If you have thoughts or information to offer, then it's not interrupting. We're all working towards a common goal here, even though we're approaching it from different angles and perspectives.
On one of your earlier posts, you mentioned breeding for resistance being a long term project and of variable ratios of success etc; I thought I'd just point out that this has already happened with mongrels and is still happening, so those comments about breeding for resistance you made apply more to purebreds. I agree, it's not an easy job for such breeders especially.
One of the benefits of mongrels is that they've been traveled all over, just about nobody practices biosecurity or prophylaxis with them, and they've been exposed to multiple strains of everything, then mixed, and remixed, and plenty of them have also been left neglected to try to survive without additional feeding or care, so only the fittest survived to breed.
Best wishes.
I think there is some validity in what you are saying, but many points you raised (I can speak for myself) happens within a breeder's flock. What "nature" does for a land race "breed", I do for my flock. Instead of nature being the pressure, I am. If I apply pressure to a point where I only retain the fittest examples, then over time I have a flock more tolerant of my environment. But in addition to health and vigor, I have the opportunity to select good typed animals that are productive.
Another point that I would add is that just because a flock of "wild mongrels" are surviving, does not make them necessarily more resistant. I am going to use the Key West chickens as an example. Obviously they are surviving. They have adapted and are continuing to adapt to their environment. They also are not withstanding heavy exposure. They are being exposed, but the level of that exposure is relevant. Those same bird's offspring in close confinement would likely be just as susceptible as a "pure breed" that has been carefully selected on the same Island.
In my area wild Turkeys are a good example. Obviously they are very rugged, and able to thrive within their environment. They begin to have problems when they are kept within close proximity of each other. Feeding or baiting Turkeys is illegal here. A good reason not to do it is that it makes them more susceptible to disease and parasites. It is not that there is a change in their tolerance. There is a change in their level of exposure.
Management is important.
Concerning the trade of mongrels. Is there a trade in mongrels? What I have seen is mixed breeds being traded within a given area where the pressures are more or less uniform. I am not aware of mongrels being shared cross country, and if they are, it is a recent occurrence. I am not certain what you mean by all over.There is haphazard trading of birds in my area. Usually it is hatchery stock, and sometimes they are mixed hatchery stock. They are not anymore resistant to disease (as a whole) than any other. The owners usually have more problems with disease, but the problem is usually rooted in the management of these birds.
I think your point is valid when you compare extremes. The land raced breeds of tropical Africa are better suited for their environment, than mine would be. Mine are originally from Peru by the way. Still if those land raced birds, if bred to fix type and color, would be no more or less resistant because they were. They would only become more or less resistant if the breeder used birds that were susceptible or more resilient. They are only removed from the gene pool if they die. If they succumb and recover they breed, and if they are resistant they breed. A breeder has the opportunity to remove a susceptible bird from the gene pool. A breeder has the opportunity to make faster progress on this one point because he/she has control over specifics.
The points you used with asserting that mongrel flocks would be more resistant could be used for pure breeds to. Some yes and some no. Many do not treat, trade their birds across country, and expose them too many birds at the shows etc. Some of course, do treat their birds and coddle them along. The variation is in the variety of breeders, as much as there is variation within breeds and strains.
There are some breeds and strains that are notorious for being highly susceptible to some pathogens. Then there are some that have a reputation for being especially tough. Most would fall in between. I would not disagree that some flocks of mongrels would be more resilient than the average bird. I also do not believe a bird is necessarily more resilient just because it is a "pure breed", or a mixed breed either.
A good thing about chickens is that they are tough and adaptable. They would not be around the globe if they were not. Properly managed they generally do pretty good. I have not had a sick bird in 6-7 years.
I never intended to say that we could not or should not breed for resistance. I prefer to call it breeding for health and vigor because I want to be realistic with my expectations. I would manage a flock of mixed breeds or a flock of pure bred birds the same. My expectations would be the same.
I am for or against neither. I have a grading project, and a "modified" grading project on my yard. I am no purist. At the same time, I realize that if I let a flock of mixed breeds breed haphazardly on my yard, they would quickly become very inbred.
