The "Ask Anything" to Nicalandia Thread

[nicalandia]

Would Saipans be a good breed to cross into my Malays? They look really close in shape, so I was wondering.

I would rather keep Saipans pure. They have gone extinct now.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I would rather keep Saipans pure. They have gone extinct now.

Their status is currently under Study. Aruacana are too.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I would rather keep Saipans pure. They have gone extinct now.

I can keep them pure too.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Poultry breeding and genetics by R. D. Crawford, 1990.

Mr. Henk was kind enough to share his scanned copy with me and I have share it with a few. If you are interested just P.M me.

Oooh, I would love that, thanks for the offer! I'll shoot you a PM right away!


For anyone wondering, I did get a physical copy of Genetics of the Fowl, but it is available free access online at this link, just click 'read item' :

https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/chla2837819

 

[MysteryChicken]

My first question.

Post in thread 'The "Ask Anything" to Nicalandia Thread' https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/the-ask-anything-to-nicalandia-thread.1509343/post-26485513

 

[Tankueray]

Question about my sister's Gold Sebright Hen.
Is this just a flaw in color, or something else? Just looking for confirmation. Had her since 2018. Got white on her this year.

It's age. Chickens get old too. At some point the biochemical processes responsible for producing pigment slow down or even stop, just like a human or dog going grey. The only thing you can do to help is make sure she's getting a complete feed with adequate plant and animal proteins, amino acids, and vitamins A, D, and E; and supplemental free-choice calcium if she's still laying.

 

[MysteryChicken]

It's age. Chickens get old too. At some point the biochemical processes responsible for producing pigment slow down or even stop, just like a human or dog going grey. The only thing you can do to help is make sure she's getting a complete feed with adequate plant and animal proteins, amino acids, and vitamins A, D, and E; and supplemental free-choice calcium if she's still laying.

I don't usually see this till my birds reach 6+ yrs.
They get high quality feed, supplements, the occasional greens, & bugs.
Calcium(Oyster Shell) is on the side in a feeder, she's still laying like the majority of my birds.

They're spoiled, in a good way.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Giving them some of this, this year for an added boost, before I breed them.

 

[Tankueray]

Their status is currently under Study. Aruacana are too.

Study means there's not enough data to make a determination. TLC bases their determinations on registrations of domestic flocks in the US and estimated domestic flocks worldwide. Neither Saipan nor Araucana have been historically used as livestock breeds in the US, so therefore they don't have many, if any, flocks registered with TLC. Those breeds aren't of significant importance to industrial agriculture, so there's no data available from governmental or educational institution sources, either.

It's quite possible that they are extinct in the wild or in a large part of their range, and that's the real measure of extinction. There are many wild animals that are extinct or close to it in the wild, with the only available breeding groups held in captivity, under highly regulated and structured breeding programs. An unfortunate truth of that is that often the gene pool is so shallow by that point that the decline in genetic fitness of the animals makes them even more difficult to breed and survive to maturity.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/tragedy-of-the-white-tiger1/

(Note: Inbreeding depression works completely differently in chickens, and the more immediate threat is to losing their genetics due to dilution rather than inbreeding, but the eventual loss of the breed is still the same outcome.)

Here are some podcasts to review for more information:
The Most Dangerous Breeders -

The New Blood Syndrome -

The Misconceptions about Breeding -

And check out this channel as well for information geared more toward heritage breeds:
https://www.youtube.com/@sustainablepoultrynetwork-1868

I can keep them pure too.

Your question was literally about contaminating their genetics by cross breeding them. As you may notice from the podcasts I've linked to above, that is no longer a respected practice among game fowl enthusiasts that are not breeding for sport, but rather to preserve the lines.

I don't see this till my birds 6+ yrs.

That's at least middle-age for a domestic chicken. (Assume a lifespan of 10 years and compare that to a human at 80 years, how many people do you know that haven't started to go grey, bald, or get wrinkles by 48?) Industrial layer breeds are used up at 18-24 months, killed, and replaced with a new flock of layers. Chickens, just like humans, are born with a fixed number of eggs, and chickens normally only have one active ovary. It takes a significant amount of energy to produce eggs and carry out the basic biological functions of life, including producing pigment. The underlying purpose of every organism on the planet is to perpetuate its genetic material by reproduction, therefore it's going to prioritize continued reproductive ability over plumage. Notice how the white isn't easily noticeable unless you open the feathers? That's another trick nature plays to give the appearance of continued fitness to encourage reproduction. We have hair dye and plastic surgery.

I have used Kickin' Chicken for years in my custom feed mix. There is a less expensive way though, buy "Healthy Coat" for horses in the gallon jug, it is the exact same product.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Your question was literally about contaminating their genetics by cross breeding them. As you may notice from the podcasts I've linked to above, that is no longer a respected practice among game fowl enthusiasts that are not breeding for sport, but rather to preserve the lines.

That doesn't mean, I won't keep a purebred line. I don't understand why people think I just wanna keep mixes only.

It was a question about bringing in genetic diversity into Malays, not to contaminate Saipans. To be more specific. They literally are the closest I can find to Malays.