Creating your own strain

[sjarvis00]

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It takes 5 breeders, breeding a breed and variety for 5 years, must breed true to size, type, color, backed up by breeder statements. Then at least 50 entered in two qualifing meets to be judged to better determine the ability to re-produce itself on a regular basis based on size, type, and color characteristics. Once evrything is line you have to submitt a proposed standard, and $200 fee then the qualifing meets are set and judge from teh standards comitte assigned.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Every exhibition breeder is working to perfect their own strain of whatever breed they are working with.

Not the same as trying to create an entirely new breed.

Lots of people are trying to create a heavy fast growing meat bird that is reproducible.

 

[Arielle]

x2

Remember that different breeds developed for different reasons.

Long ago, people didn't move like they do today. Your neighbors were neighbors for life. ANd eveyone had chickens. Your genetics were limited by what you had, and your neighbors had and which birds could survive the local environment. This is the original way different breeds developed.

More recently, people purposely breed different breeds together and selected according to their goal. ANd when the genes are set and the next generation is much like the previous one then you have a new breed. BUckeye, Rhode Island Red, Silver laced wyandotte are relatively new in the chicken timeline.

You can work on your own line as well. With birds, you have 1-2 generations in a year; that allows for quick progress in creating something new or different.

I had an uncle who bred his own line of pigeons. Not sure he ever added other peoples lines as he was very particular and his racing pigeons did so well at the races that he won enough feed money for all his birds to eat. He started when he was 16 and bred until he died in his 80's.

You don't need someone else to breed with you to make a new bird if you can keep enough stock to maintain diversity. But you do need few roosters.

 

[centrarchid]

I am creating two of my own strains of American dominique. The first is based largely on remnants of a previously successfull show strain (Voter strain) that has breed into it males from four other lines, two production and one show. Other strain is bit if a stretch to call a strain as I am breeding in American Game and California grey. The latter strain will be selected heavily for free range performance as well as the SOP. Both efforts will require decades and I will never be satisfied. I always keep in mind that genetic diversity within a strain is important and will compromise some selection pressure to conserve genetic variation. I am also keeping the number of breeds I keep low (just 3) so a good number of breeders can always be kept for greater mating options and backup in case of loss to predator, disease or some accident.

 

[gamelife]

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I bet that American game/California Grey combination will make one nice hardy bird. Nice to see you're
trying to improve your flock.
Good luck,

 

[begbfg]

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I'm incubating seven eggs from my mixed flock of RIR's, BR's, black sex links and gold sex links. Most likely, I'll get bsl's and RIR's but I'll be glad to post pics once they hatch, it you're interested. Thanksgiving weekend is when they're due to hatch.

 

[gamelife]

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I'm incubating seven eggs from my mixed flock of RIR's, BR's, black sex links and gold sex links. Most likely, I'll get bsl's and RIR's but I'll be glad to post pics once they hatch, it you're interested. Thanksgiving weekend is when they're due to hatch.

For sure post'em. Those little chicks are going to fluffiest little things.

 

[darkmatter]

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Pretty much what I've been tinkering at. Dual purpose mutts, hatching my own eggs, keeping the ones I like that are approaching my "ideal" chicken. Kinda like a landrace. Only occasionally bringing in chicks to add to the gene pool.

 

[centrarchid]

gamelife,

Hardy in respect to parasites, wimpy when it gets really cold, and just plain stupid when it comes to foraging. California grays appear to be bred to perform on a run using a nutrient dense, grain based feed, at relatively high densities. They also appear to be constantly turning feathers over. Best attribute is lots of big eggs.

By looks they should be reasonable flyiers but they appear to have very limited physical endurance in respect to flight and running. They do put on muscle mass well.