What are the rarest breeds of poultry? How many are there? And how can we save them?

[Chickenosauurs_RexNo54]

The problem with “rarest” is the gene pool to reserect them to ok staus I’ve read over the years. Most breeds fall out of popularity and die out. One breed I had for a short while was Java. They aren’t the best layer but a wonderful temperament. They have been used to make many other breeds and it’s sad very few keep them anymore. I don’t have chickens now or I’d probably have some.

Oh, so they would be highly inbred? And people only get them to make a quick buck?

 

[Shadrach]

WHat are the rarest breeds of poultry and how can we save them?

There are probably hundreds of rare breeds world wide and the best thing to esnsure they don't get spoiled by bad breeding and popularization is to not tell people about them.

 

[Amer]

Many APA shows voluntarily submitted numbers of each breed and the American Poultry Association published them in their yearbook.
The rarest was the Redcap, the only breed in the Standard with zero entries.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/amers-d’anvers.1421505/post-26195358

 

[Chickenosauurs_RexNo54]

There are probably hundreds of rare breeds world wide and the best thing to ensure they don't get spoiled by bad breeding and popularization is to not tell people about them.

Why would that be a bad thing if we tell people about them? I thought in order to preserve them we needed to increase their numbers. I do agree with you about the bad breeding, but I'm confused about the popularization.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Why would that be a bad thing if we tell people about them? I thought in order to preserve them we needed to increase their numbers. I do agree with you about the bad breeding, but I'm confused about the popularization.

Because people will breed them poorly just to make a bunch to sell for a lot. It's happened with several breeds just within the last couple years

 

[Shadrach]

Why would that be a bad thing if we tell people about them? I thought in order to preserve them we needed to increase their numbers. I do agree with you about the bad breeding, but I'm confused about the popularization.

Essentially what JacinLarkwell has written above. There are people tryinng to save some of these rare breeds. I know two people involved in such projects and their main concern is a) nobody knows where they are and b) that funding and publicity is kept to a small local group.
Mention a rare breed on this forum and the next thing you know people, suitable or not, will want them. Cast your eyes over the breeeding forums and you'll find people who shouldn't be let near a lego set never mind a rare live creature trying to "breed" a new strain of chicken.
Should a breed gain popularity the next thing one knows is some hatchery or other will be trying to get some so they can sell them for a profit.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

One of the best examples recently is probably the Ayam Cemani, though the Ayam Ketwa is getting close too. There was a bubble, and it popped, and now people can't sell them for even a fraction of what they were selling for less than 4 years ago

 

[MysteryChicken]

Piggybacking off of that thought, rare breeds that have went through a genetic bottleneck often become unhealthily inbred and are in need of fresh genes via outcrossing; something many breed enthusiasts are loath to do. 200 years ago, outcrossing was more common when “breed” was considered a fluid concept.

So sometimes saving a breed means temporarily mixing it with another breed, then line breeding it back the breed definition.

Exactly the reason I was gonna add some Saipan to Malay. Also, had planned to cross with Heritage Plymouth Barred Rock, not only for adding genetic diversity, but to add barring.

 

[Amer]

Cast your eyes over the breeeding forums and you'll find people who shouldn't be let near a lego set never mind a rare live creature trying to "breed" a new strain of chicken.

Lol

 

[NagemTX]

They become what a puppy mill is. And that's bad, very bad.