- Aug 9, 2013
- 10
- 0
- 75
Hello to all ,
I have some questions regarding the process of breeding a closed line of birds for a purpose. Specifically a meat first egg second line of birds. I understand there are heritage birds that are capable of this now. But I was wondering which method would produce a better bird.
Option 1 , keep 2 flocks of what i would call “pure bred” birds that breed true to themselves and apply some form of selection and breeding keeping these lines separate and improving them individually. Then crossing these 2 lines to try and express heterosis and producing a better meat bird than the 2 parent lines alone.
Option 2 , Choosing 2 breeds that we believe would compliment each other nicely for our intended result. Cross breed those 2 and put the offspring in a form of breeding and selection to improve and remove traits we do not want. Repeat this until u have the type we r looking for then just produce select and breed for perpetuity improving the line and eventually have the line breed true producing what we r looking for?
Option 3 , choose 4 breeds that we feel would compliment each other for our intended purpose cross breed say breed A to breed B also breed c to breed d. take these offspring and create 2 lines. We select and breed for improvement until we kinda do the option 1 and cross those 2 lines for a heterosis bump and that would be your final product.
Option 4 , Choose 2 breeds but this time breed one flock true to itself and take the same breed and crossbreed it with a second breed. These half breeds go into their on flock for selection and breeding until u cross it to the first purebred flock to produce the final product.
If I’m too far off in the weeds with this topic please someone reel me back in with logic.
But if anyone with experience in chicken genetics has any input or sources for further educating myself on this topic. Or experience with any of these ideas i have came up with from all the internet reading i have been doing. Please share.
My true end goal with all of this would be to end up with a bird that is all ours and maybe a better performer than the original lines that we started with. Possibly it all fails and it doesn’t work. I’m not trying to achieve cornish cross growth rates or anything like that just a closed line that preforms for our needs and wants possibly better than any of the current options out there.
I have some questions regarding the process of breeding a closed line of birds for a purpose. Specifically a meat first egg second line of birds. I understand there are heritage birds that are capable of this now. But I was wondering which method would produce a better bird.
Option 1 , keep 2 flocks of what i would call “pure bred” birds that breed true to themselves and apply some form of selection and breeding keeping these lines separate and improving them individually. Then crossing these 2 lines to try and express heterosis and producing a better meat bird than the 2 parent lines alone.
Option 2 , Choosing 2 breeds that we believe would compliment each other nicely for our intended result. Cross breed those 2 and put the offspring in a form of breeding and selection to improve and remove traits we do not want. Repeat this until u have the type we r looking for then just produce select and breed for perpetuity improving the line and eventually have the line breed true producing what we r looking for?
Option 3 , choose 4 breeds that we feel would compliment each other for our intended purpose cross breed say breed A to breed B also breed c to breed d. take these offspring and create 2 lines. We select and breed for improvement until we kinda do the option 1 and cross those 2 lines for a heterosis bump and that would be your final product.
Option 4 , Choose 2 breeds but this time breed one flock true to itself and take the same breed and crossbreed it with a second breed. These half breeds go into their on flock for selection and breeding until u cross it to the first purebred flock to produce the final product.
If I’m too far off in the weeds with this topic please someone reel me back in with logic.
But if anyone with experience in chicken genetics has any input or sources for further educating myself on this topic. Or experience with any of these ideas i have came up with from all the internet reading i have been doing. Please share.
My true end goal with all of this would be to end up with a bird that is all ours and maybe a better performer than the original lines that we started with. Possibly it all fails and it doesn’t work. I’m not trying to achieve cornish cross growth rates or anything like that just a closed line that preforms for our needs and wants possibly better than any of the current options out there.
