- Thread starter
- #231
So, I preface this post with this: I am not trying to offend anyone. This is strictly for the sake of discussion and betterment of the breed.
Why is there such a frenzy about new colors and varieties all over? What is the purpose of adding new varieties to existing breeds? How does adding new varieties actually benefit the breed?
I will give my opinions as answers to these questions. Again, I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes here. Just trying to make everyone think a little more.
Why is there such a frenzy about new colors and varieties all over? Well, I think lots of people have a hard time working on what someone else started and also lack the staying power to breed poultry long term. New colors and varieties are kind of a product of our instant culture.
What is the purpose of adding new varieties to existing breeds? Maybe these varieties get a few more people interested, usually temporarily in a breed or even in poultry in general. Unfortunately, this interest goes up until the project actually gets difficult. Then most people give it up and, either go back to black and white chickens, or get out of poultry all together.
So, how does adding new varieties actually benefit the breed? My opinion is that it doesn't. Any progress made in improvement to the that variety is usually short-lived. A variety becomes respectable (very rarely does it get better than that), but as a breeder works with a new variety, the old varieties (usually black and white) keep improving. A breeder can make quite a lot of progress on a new variety and still be very far behind good-enough-to-win. Generally interest in new varieties is very cyclical and trendy. The varieties start strong and end fast (typical "flash in the pan"). My opinion is that what happens is this: new breeders get a new variety, hoping be the one that gets it really going. When this becomes obviously impossible or unachievable, most people give up. Many of these varieties even become standardized. Unfortunately, when the variety falls to the wayside, all the resources used on them became de facto wasted resources. I think that if people would focus more on the existing varieties, the breed would move forward as a whole, not just in broken, halting steps. As I see it, there are lots of existing varieties that need tons of work! Such as partridge, golden and silver-laced, brown and even sometimes blacks and whites, blues and buffs. Why not focus on these beautiful varieties? There are still plenty of chickens to cull even with existing colors
While I admire anyone who can actually make a new variety look good, I admire much more the person that can take an existing variety that really needs help and preserve and perfect that variety. My challenge to the poultry world: If you're going to work on a new variety, work on an old one that needs help at the same time!
Why is there such a frenzy about new colors and varieties all over? What is the purpose of adding new varieties to existing breeds? How does adding new varieties actually benefit the breed?
I will give my opinions as answers to these questions. Again, I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes here. Just trying to make everyone think a little more.
Why is there such a frenzy about new colors and varieties all over? Well, I think lots of people have a hard time working on what someone else started and also lack the staying power to breed poultry long term. New colors and varieties are kind of a product of our instant culture.
What is the purpose of adding new varieties to existing breeds? Maybe these varieties get a few more people interested, usually temporarily in a breed or even in poultry in general. Unfortunately, this interest goes up until the project actually gets difficult. Then most people give it up and, either go back to black and white chickens, or get out of poultry all together.
So, how does adding new varieties actually benefit the breed? My opinion is that it doesn't. Any progress made in improvement to the that variety is usually short-lived. A variety becomes respectable (very rarely does it get better than that), but as a breeder works with a new variety, the old varieties (usually black and white) keep improving. A breeder can make quite a lot of progress on a new variety and still be very far behind good-enough-to-win. Generally interest in new varieties is very cyclical and trendy. The varieties start strong and end fast (typical "flash in the pan"). My opinion is that what happens is this: new breeders get a new variety, hoping be the one that gets it really going. When this becomes obviously impossible or unachievable, most people give up. Many of these varieties even become standardized. Unfortunately, when the variety falls to the wayside, all the resources used on them became de facto wasted resources. I think that if people would focus more on the existing varieties, the breed would move forward as a whole, not just in broken, halting steps. As I see it, there are lots of existing varieties that need tons of work! Such as partridge, golden and silver-laced, brown and even sometimes blacks and whites, blues and buffs. Why not focus on these beautiful varieties? There are still plenty of chickens to cull even with existing colors
While I admire anyone who can actually make a new variety look good, I admire much more the person that can take an existing variety that really needs help and preserve and perfect that variety. My challenge to the poultry world: If you're going to work on a new variety, work on an old one that needs help at the same time!
