Possibly unanswerable genetics question

[ella]

Quote:
I am truly sorry to disappoint because reviving a breed according to its original purpose is such a great idea, I've often thought about how breeds like the heavily crested Polish could be worked back to a point where their health and life is not in danger from their extreme appearance. But that's not really what I'm doing. Unfortunately I don't have the space, time or education to work on a project like that.

Plus as immature as it may be I really like to have a mixed breed flock with tiny Phoenix and huge Orpingtons, fluffy Cochins and Brahmas and sleek Lakenvelders. And I like to combine those individuals (well not the Orp and Phoenix, that would be pretty hard on the Phoenix!

) taking the qualities I like best from each and trying to suit my farm's climate and my needs.

I'm not into super high production because the toll it takes on the hen's health. It's more important to me to get eggs over a long period of time because the chickens are my pets. The money I make from eggs goes right back to pay for their feed and supplies. That’s more than my cats do for me!

For the same reason their health is paramount to me. I don't breed until at least their second year so I have a chance to see how they cope with winter, summer and the rest of the flock. It also gives time for illness and weakness to pop up. So when I do breed I know the individuals intimately.

I wish you the absolute best of luck finding people with the same goals as you. Go for it, it's a great idea!

 

[wclawrence]

excellent post seeker

 

[seriousbill]

Quote:
There are plenty of breed preservationists who do exactly this (attempt to breed for the purposes for which the breed was first established), seeker, including Sand Hill Preservation Center, which is actually one of the few sources of purebred Delawares that I know of. And yes, they do this to the chagrin of some of some of the elite show purists.

But, from what I've seen as a Delaware breeder, the show folks have a point about breed consistency with this breed, as with other of the truly rare breeds, considering the questions that arise about the genuineness of what is being sold as a "rare" or "endangered" breed by some of the hatcheries, since they sometimes sell birds that can only be described as "pure" if you have a good sense of humor.

Overbreeding, fanatical or otherwise, for the show bench in Delawares is not really an issue; I've very seldom seen a Delaware at a show. At the huge Ohio National last year, for instance, there were exactly 0 Delawares.

Hatchery Delawares may not measure up the show bench, but they have great production qualities. And it has been suggested more than once that they have these qualities because of rampant outcrossing. If you are looking at utility, as many people are who buy from hatcheries, it may not matter to you that the bird you buy is a first generation cross with production reds, but if you're interested in "breed preservation," you might feel cheated if you end up with great-laying "Delaware" with red smut. And, as I said before, such smut, in my experience indicates an outcross of recent introduction.

A breeding project that tries to create a great-laying, hardy "Delaware," then, well, LOL, I'd say that's a redundancy and a half. You can buy them from any hatchery in the country for the asking.