Possible breeding program

[LaurenRitz]

We have several chicks from the Biel crosses so I got rid of the Biel roo. I sent him to another farm where he has lots of ladies.

To replace him I kept two of the Biel x Dominique crosses.

For next spring I have a line on an Orpington x Brahma cross to add in. I also have a possible JG x RIR cockerel for my second breeding group.

Once I have a 3 or 4 way cross in each group I'll start rotating the pullets between the breeding groups (clans) and cull/rehome those that don't fit my criteria. Cockerels will stay with their clan.

Primary culling criteria for the first several generations:

Pullets that don't lay by 6 months
Human or hen aggressive
Struggle with heat or cold
Aren't good mothers/fathers
Aren't good foragers

Group 1:

Bielefelder
Dominique
Black Australorp

Add next spring:
Maran
Ranger

Group 2:

RIR
Jersey Giant

Add next spring:
Buckeye
Brahma
Orpington

 

[Apis mellifera]

I am starting a breeding project for a sustainable dual purpose breed that thrives on forage, goes broody and raises its own chicks, etc. In this area, it will need to be both cold and heat hardy and able to withstand some predator pressure.

Partridge Chanteclers have all of the traits you're looking for.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I

Partridge Chanteclers have all of the traits you're looking for.
View attachment 3702376

I'll look into that one, but it doesn't look like it's heat hardy. Is it a good forager?

 

[Apis mellifera]

Outstanding foraging, like most heritage breeds. No issues with heat.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Outstanding foraging, like most heritage breeds. No issues with heat.

Everything I can find says they're not heat hardy. What are max temperatures where you live? It got up to triple digits here last summer.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Everything I can find says they're not heat hardy. What are max temperatures where you live? It got up to triple digits here last summer.

High 90s. On second thought, they probably aren't what you're looking for.

 

[Konstantinos]

Yesterday I was reading about Iowa blue chickens and Ixworth chickens.
The first have everything you need except the rose comb.
The second have a pea comb and its a bit heavier too but maybe not so extreme weather tolerant as the first ones...

 

[LaurenRitz]

Yesterday I was reading about Iowa blue chickens and Ixworth chickens.
The first have everything you need except the rose comb.
The second have a pea comb and its a bit heavier too but maybe not so extreme weather tolerant as the first ones...

Thanks. Ixworth is white and we have hawks. I'll look into the other. Looks like they might be pretty rare.

 

[Konstantinos]

Both are rare, I think, especially outside their countries.

 

[TexasBlues]

First, these are all inbred (i.e., stabilized) varieties. Since the first few generations they have been crossed inside a limited gene pool, with all that implies. One of the first things lost is the ability to adapt to change or new conditions.

I do landrace breeding with plants (goingtoseed.org) and the first step is to get as wide a gene pool as possible. Long before any selection is done, the offspring need to be able to adapt to the existing environment.

The old landraces weren't varieties as we think of them, but locally adapted populations with a broad genetic base.

Second, I do not care about uniformity or breeding to the SOP. I care that these birds can thrive in the sweltering heat and brutal cold, reproduce themselves with no interference from me, and basically thrive if they had no more human support.

I intend this to be a landrace breed, continuously adapting rather than stagnant. If other people in the area pick up pieces of the project I fully expect that they will adapt the population to their own needs.

I started making a landrace flour corn after reading about Joseph lofthouse. I think I’m on the 4th generation now. I started with 4 distinct varieties and combined them.
If I was to try an make an adapted chicken for our environment here in Texas, I’d probably start with American gamefowl, red junglefowl and something like a brown leghorn. I think they would have the right combination of wild and domesticated traits.