yep I'd agree , it wasn't an over night success for sure. you got them in in what 2002 or so... that's far from a short run.
Steve the ones she imported were pure to start with so that's what it was a "short period" just a little out crossing to add strenght to the blood lines, back breed 9 year to fix type back perfect and they're done.
That being said, now there are still lots of them out there that are not done, or culls.
I myself still have some that need refining as do most of the others. But with our good birds ( thanks to Toni) it's just a matter of a couple crossings to better stock and it's done. Really most of this too if for color project work anymore ( at least here) and not so much more about type correction . One thing I have and still see in a lot of pics is ear lobes, leg color, and the occasional leg stubble. But these are minor things to fix. And honestly I could care less about a certain leg color as long as every thing else was in good order.
I still get some thin bodied birds here, but not too many, as long as they are short leg birds I just put them in with a good round bodied mate. And even those after a year or so can fill out and surprise you.
Buying eggs now, beware on that. I brought it up earlier in the year that I saw some on
eBay that were not in any way ohiki.Some people are just after a dollar and aren't very honest. They made the ol cochin x phoenix look a like crosses.
Also ask before you buy and be sure the eggs will be coming from the breeders better stock and not their left over culls. There's no need to start out going backwards on them.
Right now, I'm still building and refining my personal stock. Once I have them ALL in good order, I'll start letting some go. When I do, I just want to be sure the new buyer will be getting birds from pretty decent stock. That way they'll have the best chance at getting good birds and not be so much a contributor to taking the breed backwards here.
You know how some folks are, as long as they can call it by a name, they don't care to learn any more about it, know the type or anything and there they'll be on
eBay, culls being sold as pure refined birds. I just don't want any part in that.
I did send out a small cherry picked group of chicks this year a a few eggs out of my finish birds to someone I knew, but that was it. Personally I'm getting there now though, wont be long. Think after this year coming up I can have mostly finish birds and be in good shape.
You can find some though, just go with the names Toni-Marie listed, there's a couple more too, but outside those, I'd be leery. Just be sure to know the birds before you get them.
Most of mine are doing great on normal chicken food. But like Toni mentioned earlier, there are some still out there that have gluten issues. I bring this up cause I noticed you said in a post you don't feed corn. Just be aware virtually all sore bought chicken feed is made of corn, any grain for that matter has gluten in it. so if you do get some with issues to the grain diet, you will have to make home made feed pretty much, unless you get lucky and find a gluten free prepared ration some where.
Oh , Toni.. He lived in Italy if I read all the post right. I think he may have meant ( in Italy) as when he lived there?? I might be wrong. If so Steve, yes like Toni said, they'll burn you on illegal imports.
I certainly didn't mean to offend anyone and their hard work with my naivety on chicken breeding.
