Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[L-plate chicken mum]

I am so sorry for your loss. Your last year sounds a bit like mine. Unfortunately, there are some losses that you never really get over, but you eventually find yourself getting on with living, I am glad you are getting to that point.

So sorry about you DH... And your mom... Alzheimer`s is such a terrible thing... I lost my only sister to it a year ago next month... She was only 59.

 

[Perris]

Some may find this paper on the diversity of chicken genes interesting and/ or useful (if highly challenging) https://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12864-019-5727-9

Most of the breeds I have incorporated into my flock do not appear amongst the 174 populations in 32 countries on 4 continents, including a dozen commercial lines, included in their comprehensive study of the DNA. But *related* breeds appear in at least 3 different clusters (European, Middle East and East African, African and South American of 11 clusters in total), so I am optimistic that by my approach (which I repeat for convenience)

So now what motivates me is the notion that a mix of breeds developed in different places at different times from different mixes is most likely to supply the most diverse range of chicken genes here and now, and that those best suited to the environment will thrive, and those least suited will die out. I already had evolved and cold-hardy (Swedish) when I added selected and heat-tolerant (Penedesenca), and all breeds have been chosen as good foragers and predator-aware by repute. The Fayoumis just added should bring proven disease-resistance as well as a relatively ancient pedigree. So I'm trying to bring a large and diverse range of genes into the same pool and letting nature sort and select them.

I have already got a relatively high proportion of polymorphic loci and relatively high heterozygosity - better than is observed among the typical European pure bred heritage breeds.

The paper has also alerted me to the genetic potential of Orpingtons - which I did not anticipate - as well as recognized oriental-origin breeds like Langshans, Cochins and Brahmas - to add some genetic diversity from cluster 11 (Asian, Chinese).

There is another cluster (Finnish), which may be the closest to the Swedish Flowers. @Shadrach I believe you have a Finnish friend with a chicken habit; has he perchance indicated anything to you about their connection to or independence from other Scandinavian breeds? The supporting text for the paper just describes their history in terms very similar to those used for Swedish Flowers.

 

[Molpet]

Thanks Perris.

You knew about my DH having Alzheimer's and me taking care of him while still working. He died in Feb 2024. You'd think knowing that the inevitable was coming it wouldn't have been so hard. It was the biggest kick in the face I've ever had in my life. And it happened less than a year after my mother died. And then there was the spinal surgery I had almost exactly one year ago to date. Sometimes, life sucks.

As of late the most thought about topics in my head are going to be construction related so let 'er rip!

You have my sympathy. I lost my dh the same way, back in January.

So sorry about you DH... And your mom... Alzheimer`s is such a terrible thing... I lost my only sister to it a year ago next month... She was only 59.

I am so sorry for your loss. Your last year sounds a bit like mine. Unfortunately, there are some losses that you never really get over, but you eventually find yourself getting on with living, I am glad you are getting to that point.

Hugs and prayers for comfort

 

[Bsmac]

Hugs and prayers for comfort

Thank you, very tough to lose a sibling.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Some may find this paper on the diversity of chicken genes interesting and/ or useful (if highly challenging) https://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12864-019-5727-9

Most of the breeds I have incorporated into my flock do not appear amongst the 174 populations in 32 countries on 4 continents, including a dozen commercial lines, included in their comprehensive study of the DNA. But *related* breeds appear in at least 3 different clusters (European, Middle East and East African, African and South American of 11 clusters in total), so I am optimistic that by my approach (which I repeat for convenience)

I have already got a relatively high proportion of polymorphic loci and relatively high heterozygosity - better than is observed among the typical European pure bred heritage breeds.

The paper has also alerted me to the genetic potential of Orpingtons - which I did not anticipate - as well as recognized oriental-origin breeds like Langshans, Cochins and Brahmas - to add some genetic diversity from cluster 11 (Asian, Chinese).

There is another cluster (Finnish), which may be the closest to the Swedish Flowers. @Shadrach I believe you have a Finnish friend with a chicken habit; has he perchance indicated anything to you about their connection to or independence from other Scandinavian breeds? The supporting text for the paper just describes their history in terms very similar to those used for Swedish Flowers.

Reading now. My brain has been seized by the image of a 174-member chicken diversity panel. I envision a large, square, rather dark room with rows of roosts on all four sides, packed with chickens solemnly analyzing and passionately discussing their similarities and differences.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Some may find this paper on the diversity of chicken genes interesting and/ or useful (if highly challenging) https://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12864-019-5727-9

Most of the breeds I have incorporated into my flock do not appear amongst the 174 populations in 32 countries on 4 continents, including a dozen commercial lines, included in their comprehensive study of the DNA. But *related* breeds appear in at least 3 different clusters (European, Middle East and East African, African and South American of 11 clusters in total), so I am optimistic that by my approach (which I repeat for convenience)

I have already got a relatively high proportion of polymorphic loci and relatively high heterozygosity - better than is observed among the typical European pure bred heritage breeds.

The paper has also alerted me to the genetic potential of Orpingtons - which I did not anticipate - as well as recognized oriental-origin breeds like Langshans, Cochins and Brahmas - to add some genetic diversity from cluster 11 (Asian, Chinese).

There is another cluster (Finnish), which may be the closest to the Swedish Flowers. @Shadrach I believe you have a Finnish friend with a chicken habit; has he perchance indicated anything to you about their connection to or independence from other Scandinavian breeds? The supporting text for the paper just describes their history in terms very similar to those used for Swedish Flowers.

Do you have an opinion as to why the Araucanas fell out of the South American group, landing halfway between that and the European group? IIRC, there was some sort of lethality in the original group that had to be bred out, I suppose by introducing a European breed. Also, that S.Am. sample was awfully limited.*

The last para in the Discussion section really reinforces my objection to those who breed to SOP. Not only are they not including different breeds, but they rarely (maybe due to competition among breeders) exchange breeding stock within the breed. That’s a big step in beginning down the extinction pathway!


*Edit: but wait! I googled Mapuche chicken out of idle curiosity to see what they look like and found that Araucanas are Mapuches.

 

[SimpleJenn]

She's doing great!

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Lil inspecting the Littles’ area. She is completely ignoring the chicks over in the Bigs’ area.

Buffy is Quite Concerned:

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Dum de dum, nothing to see here (they were sharing the feeder, but I couldn’t get a pic in time):

 

[fuzzi]

The last para in the Discussion section really reinforces my objection to those who breed to SOP. Not only are they not including different breeds, but they rarely (maybe due to competition among breeders) exchange breeding stock within the breed. That’s a big step in beginning down the extinction pathway!

I haven't read the article, yet, but I am trying to breed my Speckled Sussex bantam flock closer to the standard, removing undesirable traits. I have acquired eggs from another breeder's flock to add outside DNA to mine. Joanna and Priscilla are now in my breeding program, and I am looking forward to seeing how the latest hatch develops.

I don't anticipate breeding any prizewinners, but if I can help remove yellow shanks from my flocks that would be one step of improvement.