InBreeding?

[BarredCometLaced]

Is inbreeding something that you have to worry about with chickens? What if the father of a pullet mates with her? Or what if the son of a hen mates with her? How do oyu keep track who is mating who if you have a flock with several roosters and hens mixed together?

 

[Fred's Hens]

There's no worries for a few generations. There is enough genetic diversity to go around, for awhile. Animals do this. A major buck, in the wild, will dominate a deer herd for 4 or 5 generations.

Eventually, you'll have to introduce some new genetics, however.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I asked that when I started too - here was my thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=224917

 

[Arielle]

IF you do a little reading off BYC, you will find a flock of 100 birds is required to reduce the effect of inbreeding effectively. You can breed father to daughter and mother to son because that is less inbreeding than son-daughter ( aka sister-brother). INbreeding can bring delitourious genes to light and therefore be prepared for heavy culling at times. Inbreeding has a purpose but most people breeding birds would benefit more from not inbreeding. With some planning, inbreeding can be avoided.

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
Can't agree. What you describe, father/daughter. mother/son is usually thought of as a component of line breeding. I have line bred a flock of Single Comb Rhode Island Red Bantams for over 20 years. I started with 2 pair & have never had 100 at any given time. These birds lay well & do well in shows. This year, for the first time, fertility was low so I will be doing a limited out cross for next year. However, I will be using a male from my line not a bird of unknown origin.

most people breeding birds would benefit more from not inbreeding

Actually this is 180 out from my experience. I see the results of blind out crosses regularly. People buy reasonably well bred birds from different sources, mate them indescriminately & almost always produce birds inferior to the origional stock.
On the other hand I also see the results of long-term line breeding regularly. Birds from those breeding programs are the ones on Champion Row at poultry shows.​

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
Can't agree. What you describe, father/daughter. mother/son is usually thought of as a component of line breeding. I have line bred a flock of Single Comb Rhode Island Red Bantams for over 20 years. I started with 2 pair & have never had 100 at any given time. These birds lay well & do well in shows. This year, for the first time, fertility was low so I will be doing a limited out cross for next year. However, I will be using a male from my line not a bird of unknown origin.

most people breeding birds would benefit more from not inbreeding

Actually this is 180 out from my experience. I see the results of blind out crosses regularly. People buy reasonably well bred birds from different sources, mate them indescriminately & almost always produce birds inferior to the origional stock.
On the other hand I also see the results of long-term line breeding regularly. Birds from those breeding programs are the ones on Champion Row at poultry shows.​

I agree. A heavy amount of inbreeding is a bad thing. But, a certain amount is required for line breeding.

 

[sjarvis00]

Quote:
Line breeding and "Inbreeding" is a basic principle used in any real breeding program, thi sis how you strengthen the desired traits be it laying, body size, plumage color or quality.
there would never be any progress made in any aspect of teh breeding program if birds were brought in from a source not selecting for what the same trait. You will often find that just crossing two very well established lines of the same breed and variety will have distaterous effects due a difference in selection processes of many generations. When managed properly you can sustain a line breeding program for a very long time.

 

[eggdd]

Quote:
Line breeding and "Inbreeding" is a basic principle used in any real breeding program, thi sis how you strengthen the desired traits be it laying, body size, plumage color or quality.
there would never be any progress made in any aspect of teh breeding program if birds were brought in from a source not selecting for what the same trait. You will often find that just crossing two very well established lines of the same breed and variety will have distaterous effects due a difference in selection processes of many generations. When managed properly you can sustain a line breeding program for a very long time.

i read about inbreeding/line breeding here several times. and i always see people say "if managed properly", but no one says how to or how they "manage properly". anyone care to give details for those here who are interested in learning more?

 

[kfacres]

Quote:
Line breeding and "Inbreeding" is a basic principle used in any real breeding program, thi sis how you strengthen the desired traits be it laying, body size, plumage color or quality.
there would never be any progress made in any aspect of teh breeding program if birds were brought in from a source not selecting for what the same trait. You will often find that just crossing two very well established lines of the same breed and variety will have distaterous effects due a difference in selection processes of many generations. When managed properly you can sustain a line breeding program for a very long time.

i read about inbreeding/line breeding here several times. and i always see people say "if managed properly", but no one says how to or how they "manage properly". anyone care to give details for those here who are interested in learning more?

trial and error mostly.. after several years and generations- you figure what lines cross well with others, and what doesn't work so well on this and that..

nothing involving linebreeding is set in stone, nor will it ever be. It's a cumilation of note taking, mentality, and numbers..

Most of the time, it's 'figure it out on your own'.

 

[saladin]

Quote:
Line breeding and "Inbreeding" is a basic principle used in any real breeding program, thi sis how you strengthen the desired traits be it laying, body size, plumage color or quality.
there would never be any progress made in any aspect of teh breeding program if birds were brought in from a source not selecting for what the same trait. You will often find that just crossing two very well established lines of the same breed and variety will have distaterous effects due a difference in selection processes of many generations. When managed properly you can sustain a line breeding program for a very long time.

i read about inbreeding/line breeding here several times. and i always see people say "if managed properly", but no one says how to or how they "manage properly". anyone care to give details for those here who are interested in learning more?

Managing properly in this context involves the following:

1. Only using those that are the best of the best to begin the process.
2. Culling heavily each generation; particularly as it is related to health and vigour.
3. Knowing what you are looking for before you begin.
4. Understanding that certain breeds seem to inbreed better than others.
Did I mention culling? lol.