Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

regarding the 'proper chickens' question, this is alarming: "Muir et al. (2008) were the first to assess the genetic diversity of several inbred lines of chicken (n = 2580) using a commercial SNP genotyping array. They showed that more than 50% of the ancestral genetic diversity was lost in the commercial lines compared to the experimental lines and standard breeds. " https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/age.13091

 

[Perris]

and this looks to me like a cold-hardy chicken does exist, though not one for sale in our parts! "In the high-altitude Tibetan plateau, the domestic chicken faces extreme hypoxia conditions, low-temperature, and ultraviolet radiation (Wang et al. 2015; Zhang et al. 2016). By comparing four highland and four lowland chicken populations, Zhang et al. (2016) show that genes under positive selection in the highland populations are specifically linked to cardiovascular and respiratory system development, DNA repair, response to radiation, inflammation, and immune response. These biological responses could be expected for organisms adapted to these environmental conditions." (same ref as before, further on in the article; guess what I'm doing this morning )

 

[NatJ]

In 1923 a Mrs Wilmer Steele of Delaware USA changed all this when she developed what was probably the first chicken battery of 500 hens, and about three years later a battery barn for 10000 hens.

Do you have a source for this?
I tried to look it up to find more information, and the closest I can find is a wikipedia entry with several major differences: she is credited with making the first BROILER house in Delaware (not layers, and not battery cages). But the name, date, and number of birds match.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Broiler_House
(I know wikipedia is not always accurate, but it matches the sources it cites, and it also matches all the other sources I am able to turn up with a google search.)

From a different wikipedia article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_cage#History
"An early reference to battery cages appears in Milton Arndt's 1931 book, Battery Brooding, where he reports that his cage flock was healthier and had higher egg production than his conventional flock."

It looks like battery cages did exist around that time, but without any obvious credit for who made them first or what year they originated in.

 

[Shadrach]

and this looks to me like a cold-hardy chicken does exist, though not one for sale in our parts! "In the high-altitude Tibetan plateau, the domestic chicken faces extreme hypoxia conditions, low-temperature, and ultraviolet radiation (Wang et al. 2015; Zhang et al. 2016). By comparing four highland and four lowland chicken populations, Zhang et al. (2016) show that genes under positive selection in the highland populations are specifically linked to cardiovascular and respiratory system development, DNA repair, response to radiation, inflammation, and immune response. These biological responses could be expected for organisms adapted to these environmental conditions." (same ref as before, further on in the article; guess what I'm doing this morning )

Interesting article. It seems to me the reported changes are adaptations to altitude rather than temperature; enlarged heart chambers for example.
But, my friend in Finland describes his land race breeds as cold hardy but doesn't have any data on any pysiological changes that might confirm this.

 

[Shadrach]

regarding the 'proper chickens' question, this is alarming: "Muir et al. (2008) were the first to assess the genetic diversity of several inbred lines of chicken (n = 2580) using a commercial SNP genotyping array. They showed that more than 50% of the ancestral genetic diversity was lost in the commercial lines compared to the experimental lines and standard breeds. " https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/age.13091

Maybe Mr Young was right.
So, I wonder what effect a 50% reduction in genetic diversity has on todays chickens and would we notice any changes.

 

[Shadrach]

Do you have a source for this?
I tried to look it up to find more information, and the closest I can find is a wikipedia entry with several major differences: she is credited with making the first BROILER house in Delaware (not layers, and not battery cages). But the name, date, and number of birds match.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Broiler_House
(I know wikipedia is not always accurate, but it matches the sources it cites, and it also matches all the other sources I am able to turn up with a google search.)

From a different wikipedia article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_cage#History
"An early reference to battery cages appears in Milton Arndt's 1931 book, Battery Brooding, where he reports that his cage flock was healthier and had higher egg production than his conventional flock."

It looks like battery cages did exist around that time, but without any obvious credit for who made them first or what year they originated in.

I don't. I took this from my book notes and it could well be that Wilma did have broilers rather than layers.

 

[Folly's place]

Maintaining genetic diversity is a big reason to continue having multiple breeds of chickens, in multiple locations.
I read recently (somewhere) that Tibetan people also have genetic traits that help them live in that environment. Diversity is good!
Also domestic dogs have a very narrow DNA profile, compared to many species. And domestic dog breeds have extremely narrow genetic profiles, why so many genetic diseases are present.
DNA studies are so interesting, and so new!
Mary

Two Townline hatchery Wyandotte cockerels, one single combed and small, and my avatar Chantie rooster.

 

[Shadrach]

Every life saved is a good thing

Why?
We don't save lives. What we may do is prolong a life.
At some point one has to make a value judgement on whether prolonging a life is the right thing to do. One criteria must surely be the quality of life the saved is going to have.

 

[Perris]

Often I fear we are prolonging death, not life. With humans especially.

 

[TheCluckyClucker2]

I have a great uncle with dementia. He doesnt remember where he is but he feels like he should know where he is. I can not imagine the confusion he is suffering. The other day he had a breakdown and we had to drive to his house where he lives with his ex wife. It all started when he was taken to the hospital for the first time. Before that he made himself breakfast every morning and took care of him self. He quit driving probably last year or the year before that. When we went to calm him down he was crying and saying he just wanted somebody to put a bullet through his head. I feel so bad for him. 94 years is a long time. He declined very quickly also. Now he just wants to be dead. People dont seem to do well for very long after they lose the will to live.