Hmm...I'm curious about breeding my chickens.

[farmgirl1995]

What do you get if you cross a Buff Minorca rooster with a Barred Rock hen? I'm really interested in chicken genetics and such but unfortunately I know NOTHING of them. How do you get your own named breed? Like if you create a new one. How do you get recognized?

 

[NYREDS]

You get a mutt.
If you're really interested in chicken genetics there are many good books on the subject. Go to AMAZON.COM, or where ever you buy your books & do a search.
Getting a new breed recognized is a years long process that can not be accomplished by one person. I don't have the exact requirements at hand but the proposed breed must breed true & must have been bred for X number of people for X number of years. I think there may be additional requirement but I'm not certain. I'll dig around & see if I can find the official description of the process.
Any road, there's a lot more to it than mating A to B to see what you get.

 

[catwalk]

The barring gene is sex linked, and the hen only carries one copy of it. Sex link genes in chickens work opposite of the way they do in humans, where the male will only carry one copy, and pass it to only his daughters. Hens are the ones with the odd chromosomes, and the genes on the Z are only passed on to sons. Therefore, all the male chicks from this cross will be barred, and the daughters will not. When you find out what that looks like at hatch, you will be able to know their genders weeks ahead of when you otherwise could.

 

[Coopa Cabana]

It's not an easy journey:

AMERICAN BANTAM ASSOCIATION

REQUIREMENTS OF ADMISSION OF NEW BREEDS AND VARIETIES

The Standard Committee makes rules and sets fees.

All proposed changes in Bantam Standard are to be published in the Quarterly to all comment by members.

Qualifying meets for both new breeds and new varieties must be held at each of the shows hosting the ABA Annual or Semi-Annual Meets.

NEW BREED:

There must be a minimum of 25 birds in each variety to be qualified within the new breed, exhibited in 4 classes (cock,

hen, cockerel, pullet) by a minimum of 5 breeders.

NEW VARIETY:

There must be a minimum of 25 birds exhibited in 4 classes (cock, hen, cockerel, pullet) by a minimum of 5 breeders.

NO CHANGES are final until recommended by the Standard Committee and approved by a majority vote of the Board of Directors at an Annual or Semi-Annual Meeting.

AMERICAN POULTRY ASSOCIATON

ADMISSION OF NEW BREEDS AND VARIETIES

A petition for recognition of any breed or variety must be sent to the Secretary giving the history of it's origin, breeding background & facts of an educational nature.

Must include proposed name of breed or variety with the standard for shape, color and weight. Applications to both associations (ABA & APA) must be of the same description, etc.

Affidavits need be included from not less than five breeders that they have bred the breed or variety for not less than five years and it produces not less than 50% of all specimens reasonably true to type, color, size & comb.

Breeds or Varieties need to have been exhibited for two years prior at a show officiated by a licensed APA judge. The secretary will contact these judges for his or her confidential opinion of the quality and uniformity.

A $$ deposit of a sum sufficient to defray the actual cost of placing the text in the Standard shall be received with the petition to be returned if this case is rejected.

The petition will then be referred to the Standard committee who shall name a qualifying meet at a prominent show to be judged by a licensed APA judge.

This meet shall consist of not less than fifty (50) specimens exhibited by five (5) exhibitors in all classes of cock, hen, cockerel, pullet.

When satisfied the committee shall then recommend it's acceptance by the Board of Directors, upon which it becomes a recognized breed or variety.

 

[farmgirl1995]

That is extremely confusing.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

It's not easy stuff. There's actually been alot of talk about people wanting to make new breeds/colors lately. It takes many years. However, there are a number of people on BYC who are coming up with new varieties or are in the process.

 

[Celtic Hill]

Quote:
this is very true, maybe you can find a project that is already started and help out with them?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I guess the real question is whether you want to play with breeding and learn some genetics as you do so, enjoying the chicks that you raise. Or do you really want to devote the the time & effort to create a new breed? If the later, you first need to decide your goals and put together a plan, either formal or informal, on how you are going to work to meet your goal. Then go for it.

I would guess from your post that you are fairly new to chickens and should probably start out by playing and learning, to get an idea of what is involved, and learn about the process. Then once you have a bit of experience with your birds, define your goal and start working towards it.

 

[farmgirl1995]

I've had chickens for 6 years. I love them dearly and thats pretty much all I think about. But as college nears and I think I want to major in poultry science or something like that I want to learn more about the genetics. It really is a fascinating topic. But I think for the most part I'd just want to play around with it. Nothing serious.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

I'm in the same boat.

I'd love to work with chickens right now-I aspire to in the future. But college is drawing closer for me, as well. I'll be dealing with chickens again when I have attained a career and 'settled down' a bit more.

If you just want to play around, then by all means, enjoy yourself. If I had the opportunity, I'd do some breeding also.