saving endangered Delawares, a moral question

[Faverolle]

Quote:
Popcorn,
I breed Delawares among many of the other heritage varieties and live pretty close to you. I have a 2-3 week wait on eggs right now but I should be able to help you out. If you are nervous about hatching I can help you there as well. My website is still being worked on but there are some pictures on it for you to see. www.hillsidepoultry.net

Matt

 

[Sachasmom]

Ah, if only you were closer. I have one Delaware, I think its even a hen! Its the only Delaware I've managed to hatch, I don't think I am going to keep it, since where am I going with only one of a breed?

 

[HBuehler]

Patience

I know it's hard that's not my strong point either. All of our Delaware's are from breeders none are Hatchery stock.Heard to many things about those including they are flighty

Our Dele's are carried around by the kids like a toy.They are so very gentle and nice to be around.
I have found some in unlikely places and have driven more to get my Delawares and JG's than any other breeds.
But depending on what your planning with your Delaware's you may get lucky with the hatchery..any sub standard birds can either be used just for eggs or used for dinner plans.Delaware's are on the list of real good eating...and they are.
I'm also looking for some new blood.I have it out there and when it comes it comes.
Don't kick out those leghorns they will out produce the Delaware's in eggs.Delaware's are good but leghorns are better..don't forget there are many rare Leghorns as well

 

[Faverolle]

Quote:
I gave you a few of my eggs when I picked up the bunnies. How is she looking? No wellies? Did I give 4 or 6eggs?

ps, the bunnies are doing great!

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

Wow, I didn't realize they were an endangered breed! I saw some in person a few months ago and I wanted to get them because they looked like they would be excellent meat birds but now, I would feel bad about wanting to raise them for food since they are endangered.....

 

[3KillerBs]

Quote:
Don't feel bad about that.

Being desirable as food is one of the things that makes a breed more successful.

If you buy the meat chicks you're contributing to the breed's survival by increasing the demand.

If you hatch your own you're contributing more directly.

Its a win-win scenario for the breed.

 

[monarc23]

Like someone else said. If you want to help the breed do NOT get from a hatchery. MOst hatchery stock are bred for production rather than the standard. Wait and find a good breeder like the ones mentioned and get eggs or birds from them. AKA get the REAL thing

 

[HorseFeathers]

Well, dang, now I really wish we could have a roo! We coulda had a pair if not for the neighbors. Now we have just one pullet. I knew Dellies were rare, but not *that* rare... From a breeder too! Ah well. Una will be good in shows.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Does Meyer have good or at least fair quality birds? Does Mcmurray have good quality in some breeds and not so much in others?

I got 4 chicks from Meyer- via MyPetChicken. 2 were to standard, 2 were not. Luckily- I have room, and can use the less-than-standard birds for layers/broodies. But if you have limitied space- I don't think it's worth the risk. The only benefit of going with a hatchery- you can have them sexed.​

 

[patandchickens]

Look at it this way... anything that exists in sufficient numbers for giant commercial hatcheries like Ideal and Murray McMurray to list them in their catalogs, AIN'T endangered in any conventional meaning of the term.

However they often aren't really suitable representatives of their alleged breed, either. (That you can order a whole bunch and find *some* that suit the standard, at least kinda, is entirely different from having been bred for a number of generations with hard culling to produce a line that breeds true and are nearly *all* in accordance with what the breed is supposed to be like)

Certainly there is no reason a person shouldn't order up a few Delawares, or any other quote endangered breed unquote, with their next big hatchery order... but it's just for purty, just for fun, it is NOT helping conserve genetic diversity or bloodlines or breeds.

If a person genuinely wants to help CONSERVE A BREED, you need to make sure you're starting with good representatives *of* that breed, from longstanding good lines, and then you have to be in a position to produce a considerable number of chicks and cull down (one way or another) to the ones you want to keep for breeding pens.

-and that's breeding penS, plural, not just one trio or something like that. Animals (and some plants) are not just something you can xerox onward from one generation to the next -- if you are not actively selecting for traits (meaning, producing enough individuals to choose only the best to breed from), the gene pool "wanders", and sometimes it doesn't take many generations to stray considerably from what the population once was.

There is, of course, nothing whatsoever wrong with just having a few birds for your own enjoyment, which is different but perfectly fine

Good luck, have fun,

Pat