different chicken owners--(RANT)

[ninjapoodles]

There isn't anything wrong with the term "mutt," per se. I'm involved with dogs and horses, and have bred and shown both and worked with rescue for both. I use the term "mutt" in regards to dogs all the time, and sometime for horses--although, horses have their own term: "grade."

Also, "purebred" does not equal "inbred." Linebreeding or even inbreeding is a tool that can be used by conscientious breeders to "lock in" desirable traits in their family of animals (realizing, of course, that you're also locking in any UNdesirable traits that might be lurking in recessive genes), best left to breeders who are very familiar with their lines and know what traits they're dealing with. Most of the time you'll find breeders very carefully combining linebreeding and outcrossing strategies for optimum typeyness and vigor.

I'm curious as to how you WANT people to refer to their birds of mixed breeding, since it seems to be the terminology that upsets you. I mean, if I have a first-generation cross, that's one thing. I can call it a RIR/WR cross, for example. But if my barnyard chickens are just reproducing willy-nilly (which is fine if that suits your purposes--we're probably going to cross-breed our Buff Orpington hens on other roosters, for our own egg and meat use), then am I supposed to keep track of all those crosses? "Oh, let me tell you about my pullet. She's by a Rhode Island Red/White Rock Cross rooster, out of a hen whose mother was the same cross, only the other way 'round, and whose father was of Wyandotte/PR/Cochin breeding..."

I don't think so. I think I'm saying, "my cute little mutt hen."

 

[penelope77]

i kind of think "mutt"sounds cute. i have mutts. some of my rabbits are meat mutts, i have a mutt dog and i have a bunch of mutt chickens and some purebreds. the trendy term though is "designer" not "mutt". i cull bad rabbits. if they aren't good for breeding then out they go, wether that be to freezer camp or to a new home and it doesn't matter if they are pure or mutt. all of my animals are spoiled and have great lives while they are here working.

 

[arlee453]

How about 'Barnyard Special'??

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Quote:
LOL That would work, but I think several hatcheries use that as a title for a package deal of purebred fowl. It does sound different though.

I think it is silly to rant over a term. Is it so much better to call a mutt, a "mix", or a "designer breed", or a "hybrid"(<--I consider that one wrong, personally, but it's okay, I won't rant). To me they are all the same, but I prefer mutt myself. Don't be offended.

-Kim

 

[steven11788]

I LOVE spending my time reading these, yes i see two sides, but of course as dose a quarter everything has two sides. i cull cause i raise show, and gamefowl, most in freezer or gave away, or jsut running around on my 30 acers of land( have feeders and some waters all over, big ones), or if defective, culled and thrown to the far side for the foxes- and other predators, keeps them away from house, and ...


another rant, if you rasie gamefowl, and have more than 5 roosters, its sooo retarded when i #### nosey neighbor thinks your cockfighing and calls the cops. then i have to spend my tax dollars on gas and a wasted explantion to officers, im 19, a country boy, and i think gamecocks plumge is beautifull. lol just to rant after all this..lol

 

[balticbabe]

I’m a mutt and I don’t mind the term. Neither do my cats.

I like the term barnyard special for livestock.

A co-worker worked at a factory egg farm for less than a week, it was so horrible. The people who sexed the chicks tossed the males over their shoulders into a tote that went to a pet food processor. I feel bad for the little guys but my cat food contains chicken by-products. That meat had to get into the can somehow. The males got put out of their misery early at least.

 

[Julie08]

I agree with what everyone except the original poster said. Great thoughts people!

 

[steven11788]

yep, its life, i was gifted, well ( here steven i know you love chickens so here take my Rhode island red, its mean, im dropping it off in the morning) it was mean ,heck it chased me, the dog, the other docile chickens,even the dang car,,, i had to shoot it. good dumpling though, and it was free, except the cost of a bullet, oops not to offend, but you shouldn't rasie any poultry if you are a complete pacifest, even if the chicks are cute..

 

[Sparrow]

The only issue I personally have with people calling ALL mixed breed chickens "mutts" is when they dislike them for that reason. Exactly where do you think all of our modern-day breeds came from? We certainly did not have this variety of breeds initially, they were created by crossing individuals and developing breeds, crossing breeds and developing new breeds.....so all of our chickens are essentially "mutts". Just not in a "bad" sense!

I'm not happy to see so much mention of killing chickens for reasons that I *personally* wouldn't kill them for. I view them as pet birds, and then egg layers. BUT, there are a lot of people who think I am ludicrous for seeing them as pets, not livestock. I have heard some fairly rude remarks about it, too. It's my choice to see them the way that I do, and it's their choice to see them the way that they do. I think people should just draw the line at rudeness and personal attacks on both sides, regardless ofwhat they think. There is nothing bad about raising them as pets, nothing bad about raising them as livestock. As long as the chickens are happy, I think there's nothing wrong with having your opinions and sharing them, as long as everyone is being decent to each other.

Animal/Livestock abuse or mistreatment is a completely different issue, and I take a different approach w ith that. But I've seen no evidence of anyone mistreating their animals around here, so it's not worth me speaking on this issue.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

In my town, if anyone has spare roosters they drop them in Old Town Fair Oaks Park. It's famous for free-ranging chickens, and home of the annual Chicken Festival. The smart roosters hang out in town for the free food and chance of snagging the few stray hens. i'm not sure what happens to the others. Maybe some stray out onto the nearby eight-lane highway. Or maybe hungry villagers sneak in at night to stock their fridge. The ones that do hang around, though, have a mighty good life.