Golden 300 or Khaki Campbell? Need some advice

[rlehl2144]

I have 7 golden 300 hens.  They are awesome layers of really good sized eggs, about on the jumbo scale for chickens.  Since they started laying in october they havent missed a day.  Im at the point where i wont even eat chicken eggs.  These duck eggs are so good.  My birds are really great looking too.  They look much like a mallard, with the drakes having black (with green/purple sheen) head, blue/purple arm band, and grey bodies.  And it's hard to believe that the offspring wouldn't be good layers.  Metzer says their black drake/brown hen duckling color scheme wont breed true, but i think i think if anything the offspring would breed just as well as a normal khaki campbell.  I've actually got 15 eggs in the bator now.  So i'll let you guys know when THEY start laying.... if i get any girls.. i've got such bad hatching luck... straight run i wish.. haha

I know this is an old thread, but I am curious as to how subsequent generations of the Golden 300 lay. Are they just as good of layers as the 1st generation? I did have Khaki Cambpells, but I lost them due to sneaky coyotes and cunning raccoons. I stumbled upon the Golden 300 breed and have several of them now. We are wanting a self-sufficient lifestyle and need something we can count on to produce generation after generation. I understand that some of the characteristics are lost when they are bred and if it is strictly cosmetic, I could care less, as long as they are still decent egg layers. Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[JS69135]

Metzer farms says there is an average 3% Decline in egg production the second generation.

I know this is an old thread, but I am curious as to how subsequent generations of the Golden 300 lay. Are they just as good of layers as the 1st generation? I did have Khaki Cambpells, but I lost them due to sneaky coyotes and cunning raccoons. I stumbled upon the Golden 300 breed and have several of them now. We are wanting a self-sufficient lifestyle and need something we can count on to produce generation after generation. I understand that some of the characteristics are lost when they are bred and if it is strictly cosmetic, I could care less, as long as they are still decent egg layers. Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[Isaac 0]

Four year old thread BTW.

 

[JS69135]

I’m well aware.

Four year old thread BTW.

 

[Ratchnick]

Metzer farms says there is an average 3% Decline in egg production the second generation.

What about subsequent generations?

 

[JS69135]

No idea. You could email them as they developed the breed.

What about subsequent generations?

 

[TomCahalan]

What about subsequent generations?

The normal way that this works is that you have two breeds with certain traits. When you mate them you get a phenotype that is sort of in-between, but to some degree has the best of both (hybrid vigor/heterosis).

In subsequent generations you get a wide range of phenotypes, ranging from almost like one breed to almost like the other breed. You still get some heterosis, but is spotty, found on about half of the genes rather than on every gene. That level won't go down until drift/inbreeding causes you to lose it over time.

 

[Ratchnick]

That's kind of what i pictured, the subsiquent ducks wont conform to the standard, and not just in color. That's why i was supprised they claim only a 3% loss in production.