If you could create a breed or a variety of a breed, what would you make?

[CJLR]

A standard size brahma that lays blue eggs

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I would like to create a breed that:

• is naturally docile
• is extremely robust both as chicks and adults
• is conformationally correct
• is free from heritable defects (prolapsing, etc)
• is not prone to deficiencies on less-than-perfect-feed
• has an excellent feed conversion
• is extremely heat and cold tolerant
• has a longer life span and a longer egg laying span (for layers)
• excels in the hands of new chicken owners and experienced alike.
• resistant to parasites etc.

I am not concerned with having a specific colour for the breed, but rather a "type" of body that is low maintenance:

• clean legs and feet,
• low/smaller type comb suitable extreme cold conditions (possibly walnut)
• small or no wattles
• proper stance and conformation so no nail trimming required
• lack of pouf or headgear so the breed can see without obstruction for free-ranging

I'm also not so much concerned with egg colour; I think it would be fantastic to get a variety of egg colour! I would like egg size to be large eggs from adult hens, medium sized eggs from pullets.

For the hatchers among us, I'm hoping through the conscious selection of robust embryos that hatch from aged hatching eggs, it will be a breed that will be easier to hatch. Egg characteristics are passed through generations, why not embryo robustness? I've been hatching chickens from eggs 2-4 weeks old from my first hatch. I believe that robust embryos may be the first key to a robust breed. What better chicken than one from an embryo that made it when others didn't?

It took approximately 10 years of conscious selection and culling of our Katahdin sheep to increase longevity from 4-8 years to 10+ years minimum, improve conformation, improve muscle percentage, extract genetic flaws, go from trimming 100% of hooves to zero hooves by selection of proper pastern stance, improve docility, shorten tails, improve udder tidiness while improving milk volume and increase lambing percentages with higher rates of triplets and quads. It's taken 8 years with our cattle to extract genetic flaws, reduce hoof trimming to nil, improve docility, improve conformation, increase longevity, reduce birthweight, reduce calving issues to almost nil, improve udder tidiness, and improve muscle. This is still a work in progress.

It's heartbreaking and it can be expensive when chickens are prone to problems and succumb to heritable defects that can be prevented with proper selection. There are many beautiful breeds...if they succumb to illness keeping them is in vain. Responsible breeding is important; birds suffer when they become ill and require handling and treatment. This is very stressful to both owner and chicken. I would like to see things change in this regards.
I am 4 years in, I think with another 10 years, we may be there.

 

[nicalandia]

A standard size brahma that lays blue eggs

Easy enough(pea comb) just breed back to Brahma.

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

I want to make a new variety of silkie.

I am currently crossing my Blue Splash Silkie Roo over my Millie Fleur.

This is BG, short for Baby Girl. Her feathers are starting to look a bit more silkie like. I'm hoping for her mom's coloring with the silkie fluff. She is 5 weeks old now, these were taken yesterday.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I am currently crossing my Blue Splash Silkie Roo over my Millie Fleur.

This is BG, short for Baby Girl. Her feathers are starting to look a bit more silkie like. I'm hoping for her mom's coloring with the silkie fluff. She is 5 weeks old now, these were taken yesterday.

View attachment 1831439 View attachment 1831440 View attachment 1831441

Silkie feathering is recessive, so you'll either have to cross her back to her father, or to her siblings. Mottling (the white spots on mille fleur) are also recessive.

 

[igorsMistress]

Turken/Ayam Cemani would be my choice. All black, naked neck

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

Silkie feathering is recessive, so you'll either have to cross her back to her father, or to her siblings. Mottling (the white spots on mille fleur) are also recessive.

Thank you so much for the information!

 

[Ra_]

Reese is getting big.
"Hey! You got Dixie Rainbow in my Barred Rock."
"Hey! You got Barred Rock in my Dixie Rainbow!"

Here's the larger version of a Delaware that I'm working on, that I call The Florida.

 

[Nats Chickens]

I would make a AraucanaxNakedNeckxBrahmaxPolish.
for a really groovy looking chicken that lays blue eggs!

 

[Celticdragonfly]

I want a crow-less rooster...