"Start where you are with what you have" By R H Sturgeon

minister man

Songster
13 Years
Sep 9, 2010
249
18
214
New Brunswick
I know that all my questions about breeding have been annoying to some, but I hope to find the answer to a question. I have been reading ( and rereading) the Book "Start where you are with what You have. A Guide to poultry breeding" By Ralph H. Sturgeon, and there are a couple of things that I don't understand. I was wondering if anyone else has the book that I might ask a question? I can see why it was recommended reading to me as a start a show flock of silkies, and I have learned a tremendous amount from it.

Near the end of the book there is a section that is entitled " Basic how to program" He starts out with

"Chose your breeding method after careful study of several desirable plans you may wish to follow, aware that the approach most often used successfully is concentration of the individuals that have the most of the best and the least of the worst."

So I now realize that I just have to pick a plan that will fit the situation ( space and financail) that I find myself in.

He then discribes a procedure to start or improve a strain. The first few years he spells everything out very well, can follow it no problem, but then in the discription of year 4, HE SAYS " What is the program for the coming year? more of the same: careful slection of only the best, mated to the best of the previousgeneration. Here the Biblical principal applies " many are called but Few Are chosen"... ( Pg 35)

What does he mean when he says " select the best, Mated TO THE BEST Of THE PREVIOUS GENERATION."? How would that relate to say, going to a 3 clan system?

Thanks for any help clearing this up. Maybe a Book club section would be good so we could discuss what we are reading?
 
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It means take the best male breed to his Mom and take the best females and breed it to it's dad. This will help retain type, then you want to outcross so that means find a mate for the F2 (Second generation) that will match the bird.
 
Thanks for the help. So how distant does the out cross need to be? I have been thinking that the whole idea of his book was creating a closed strain. Is that not correct?

thanks again,
 
Well I would make it completely unrelated to avoid any genetic problems. Everyone has their own opinions on how it should be, but this is what i would do.
 
Most breeders like myself use a close breeding program like Kathy said, and in my opinion it is how you are going to get the best of the best.
If you do get a genetic problem you cull that bird out. When I got started in Rhode Island Reds 5 years ago I got them from 1 breeder and it has been a closed flock ever since then. I can say I haven't had one genetic problem.

Chris
 

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