Redcaps

[Guccibirds423]

Well, if I were going to take on a grading project with Redcaps, I think I would cross the golden pangled hamburg male over rc red dorking females, then take the most appropriate female prodigy and breed them to Saladin's Redcap males. I'd use four different males, developing four different clans that, after the series of grading could then be used to start a breeding program.

So what you are say is take a redcap rooster breed to red dorking females? then breed those to golden spangled hamburg rooster? and then take those best females and breed to a redcap male? I honestly believe that would work pretty well. Dorking would help with size, hamburg would help with comb a lil, only real issue would still be the earlobes but that could be breed out over time.

 

[Guccibirds423]

Gucci, at the time we have White Dorkings, RC Anconas, and La Fleche.

La fleche? I want La fleche. That is another project I wanna do. I wanna raise a bird just like in my picture.

 

[saladin]

Well, if I were going to take on a grading project with Redcaps, I think I would cross the golden pangled hamburg male over rc red dorking females, then take the most appropriate female prodigy and breed them to Saladin's Redcap males. I'd use four different males, developing four different clans that, after the series of grading could then be used to start a breeding program.

Extremely well-thought-out j. You sure are good with these old farm breeds.

 

[flitter]

In all the possible scenarios that I've thought of I never thought about Dorkings. An intriguing idea, Yellow House Farm.

Someone several posts ago someone recommended SandHill to increase size. I'm not disagreeing but my SandHill roos and hens are smaller than those from McMurray or Ideal.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

La fleche? I want La fleche. That is another project I wanna do. I wanna raise a bird just like in my picture.

That's exactly my goal--big beafy La Fleche. Their meat is delicious; it just needs more size.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

So what you are say is take a redcap rooster breed to red dorking females? then breed those to golden spangled hamburg rooster? and then take those best females and breed to a redcap male? I honestly believe that would work pretty well. Dorking would help with size, hamburg would help with comb a lil, only real issue would still be the earlobes but that could be breed out over time.

Nope. Cross Golden Spangled Hamburg males to red-earlobed RC Red Dorking hens. Hatch plenty of chicks. Cull for toes right from the start. Slaughter the males for spatch-cocked broilers at 13wks, and bbq the summer away. Raise out the females to maturily. Select for size first, ear-lobes second. This cross will eliminate comb issues.

Keep the best four females, plus a few extra for mink-bait replacers. Pair the best four females with the best four pure-bred Redcap cockerels. Each of these females marks the beginning of a matrilinear clan. From the ensuing off-spring, breed the best females back to their sires, selecting first for size, and then for type, the earlobes, then feather color. Then breed the resultant females back again, and then so forth. Just keep the size up as first concern, color will come as the color genetics tighten back to the father.

Eventually, you'll start clan breeding by leaving females in their respective pen but moving males over to other pens, never breeding males back to their pens of origin.

I bet that within a decade these would be the best Redcaps in 100 years. The problem with this is that it would require a breeder to make them his/her sole, or at least clearly primary, focus.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Extremely well-thought-out j. You sure are good with these old farm breeds.

Thanks, Saladin, I've had a lot of rather great mentors--as you well know

 

[saladin]

In all the possible scenarios that I've thought of I never thought about Dorkings. An intriguing idea, Yellow House Farm.

Someone several posts ago someone recommended SandHill to increase size. I'm not disagreeing but my SandHill roos and hens are smaller than those from McMurray or Ideal.

The point was not that the Sandhills birds would be bigger or smaller; the point was that by crossing strains of the same breed you should see something that at least resembles heterosis.

 

[saladin]

When j. says 'keep the four best females' he's not just refering to type here. Remember, if you want to increase size in any breed it is always easier to get it from the hen side. Keep the four best typed and big bottomed girls you can find.


Keep singing the song, 'Big bottomed girls make the world go 'round.'

 

[flitter]

OK, Yellow House since you've thought this out so thoughly do you know where to get some good Golden Spangled Hamburg males and red eared Red Dorking hens? You've done the heavy thinking... now to the details.

Seriously, I've been thinking about an out cross for quite a while and I may give this a try. I am not getting anywhere with my hatchery culling.

My chickens like to be sung to saladin! Now I'll have a new song for them.