. You should pick livestock that is purpose bred for your purpose. Or that it at least holds the genetic promise of meeting your purpose. A standard bred bird bred closely to APA standards should be able to meet certain production standards within a few generations. So they're malleable to your purpose for production. I still think it behooves one to think about how they want to keep a breed, before making a choice. Your property and how you'll use it, micro climate, predators, neighbors. Your time flow. Have time at sometimes of the year but not others? All of those things should be thought about if you want to be successful.
I think that this is very important--very important, indeed. Time concerns, climate concerns-- there are no single combs here. Production concerns. Numbers you're able to raise, etc...
I think that is very much what I take away from what YHF says. Do one breed/variety and do it well. Really put your effort into it and take the time to create a thing of beauty. And I really understand that breeds with several varieties will struggle because effort will be split. But really, give the populace something. Let them work on the bird that they like to see. I know that White Dorkings are historically most correct. But white birds are just really ugly here for 8 months out of the year. I have a lot to learn and Silver Greys need more help than I feel I can offer. And my great grandfather appeared to have had Red Dorkings. So there you have it. Its what I want. Reds might have been late comers to the party, but they aren't like the Cuckoos. Or coloreds. That is a color to drive you nuts. It is eye candy tho. Its why individuals keep being sucked in.
This opens up an interesting question, but it is one that, to be understood, must stand outside of emotions. The reality is that everyone is going to "work on the bird they like to see." Currently there are 5 varieties of Dorking in the Standard. I've stated many times that the three principal colors are White, SG, and Red--the first two historically, the latter because of recent developments that make it important beyond its historical clout, sort of like the Buckeye. I hope the Dorking can sustain three varieties. There is a fair number of people beginning with them, but the focus is not yet disciplined. Nevertheless, three varieties are a lot of varieties for such a small community. In reality, if everyone were working on the Whites, progress would be much more assured and much quicker. Such will not be, though.
If your saying that I should recant on my stance, well that I cannot because it's not so much a stance as an understanding. Things will be what they will be. Either the genetic pool will remain strong or it will not. The breeds will thrive or they will not. It doesn't really matter how one feels about it, and my saying that if we all just raise what we want to see everything will be fine for the breeds won't make it so. However, I do think that folks will continue to "work on the bird they like to see." I just don't know what the result will be. As it is now, when one goes to a major show where breeds might be represented by multiple varieties, there are a couple that are the backbone of the breed that are still strong, and then the others tend to pale by comparison. Now, the reality is that if all were concentrated on the primary one, two, maybe three varieties, they'd be even better. Then we could actually start talking about productive capacity, etc....
Sorry I can't jump on board there, but I think it is something that bears thinking on by the wider community. There's a great guy I know, really smart and determined, who's putting all sorts of effort into recreating Blue Rocks. They're looking good, too, but I don't think they're going to catch on, because Blue doesn't catch on. Now, if he were putting all of his effort into the Barreds, his work might go on for generations to come. Who knows.
And to that end, I'm going to go open up my replacement copy of the SOP. It came in the mail today. YAY!!!