Quote:
Same here, but I really like the SP. Actually considered bantam dark brahmas, but then figured if I can get it in Cochin (and let's face it, there isn't much you can't get in Cochin
) why not?
I have another question, though. I was looking at Ideal's SP bantams and there is a note that says something about needing a double breeding to get good color. Any ideas what that means?
~Terry
ETA: The site actually says "This breed requires double mating to produce quality males & females" Any ideas???
Any non-hatchery sources of these birds out there?
Double Mating is used primarily for patterned birds where the males and females have different plumage patterns. I asked around a lot when I got my GL's last year - I didn't find many that were still practicing the method, but I'm sure many probably still are. Because the M/F patterns are different, basically you should have separate preeding programs - one for breeding the best males possible, and one for breeding the best females possilbe. You can read more in detail below.
I would also be very interested in a more in-depth discussion on this, and would like to hear from anyone who practices it.
WHAT IS SINGLE MATING? The A.B.C. of Breeding Poultry for Exhibition, Egg-Production and Table Purposes
1919
In certain breeds the standard decrees that the characteristics
of the male and female should be different, which necessitates
double-mating, explained below. Where the standard for the
two sexes is practically the same, then single mating is sufficient.
By single mating I mean the breeding of both sexes as exhibition
specimens from one mating or single pen of birds.
WHAT IS DOUBLE MATING? The A.B.C. of Breeding Poultry for Exhibition, Egg-Production and Table Purposes
1919
Double-mating means the mating of two pens, one to produce
exhibition cockerels and the other exhibition pullets. This process
of breeding has done much to spoil many good old breeds, for
few little men have accommodation sufficient to keep two pens.
Many poultry fanciers give this double-mating question some
hard knocks, but we have only the Club Standards to blame. When
a new breed comes into being, the first desire of the faddists is to
draw up a standard that is hard to breed to. They contend that
it is better to have a breed that is difficult to obtain high-class
specimens of, than where we can easily breed winners. As things
are at present, double-mating is necessary in many breeds, and
I leave it at that.
In the case of laced varieties, such as the beautiful Gold and
Silver Laced Wyandottes, we have perforce to adopt the double mating
principles. If we mated the Palace winning Cock to the
Palace winning Pullet we should breed birds that were of very
inferior quality. By fitting up a cockerel-breeding pen and a pullet breeding
pen our chances are excellent. In the cockerel-breeding
pen of any variety the male will be a tip-top show specimen and
his mates females that are not show birds, but merely breeders
likely to throw high-class cockerels when mated to the exhibition
male. The pullets from this mating will, of course, be " duds
and not fit for show purposes. The females in the pullet-breeding
pen will all be first-class exhibition birds and the male not a show
bird, but a breeder most likely to breed tip-top exhibition pullets.
The cockerels from this mating will be " duds " and unfit for the
show bench. The whole modus operandi can be thinned down to
this :The cockerel-breeding male must possess all the necessary
characteristics to breed exhibition cockerels, whilst the pullet breeding
male must boast of those characteristics that will go to
breed exhibition pullets. The system is not so complicated as it
would appear at first sight and is interesting to follow out, but there
must, of course, be many " wasters " in the progenywhether
male or female respectively. In many cases fanciers are satisfied
with breeding one sex only and winning honors with same. They
specialize in pullets or cockerels, keeping the pullet-breeders or
cockerel-breeders only as the case may be. This naturally does
not entail so much work as would be necessary if the two sorts
were bred.
WOW! Thanks Coopa!
I am rethinking getting into these... or maybe I can just see whether the birds I can eventually acquire tend towards better males or females and stick with one or the other... Actually it's not certain I'd even be showing them, so maybe I will just try & see.