Landrace/adaptive breeding discussion

[BlindLemonChicken]

If you want birds that are generally healthy and good layers but not heavily selected for any particular cosmetic traits and probably not too inbred, they certainly might be a good starting point

I didn’t get them with this intention (I got my current flock before I knew what a landrace was) but I’ve had Ameraucanas before in a backyard setting and while they were flighty they were also kind of dippy. Of course I didn’t have an opportunity to really let them range so who knows how they would have done. But seeing my current flock roaming in their little forest is a whole new ball game. The EEs have surprised me for sure. I don’t have any plans to base a landrace on them but I might not be disappointed if they do breed with the birds I plan on getting for that purpose. Unless of course their bravery gets them picked off by a hawk

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

This is either brood two or three for this hen this year. This same hen raised two or three broods last year and she’s very good at getting them to adulthood.

Of interest to me in this brood is how the RJF colorations are starting to show up in the chicks given that the only breeding roosters I have on the free-range yard this year are moderate to high percentage RJF hybrids. The hen herself should be 1/2 RJF hybrid, 1/4 Liege, 1/4 aseel.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Maybe I missed this but does anyone know what EEs are usually made of?

The original EE (blue egg layers) were discovered in Chile. Some of the older hatcheries got their first stock from these but in a round about way. The Araucana and Ameraucana were developed from these original EE's from Chile. Legbar were developed in the UK and imported over here.

There is a lot of confusion about where they come from but they are just chickens that might lay blue or green eggs. Some have never been bred from a breed, were made from the original Chilean landrace. Some have been developed from breeds. Some have been crossed with certain breeds. Many you will never know where they came from.