Most everyone here has hit on what I have to ad. But, this is a forum what the heck. To some people lines are prestige.
To me it is important to know the history of the lines you have. For health reasons, what weaknesses are inherit in a certain breeders line that you might have or like. I have found some breeders will keep a closed flock, or a flock that has not changed it's blood for a few years. They do this to keep a certain type that can be more predictable. Thus, they will be sacrificing verility down the road sooner then IF they brought in new blood.
Some will say it is easier to make a buck on a line bred bird. I feel in the Marans world, to continue to breed for only one breeders line, so they can sell the offspring, is not good for that breed.
I totally agree, after a generation or two, you can call those birds your line. Cause the breeder who you bought your birds from is not telling you who to breed to who. And who to cull. The line is taking on the characteristics that you prefer.
To me, I prefer to have several lines to breed with in all my few varieties of chickens. I know I will need to work for a few generations to regain the traits I want to be inherit. But, then it is truelly my line. So, in my Buff Orps, I am a mixing machine. I am line breeding all my new blood over my Doug Akers Buff Orp hens. All my lines will have the Akers flavor in their blood. I will have 4 separate pens, and all will be mixes, all will be genetically different. Some will be Akers/Vermazen, some will be Akers/ Yarnell, Akers/Bishop, & some will be Akers/Britt. And all will have Doug Akers Buff Orps blood in them. So, hopefully in a few years, when each of these mixed lines start to show size and the type I like, then I will already have my own new blood, with just enough common blood to keep my birds healthy.
I know I rambled, this is a sorta interesting topic to talk about.
To me it is important to know the history of the lines you have. For health reasons, what weaknesses are inherit in a certain breeders line that you might have or like. I have found some breeders will keep a closed flock, or a flock that has not changed it's blood for a few years. They do this to keep a certain type that can be more predictable. Thus, they will be sacrificing verility down the road sooner then IF they brought in new blood.
Some will say it is easier to make a buck on a line bred bird. I feel in the Marans world, to continue to breed for only one breeders line, so they can sell the offspring, is not good for that breed.
I totally agree, after a generation or two, you can call those birds your line. Cause the breeder who you bought your birds from is not telling you who to breed to who. And who to cull. The line is taking on the characteristics that you prefer.
To me, I prefer to have several lines to breed with in all my few varieties of chickens. I know I will need to work for a few generations to regain the traits I want to be inherit. But, then it is truelly my line. So, in my Buff Orps, I am a mixing machine. I am line breeding all my new blood over my Doug Akers Buff Orp hens. All my lines will have the Akers flavor in their blood. I will have 4 separate pens, and all will be mixes, all will be genetically different. Some will be Akers/Vermazen, some will be Akers/ Yarnell, Akers/Bishop, & some will be Akers/Britt. And all will have Doug Akers Buff Orps blood in them. So, hopefully in a few years, when each of these mixed lines start to show size and the type I like, then I will already have my own new blood, with just enough common blood to keep my birds healthy.
I know I rambled, this is a sorta interesting topic to talk about.
