

Here is the problem... Now that the repalcements are laying they are not the same quality as the birds we have been known for. Someone here told me that one of their chicks had a dark spot and so I hatched 2 dozen here and lo and behold so did 2 of them and some of the adult birds are getting some off colors.

So now what? It is going to be a long process to sort out who is producing these chicks... what they will grow up to be... etc. So now I don't know if I should stop selling eggs... give a warning... Or???

Opinions/Advice?

 

[Teach97]

Show animals is all about reputation...I would stop selling until my genetics were up to par...that or sell as non show animals...I think more serious folks would appreciate a person stopping because their quality wasn't right and then started selling again...good luck!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

That is the shame of bringing in another line to your birds. With careful breeding, you could theoretically make 2 different lines with enough generations.

I would select ONLY the birds that would complement your original line and go from there. Something SPECIFIC about them. Are you after better color? Better type? Longer/Shorter backs? Then select those birds for your specific breedings.

In the meantime, I would stop selling chicks and build up your birds again...otherwise you could develop a bad reputation for selling stock that is in all honesty, not your fault.

 

[CountryMom]

Oh that so sounds like our disaster in our guinea pig herd a couple of years ago. I branched out and brought in a well known breeder and judge's line only to absolutely ruin what we had started. Guinea Pigs breed a lot faster than chickens so we dumped everything but the very few of our original line we had left. When I say dumped, I mean sold off to either pet homes or breeders who didn't mind the faults and wanted the bloodline anyhow. I did warn them. It was frustrating really because I didn't bring in a bad line, but it didn't mix well at all. So, I inbred for another year and have just now brought back in some new blood. So far we are producing much better stock than we did with the other outcrossing and improving our original bloodline.

It is a hard decision, but I have to say sell off or cull what you don't think is up to par and try to bring back your original line. It may take you a lot longer than a year or two, but it will be worth it not to ruin your reputation as a breeder. If you had started out with a poor line to begin with then I would say start over from somewhere else, but it sounds like you had a good line.

Good luck in your decision.

 

[needmorechickens!]

There are lots of people who will buy the ones that aren't show quality. Just let them know that these are your culls so should be considered pet quality.
~Rebecca