Reliable meat birds

[Ridgerunner]

Would inbreeding be an issue or could I put in hatchery stock in a separate flock to deal with inbreeding with a small hit to size? Not sure how bad inbreeding hits chickens as I've only ever had goats breeding

Typically it's not a problem for hatchery birds, depending some on how they maintain Genetic Diversity in their flock. The good hatcheries do that. It depends on how inbred the parent stock is to start with, plus you need to choose your breeding birds with care. Do not breed defective birds.

Most of us with a small backyard flock can go four or five generations of inbreeding before we need to think about bringing in new blood to reset genetic diversity.

From what I have been told inbreeding doesn't get to be too bad of an issue unless you breed sister to brother.

I discussed this with one of the genetic experts that used to be on this forum. There is no real difference in loss of genetic diversity in breeding siblings or breeding parent to offspring. If you are breeding half-siblings it's less loss of genetic diversity. I've worked out the math but don't ask me to explain it. With gene pairs it gets confusing pretty quickly.

The benefit to line breeding is that you have a lot more control over which traits get enhanced. When you are breeding for certain traits you want to lose genetic diversity in those traits so they breed true for those traits. But you want diversity in other traits as that enhances health and productivity. Which method you use can depend on your goals.

 

[speedy2020]

I have plenty of pasture space, perhaps you're confusing me with someone else? And if I remember right bresse are slow growers aren't they?

I have plenty of pasture space, perhaps you're confusing me with someone else? And if I remember right bresse are slow growers aren't they?

Bresse growth rate very much the same as most dual purpose breed. It is about 3-4lbs live weigh at 16 weeks.