Less-than-ideal offspring from 'heritage/standard-bred' chickens?

[jmc]

I posted this question in the Heritage Fowl thread, but--for some reason--no one even acknowledged it.

So maybe this novice can ask this question here as a separate thread.

Do such fowl ever put out less than ideal offspring?

Such as:

Color too light or too dark?

Pattern of color a bit or more than a bit 'off'?

Improper body shape?

Improper body size?

thanks to the pros!!!

 

[gamebirdsonly]

I would say yes.
it's like show quality birds just becuase the parents were show able does not mean you will hatch out show quality chicks ever time.

 

[jmc]

i would agree.

i would also hope for some input from some others

thank you!!

 

[Oldhound]

I agree with Gamebirds only and will say that the same thing applies to All man made breeds of animals.

 

[jmc]

thanks, oldie and welcome to the forum

 

[Oldhound]

jmc ! is that a York as your avatar ?

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
I agree.

 

[cgmccary]

There are no perfect birds, and all birds are less than ideal. I guess that is what makes it so much fun. You are always on a quest trying to produce & looking for the ideal bird.

Any group of chicks from the same parents will run the gamut as they grow up & there will be a wide variation esp. the larger the group of offspring.

For instance, right now, I have several groups of Buckeye chicks (i.e. different ages). As an example, Group "A" hatched April 9 and Group "B" hatched April 23 (so Group "A" is two weeks older than Group "B"). The largest chicks in Group "B" are larger than the smallest chicks in Group "A" even though the latter had a two week head start so wide variation in size from the same parents. To be fair and accurate, I evaluate the birds at the same age so Group B will be evaluated two weeks later than Group A (to determine who is kept, who becomes dinner, etc.). If I enter a show, I decide who is Show Quality about a month away from a show & then I may not know for sure until even closer.

And one last thing, genetics plays a part in tyhe wide variation but so does the environment you provide. Adequate space, good feed, clean water & less stress make a less than ideal bird turn out better. Chicks/ juveniles lower in the pecking order will often not eat as much and are constantly under stress from the ones higher up. Also, I've noticed that the few Buckeye chicks who get to free range at a very early age (for me, it is those with a game hen as a mother) progress the best. Currently, I have a small group of them, and they look superb for their age.

 

[saddina]

yep, DNA's funny like that. think about human siblings, you can have the same parents, and yet not look like them, or your siblings. (personally I think both of my kids are "show quaility" but i'm biased).

 

[jmc]

So then, i may now ask:

Suppose you have, let us say, some non-SQ RIRs.
Again we'll suppose that these birds are the F1 of more or less 'heritage' RIRs.
In fact, let's call them 'culls from a reliable breeder', okay?
Let's say these birds have wrong body type, color too light, maybe warped combs, etc...............


NOW, suppose you breed some of these?

You will come out with probably even more non-SQ birds, more non-SOP birds , correct?