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

[JacinLarkwell]

Probably new breed.

That's what I figured for this poll

 

[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.

 

[Tre3hugger]

and have no great advantages over other breeds to compensate.

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

 

[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]

...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.

 

[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.

 

[ladybrasa]

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

I’m certainly not in the know, but wouldn’t that constitute new ‘lines’ in a breed? Like the Rees line or whatnot in cream legbars.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I’m certainly not in the know, but wouldn’t that constitute new ‘lines’ in a breed? Like the Rees line or whatnot in cream legbars.

Honestly no clue. It's involving other breeds to get the desired traits (silkie feathering for one and naked necks for the other (maybe frizzling too))

 

[Thunder344]

What about this:
If you had to make a new breed, what features would it have? What would you name it? Purpose? Egg or meat?