SOP vs productive Heritage birds?

[punky rooster]

Quote:
I can't agree more with that.
Mitch

 

[Oregon Blues]

For a dual purpose chicken, the SOP will describe and call for a chicken with the conformation of a good table bird. So breeding to the SOP and breeding for meat production are going to be the same thing.

Egg laying: it is going to be up to the individual breeder. I think that most of them feel as I do: My breed is supposed to do "thus" and my bird isn't a good bird unless it does "thus". Some of the things that make up a breed aren't easily visible on the show grounds, but to me, the bird must have them or the bird is not a good example of my breed.

My Appleyards are supposed to be a good egg layer. If I have an Appleyard who doesn't lay eggs, to me she isn't a good Appleyard. The judge can't see how many eggs she lays every year as he is judging. But I know she isn't a good Appleyard and I won't breed her.

My Pekins are supposed to have excellent feed conversion and fast growth. If they don't they are not good Pekin, and it doesn't matter how pretty, if they haven't made weight in the allowed time, they are culled. They might grow slowly up to size and win Grand Champion. But they don't get that chance. They are not a good Pekin, so out they go.

 

[jamband]

^^ what kind of goose is that in your pic? There have recently been tons of them at a local lake and I never saw them before.

 

[cubalaya]

thank God for the breeders that want a good looking example of the breed that is productive for eggs and meat. this is what we should be breeding for not to win a show at a sacrifice of utility. i saw this happen with beagles when the brace people almost ruined the hunt and drive of of all the akc beagles in the country and true rabbit dogs that would hunt all day and put some rabbits in your game bag were almost extinct. i would like to give credit to tom and velda dornin and other breeders that saw what needed to be done with the beagle and brought them back to what they should be as a hunting dog. the same thing is happening in the coonhound world as the competition hunts cause breeders to have far ranging dogs that you have to track with a collar and will fight other dogs off the tree. they are ruining the hounds as pleasure hunting dogs. there are still strains of good pleasure hunting dogs but if they are registered, you wont see many nite champs in their pedigree. with chickens its in the hands of the breeders.

 

[Oregon Blues]

My photo? That's a yearling Blue American gander. He's considerably heavier now.

I suspect that what you are seeing at your local lake are common, or farm, Toulouse. Sometimes called Gray American Geese.

 

[Oregon Blues]

[[[........my question is are high quality breeders insulted by people more concerned by production ....]]]]]

Did anyone actually answer this question?

My experience with poultry breeders is that there is nothing they like better than to talk about their birds. Ask them about their criteria to select their breeding stock and they will talk your ear off. You'll learn more than you want to know.

If you aren't actually openly insulting about it, I can't imagine a poultry fancier not being willing to talk to you about their breeding goals.

You won't get far if you walk up and say "I suspect your birds are junk because they can't possibly lay eggs like a hatchery bird. Just try to convince me otherwise." But if you express an interest in the breed, say a few nice things about the breeder's birds and then ask how well they lay, you are going to hear it all, probably bird by individual bird.