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

[chickenmadnessainmind]

I agree. i have silkie chicks all from the same paired parents!
Some are smaller/bigger lighter/darker All individual. its like kids there all unique not identical.

 

[jmc]

thank you.

anyone for post 10???

 

[pips&peeps]

Quote:
Yes, that is why the breeder got rid of them.

ETA: But there is a small chance of getting a nice quality bird since the genetics are there.

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Quote:
Probably. But what if you add an unrelated non SQ fowl into the mix- a new rooster, for easiest example, from an unrelated flock? Chances are that you will get a mix of chicks which includes a good fraction which are better than both parents, especially in size, weight, and general feathering, because of hybrid vigor. Breed specific qualities may not improve, but first culls are more likely to be of chicks which are smaller and less vigorous, and those may be over-bred for breed-specific qualities.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Unless you constantly cull for the traits you want, the chickens will quickly go downhill. That does not matter if it is SOP show quality traits or just egg laying ability. I likke what Saddina said about the differences in human siblings. There can be a whole lot of differences between siblings. That is why breeders hatch out so many chicks, so they can choose the very few of the best.

If you take the culls of a good breeder that is breeding for the same traits you want, you are probably a lot closer to what you want than if you got hatchery birds, but they will almost certainly hatch a whole lot more rejects than the breeder's best birds.

 

[saladin]

I agree with ridge and will add some more too:

Anytime you breed 2 birds with the same faults then you are going to set those faults in your line. If you are getting culls from one breeder then the chances these birds all carry the same faults or genes for the same faults is greatly increased.


I never give anybody culls. I eat my culls. I would not even give away birds that I would not breed myself. I don't want to see my culls ruinning someone elses line. Birds I give away or sale are as good as the ones I keep. Period.

 

[punky rooster]

pips&peeps :

Quote:
Yes, that is why the breeder got rid of them.

ETA: But there is a small chance of getting a nice quality bird since the genetics are there.

I agree.​

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:

 

[jmc]

i am really really really glad you 'heavyweights' (imo) chimed in here. just what i was hoping for.

I WILL ADD ANOTHER QUESTION/REFLECTION LATER. SO PLEASE STAY TUNED.

BUT, i can't do it till at least Sat. 7/2, cuz i am visiting my aged parents tmrw. (mon.) to fri.

PLEASE CHECK BACK WITH ME

thanks

 

[phasianidae]

Quote:
Absolutely, that is the reason for culling. Granted, when the parent birds are closer to ideal and are from a well developed, well bred, strain (therefor likely homozygous for many of their traits) the number of undesirable offspring would be considerably less than offspring from a recently developed breed or in some cases strain. (likely heterozygous for some traits).