*poll* Make a new breed, or breed a endangered one?

[Thunder344]

*I am not criticizing anybody making breeds.*
I know that a lot of people are trying to make their own breeds (you go! Keep up the good work!) But i also know that their are people trying to preserve the breeds marked as endangered, or critical. So I decided to make a poll to see you guys opinions! Would you rather make a whole new breed, or would try and save a endangered one? Here is a list i found from the Livestock Conservancy of a bunch of endangered, threatened, and critical breeds.
https://livestockconservancy.org/images/uploads/docs/CPL_2021_NO_STUDY_Poultry.pdf

I for one, would rather breed a existing breed that is marked as critical, endangered, or threatened. I currently own 15 Faverolles (you will see them on the list, they are marked as threatened, less than 5,000 birds around the world) and would rather breed them (which i am going to do when they are old enough!) and try to save them than make a new breed. What are your opinions?

 

[cubalaya]

i am working on 2 threatened breeds the Cubalaya and the Asil. the Cubalaya being a composite breed from oriental gamefowl and european birds and the Asil being the purest bred chicken on earth. all these so called breeders think they can make a new breed but really all they produce are mutts

 

[SueT]

I have Spitzhaubens and Sebrights, both in the ‘threatened‘ category. However, just for fun, I crossed the two, creating a ‘designer’ mix I call ‘Sprights.’ No I am not promoting this cross, nor calling it a new breed, but they are delightful birds...and everything I hoped they would be.
Here is a pic, the mixed daughter, the Spitzhauben father. And another 2 of the Sprights. They all look just alike, I had to put leg bands on them to tell them apart.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Depends on what you consider breeding them. I have some of the ones on the list, but they're from hatcheries so quite a lot of people claim those birds don't count. But I'm also not going to go and spend a fortune in those breeds to preserve them unless I'm actually wanting to enough. My hatchery ones look just fine and are close enough to the main idea of the standard.

 

[3KillerBs]

The advantage is preserving an integral part of American Agricultural history.

As a historical reenactor I understand that.

But my budget is far from infinite. I can spend the money to get superior backyard eggs rather than inferior grocery-store eggs, but I can't devote my entire flock to getting 3 medium eggs a week instead of 6 large eggs a week.

I don't need so much production that I can't indulge my dislike of red chickens by avoiding the high-production sexlinks, but I can't ignore production as a factor in my breed choices.

 

[saysfaa]

Someday, I would like to work with a heritage breed. Probably Nankins because they fit their role so well before incubators came along. I can see a place for that role at a garden/hobby farm level. And hope more people get into food production on that scale.

I don't think incubators are as good of a replacement for hens as most people think. We may someday understand that better.

Nankins to do the setting and brooding would allow people a wider choice of breeds as their production breeds. Silkys are taking the niche to some degree but I favor chickens better able to take care of themselves.

And voted "other" because the focus is on the role the "critical, endagered, threatened" breed filled. If their numbers are too low, "saving" them might be too expensive in genetic diversity. Others are working there, I would start with their culls for color or other such things less important to my goals. And possibly blend in their derivative breeds if neccessary.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Depends on what you consider breeding them. I have some of the ones on the list, but they're from hatcheries so quite a lot of people claim those birds don't count. But I'm also not going to go and spend a fortune in those breeds to preserve them unless I'm actually wanting to enough. My hatchery ones look just fine and are close enough to the main idea of the standard.

I also have my own plans to make new varieties of existing breeds, so I don't know where you wanna add that, as preserving or new breed

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

What a cool topic! I am just starting my flock, and wanted a variety of different breeds so I can see temperaments for myself with there being so many different opinions. However eventually I’d like to have 2 coops/runs, one with my mixed flock, and one with a heritage breed to sell fertile eggs from. Who am I kidding? I’ll probably end up with 10 coops/runs. The family farm has the space & I’m already addicted! I would love to help increase the population of a few breeds. But I also like a rainbow basket. Only time will tell! It’s exciting getting a farm up & running after it being shut down for 30 years.
In my mixed flock, the Plymouth Rock & Australorp are on the list. (Wyandotte’s were not on the list that I could see and are the other heritage breed in my current order). I’ll be sure to include a few more from the watch list in the spring in the next chick order.

I just started my new flock too and hope to get endangered or rare breeds eventually. I had 4 Ayam Cemanis, and I loved them, but they were put down.
I plan to hatch my own eggs next year and buy a few egg too. Good luck with your new flock!

 

[3KillerBs]

I am still in the stage of trying different breeds to see what I like best/what does best in my climate and management system.

I like the idea of preserving a heritage breed but I also have to consider practicalities -- a lot of the endangered breeds lay fewer, smaller eggs than the breeds that became more popular and have no great advantages over other breeds to compensate.

 

[saysfaa]

...I like the idea of preserving a heritage breed but I also have to consider practicalities -- a lot of the endangered breeds lay fewer, smaller eggs than the breeds that became more popular and have no great advantages over other breeds to compensate.

I see at least potential advantages in breeds that lay fewer, smaller eggs. I don't know what they are, yet, but would guess they may be similar to other crops.

Like in dairy - the super high producers require a LOT of management to keep them healthy and productive

Or similar to many fruits and vegetables - the bigger, prettier, sweeter varieties nearly all provide less nutrition.

Or fruits - the firmer fleshed varieties that can stand up to shipping don't have the flavor of the older varieties.

Or genetic diversity aspects of disease resistance the Irish potato blight was so devastating because all the potatoes were closely related and susceptible. A different kind was found in South America that wasn't at all susceptible. Fair disclosure: I can't remember if that saved the potato as a crop or just if it would have much faster and less expensively if someone had looked sooner... but that different kind was already almost extinct because only a few people were farming traditionally to still be growing it.

Whatever the advantages are may not be big now. They may become more apparent over time. Once a trait is bred out, it may or may not be recoverable.