your own line?

[sara]

I tend to say "my birds" when I talk about the chicks I am hatching from birds I have bought even though I don't truely consider them my own line. I'm pretty quick to point out where I have aquired birds from just because I hate to dismiss all the hard work that was put into them before I aquired them. I do agree that once you breed it too something else it's not really the original breeders line since they didn't choose what to breed it too, though they aren't really mine either. I don't think I would really call them mine and mean it for several years.

Sara

 

[KKluckers]

Quote:
My personal feeling is you still did not create the bird "line" and it chararistics after one cross. True its not that breeders line really anymore after you introduce new blood. The offspring do carry over charastics from it parents that the breeder might of worked hard to establish. Once the bird produces offspring it is no longer the breeders chicks. I just dont feel right claiming it as my own. Thats why I feel five generations after crossing because it is then all about you and what you have created in your line.

 

[KKluckers]

Quote:
I have heard people keeping their flocks closed for 20,30 years even longer. Some people dont introduce new blood till they see a problem with the health of their flock. Such as reduced hatchability, not vigous, etc. You can line breed that long if your careful about doing it.

 

[Sebrightmom]

I agree with a lot of what you all are saying. I had a talk with the breeder I got my Ameraucanas from. She said I can call them my birds now, because I am choosing who to breed to who. She got her birds from two different breeders. She said a lot of breeders make a big deal about it, but some like her don't care. I still tell people where I got mine from and where she got hers from. I feel like the chicks are mine, because I have two sets for breeding groups that I put together for certain reasons. My roosters are from two different lines. I still would love to add in other bloodlines from others down the road. I am new to breeding chickens. I am trying to learn as much as I can.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Say you are breeding Silkies. You get eggs from one breeder, and hatch them, and eggs from another breeder and hatch them. As soon as you breed those birds, they are your line.

 

[hinkjc]

Anyone who breeds or has experience with breeding knows that once you introduce a new blood line, the original line is broken. By introducing just a single bird can destroy an entire line in one season. Of course, there can be benefits as well, but these are choices and outcomes determined by the current breeder.

Jody

 

[sara]

Quote:
I agree with that statement. I guess I just have trouble calling them mine, but I'm crazy like that

 

[wilds of pa]

Korfus Kluckers said: I have heard people keeping their flocks closed for 20,30 years even longer. Some people dont introduce new blood till they see a problem with the health of their flock. Such as reduced hatchability, not vigous, etc. You can line breed that long if your careful about doing it.

I myself cant picture having a closed flock of birds for 20-30 years, Id think the genetics would go down hill in about 10 years. I'm sure its possible, but you don't here of it to often. There is a point when you need new blood. I think it would be well before 20 -30 years.

Id have to see documents before i could believe it...

Just my 2 cents on that..

Charlie​

 

[seedcorn]

Let me add a different idea. A friend of mine had rollers that all went back to a certain breeder who is dead. He gave the breeder credit but all people who knew him, understood it was his version of an old line. We thought he improved the old line so we called them by HIS name.

If you want a bird from a certain breeder, buy it from them not some second person. Once the bird leaves the "breeders" hands, because you will cull different, they aren't the same as the "breeders". After all unless the breeder is getting out, all he will sell are the ones he doesn't want to keep in his flock.

Culls to one person may be a top bird to me.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

In 1942 my grandfather started with RIRs and I have part of that flock today. It's been my experience that about every 8-10 years I need to bring in outside bloodlines or something starts to decline--quality, egg laying, temperament--something goes downhill.

As to when a line becomes your own, well, I have to admit I STILL think of these as Gramps' birds even though I've had them for YEARS! But the reality is that you start building a line the first time you choose to mate this rooster and that hen.

When you eventually hit the point that you can take 4-5 of your birds, blend them into a lineup of other peoples' birds, and a person truly knowledgeable about the breed can walk down that line and point out your 4-5 birds as all coming from the same breeder--that's the point when you've REALLY got your own line!

JMO!