- Aug 28, 2014
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Thank-you @Andrew10 for bringing up a really nifty topic I hadn't really considered: making a breed. Been thinking about the issue and trying to figure out what I'm really looking for in a chicken breed and what could sustainably take off in poultry fancy.
So, what would the perfect chicken breed be like for anyone else here?
What I'd really like is rainbow laced, rose combed Leghorn-type layers with the fancy egg colors of an EE.
I like the thriftiness, foraging ability, laying ability, and inquisitive natures of Leghorns. Few other breeds can survive being white in a green and brown world, but Leghorns are practically immune to predation, in my experience. Their large single combs put them at a risk for frostbite, however, so a rose comb (which some Leghorns have) I think would be a more practical and yet stylish for colder climates.
Most ornamental features put the bird at a disadvantage, particularly when free ranging in colder climates. Long tails require extra protein and are difficult to keep pretty. Crests block vision and make a bird prone to lice. Silkie feathers are not as good about keeping heat in.
Lacing has ornamental value without necessarily putting the bird at a marked disadvantage, particularly when most Leghorns are white anyway, and the non-solid nature of the markings helps break the bird's outline to potential predators. As lacing comes in many colors--and most combinations never see the feed store bins and never see the Mediterranean breeds--I think it's a good way to add ornamental value and color to a functional breed. The professional laying breeds only come in one color each so it's difficult for the more feed-to-conscious keeper to get color and individuality in a flock. *Fancy colors of Leghorns do not have the laying capacity per year as the industrial white strains.
Pretty egg colors is a great way to boost a breed's popularity. EE aren't a breed but almost everyone has some because many backyard keepers care at least enough about getting some pretty eggs to pay for and keep a bird that is generally drab and goofy looking next to most of its chicken peers. Lovely EE are another way to get a great variety started, in my opinion, because production and egg color have always taken precedent, leaving temperament and beauty in the dust.
I have no idea how to acquire said Swiss Army Chicken of Awesomeness, but I'd love to get one, which is the point when making and improving breeds, I suppose.
So, what would the perfect chicken breed be like for anyone else here?
What I'd really like is rainbow laced, rose combed Leghorn-type layers with the fancy egg colors of an EE.
I like the thriftiness, foraging ability, laying ability, and inquisitive natures of Leghorns. Few other breeds can survive being white in a green and brown world, but Leghorns are practically immune to predation, in my experience. Their large single combs put them at a risk for frostbite, however, so a rose comb (which some Leghorns have) I think would be a more practical and yet stylish for colder climates.
Most ornamental features put the bird at a disadvantage, particularly when free ranging in colder climates. Long tails require extra protein and are difficult to keep pretty. Crests block vision and make a bird prone to lice. Silkie feathers are not as good about keeping heat in.
Lacing has ornamental value without necessarily putting the bird at a marked disadvantage, particularly when most Leghorns are white anyway, and the non-solid nature of the markings helps break the bird's outline to potential predators. As lacing comes in many colors--and most combinations never see the feed store bins and never see the Mediterranean breeds--I think it's a good way to add ornamental value and color to a functional breed. The professional laying breeds only come in one color each so it's difficult for the more feed-to-conscious keeper to get color and individuality in a flock. *Fancy colors of Leghorns do not have the laying capacity per year as the industrial white strains.
Pretty egg colors is a great way to boost a breed's popularity. EE aren't a breed but almost everyone has some because many backyard keepers care at least enough about getting some pretty eggs to pay for and keep a bird that is generally drab and goofy looking next to most of its chicken peers. Lovely EE are another way to get a great variety started, in my opinion, because production and egg color have always taken precedent, leaving temperament and beauty in the dust.
I have no idea how to acquire said Swiss Army Chicken of Awesomeness, but I'd love to get one, which is the point when making and improving breeds, I suppose.
