The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[RedRidge]

Actually I won't even breed father x daughter or mother x son. My line has been preserved for just over 100 years now. I only get as close as aunts and uncles and maintain 4 breeding families. In addition to those four I refresh a line from the original breeder ever few years. He maintains dozens of lines and he and carefully track which of his pens my lines come from.
It requires very detailed records. I wanted to breed a father daughter at one time and he asked his advice and he discouraged it. By maintaining four pens I have quite a few years of cross breeding options available but I do have to retain a minimum of 8 cocks at any given time.
This is the reason I have only 2 breeds. And in about 2 years i have plans to reduce my breeding lines to only two in conjunction with another breeder who is doing the same thing. So I will run two lines and he will run two in my other breed. But i will continue to run four in the RC RIR because their are too few around.

 

[JanetMarie]

Actually I won't even breed father x daughter or mother x son. My line has been preserved for just over 100 years now. I only get as close as aunts and uncles and maintain 4 breeding families. In addition to those four I refresh a line from the original breeder ever few years. He maintains dozens of lines and he and carefully track which of his pens my lines come from.
It requires very detailed records. I wanted to breed a father daughter at one time and he asked his advice and he discouraged it. By maintaining four pens I have quite a few years of cross breeding options available but I do have to retain a minimum of 8 cocks at any given time.
This is the reason I have only 2 breeds. And in about 2 years i have plans to reduce my breeding lines to only two in conjunction with another breeder who is doing the same thing. So I will run two lines and he will run two in my other breed. But i will continue to run four in the RC RIR because their are too few around.

How long have you been breeding the Underwood line? My 3 hens are that line. When I purchased the hatching eggs in 2012 I wasn't told what line they were, just that they are the true RIR with no new blood added since 1914. I found out the name of the line by my own research. Obviously they weren't from Gary, but from someone else. I knew nothing of conserving a specific breed, or line at that time. I just wanted true RIRs, but it's a dead end if there is no plan to breed and conserve them. I don't know if I want to start again with this line, or another breed altogether. I am doing thorough research before deciding, and need to have space set up correctly. Thanks

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I do not like to breed mother x son or father x daughter either but many people do. I think people who are really serious about preserving a line don't either. I do have a couple of my human 1st cousins that got married they were first cousins also. My male cousin's father was the brother to my other cousin, his wife's, mother so their parents were sister and brother. Their mother and father were sister and brother to my mother. They had 4 children. I don't think cousins should marry but that is my belief.

 

[ronott1]

I do not like to breed mother x son or father x daughter either but many people do. I think people who are really serious about preserving a line don't either. I do have a couple of my human 1st cousins that got married they were first cousins also. My male cousin's father was the brother to my other cousin, his wife's, mother so their parents were sister and brother. Their mother and father were sister and brother to my mother. They had 4 children. I don't think cousins should marry but that is my belief.

Chickens are different though. I think the problem is more not being able to improve the line and eventually starting to have some hatching problems. Adding in new from your line every 5 years if you follow the inbreeding chart. Sooner if you do not is what I recall Bob posting.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I know it is different with most animals chickens, sheep, goats, etc. I have read just about everything Bob ever wrote. I dearly miss his knowledge. I have been pretty lucky and have not had many hatching issues, probably no more than most others that hatch. I'm not saying I have not had any problem hatches over the years because I have but they are quite rare. I think there may be some hatching issues arise at time with all people that hatch, even in nature there are some issues with births from time to time with all species. I do agree that more issues pop up when in-breeding.

This is an article I refer to from Bob, he is using White Plymouth Rocks but states at the beginning of the article "[COLOR=000066]This will work for any breed.[COLOR=000066]" [/COLOR][/COLOR]http://bloslspoutlryfarm.tripod.com/id65.html I have 2 pens currently because of my space. I am breeding the same with my SC RIR, RC RIR and RC RIW.

 

[ronott1]

I know it is different with most animals chickens, sheep, goats, etc. I have read just about everything Bob ever wrote. I dearly miss his knowledge. I have been pretty lucky and have not had many hatching issues, probably no more than most others that hatch. I'm not saying I have not had any problem hatches over the years because I have but they are quite rare. I think there may be some hatching issues arise at time with all people that hatch, even in nature there are some issues with births from time to time with all species. I do agree that more issues pop up when in-breeding.

This is an article I refer to from Bob, he is using White Plymouth Rocks but states at the beginning of the article "[COLOR=000066]This will work for any breed.[COLOR=000066]" [/COLOR][/COLOR]http://bloslspoutlryfarm.tripod.com/id65.html I have 2 pens currently because of my space. I am breeding the same with my SC RIR, RC RIR and RC RIW.

Thanks for the reminders!

 

[Matt1616]

Chicken genetics are much more complicated than what you guys may think. It is not a sin to breed brother and sister as people think it is. There are many theories on this subject and depending on who you ask many strategies. I don't use breeding charts...I breed my best to my best and hope for the best. I'm no expert but this is my advice to you...either find someone that has the same line as you or give someone the same line that you have so that you have a breeding partner and linebreed the birds separately. If you start to experience what you think are vigor problems get a bird or 2 from your partner and mix it in and move on. This is very common practice among "show" people. I think it is very difficult to maintain the quality of a certain line of birds if you are continuously outcrossing. Linebreeding locks in the traits of a particular family and is the only way to ensure that your birds breed true year after year.


Matt

 

[cmom]

Chicken genetics are much more complicated than what you guys may think. It is not a sin to breed brother and sister as people think it is. There are many theories on this subject and depending on who you ask many strategies. I don't use breeding charts...I breed my best to my best and hope for the best. I'm no expert but this is my advice to you...either find someone that has the same line as you or give someone the same line that you have so that you have a breeding partner and linebreed the birds separately. If you start to experience what you think are vigor problems get a bird or 2 from your partner and mix it in and move on. This is very common practice among "show" people. I think it is very difficult to maintain the quality of a certain line of birds if you are continuously outcrossing. Linebreeding locks in the traits of a particular family and is the only way to ensure that your birds breed true year after year.


Matt

Matt, I still am looking for a cockerel for some of my girls. I hope you bring me a boy to the Lake City show (hint, hint)

Alieda

 

[JanetMarie]

Thank you cmom, RedRidge, Matt1616 for your information on breeding. You have a lot of knowledge and have answered my questions.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Thank you cmom, RedRidge, Matt1616 for your information on breeding. You have a lot of knowledge and have answered my questions.

YES thank you guys!!!! I am learning here to and just trying to remember it all. Also keeping notes so I can refer back to them.