My point was that the backyard chicken movement and the movement towards viewing chickens as pets is heading a lot of people away from the concept of breeding and showing poultry as well as any efforts to conserve any breeds.
This is exactly the point. It's evident the lack of care or concern when perusing the "Breeding to the SOP" forum and see it packed with "what will I get if I cross this to that?" or "starting a new breed or color thread". There is little collective effort to take on a breed and work with it. People want six breeds and then see what they get if they make mutts. That curiousity may lead some to more serious attempts of breeding. In general I think there is a lack of awareness to the problem.
@Bullitt The New Hampshire is currently in some very qualified hands. There was an insurgence of interest in them with the importation of German New Hampshire stock. It is a staple breed that did need this attention.
The Buckeye is still enjoying revival since the Conservation and Improvement effort not even a decade ago- or has it been a decade? I'm getting old. It's still an overlooked breed but is surviving and with breeders working with them. Very important breed.
Wyandotte have always enjoyed a niche of breeders. I don't worry about them at all.
Oddly it's America's most iconic breed, next to Rhode Island, that I worry about- Plymouth Rocks. Because you see them everywhere as hatchery birds people think they are fine. Only the Whites are fine. All other varieties, even Barred, need attention. The Good Shepherd Line is all but inbred with poor vitality, Shaffer line is disappearing, Fred's Hens Barred didn't get spread around enough. Even the Barred need attention.
The almost overlooked foundation breeds could use admirers. Java and Lamona are key foundation breeds that should be conserved. Holland? Meh. Was it ever a foundation breed? If it lost favor then let it be a dead end. Kind of like Jersey Giants should have been. But that's my opinion.
