Landrace/adaptive breeding discussion

[tinychicky]

Very interesting! How many of each breed did you start with? How do you cull what you don't want?

Hi there, I've been taking a break from internet and just saw this! That's a good question. To be honest, I don't really manage the culling. Natural selection takes care of a lot of it- any bird that is in less than perfect physical condition is not likely to make it in my predator dense area. I have occasionally sold and given birds away (usually chicks, extra cockerels, and very rarely hens). I started out with 1-2 of each breed and make an effort to add in some new blood every few years from game breeds.
I think if the goal is to create a sort of "landrace" it can be a pitfall to overmanage. What survives gets to reproduce and that is the best way to ensure vigorous, locally adapted, hearty birds. I like the chickens for their innate talents- a few eggs, tick control, manure for my garden- and have little desire to change their productivity! If I wanted lots of eggs or huge carcasses, I would purchase some production reds and cornish crosses.

 

[Appalachickens]

Hi there, I've been taking a break from internet and just saw this! That's a good question. To be honest, I don't really manage the culling. Natural selection takes care of a lot of it- any bird that is in less than perfect physical condition is not likely to make it in my predator dense area. I have occasionally sold and given birds away (usually chicks, extra cockerels, and very rarely hens). I started out with 1-2 of each breed and make an effort to add in some new blood every few years from game breeds.
I think if the goal is to create a sort of "landrace" it can be a pitfall to overmanage. What survives gets to reproduce and that is the best way to ensure vigorous, locally adapted, hearty birds. I like the chickens for their innate talents- a few eggs, tick control, manure for my garden- and have little desire to change their productivity! If I wanted lots of eggs or huge carcasses, I would purchase some production reds and cornish crosses.

Do you ever see yourself letting them be entirely free-range (forest chickens)? I'm really interested in that idea. letting them roost in trees, and not having to have a coop for them.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I'm going to introduce these new chicks to the rafters of my shed/garage and hope they continue to use it. Much like a tree, but more protected from nocturnal predators as well as weather.

If it works, I would eventually transition the rest to the same roosting area.

I think once I have the population established, it's time to step back and let nature take its course. At that point it becomes a long term adaptation project, although I doubt it would ever be a truly feral flock. There are no nearby unrelated flocks to exchange genes with, so they would always be reliant on humans to bring in new bloodlines.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Hopefully getting rid of three cockerels today. I found out there's a sort of informal animal auction in town and I'm going to check it out.

I still have six of their brothers and their dad, not to mention the chicks.

I noticed that the game boys are rather precocious compared to the domestics. One keeps trying to jump his sisters, and he's only 4 weeks old.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Hopefully getting rid of three cockerels today. I found out there's a sort of informal animal auction in town and I'm going to check it out.

I still have six of their brothers and their dad, not to mention the chicks.

I noticed that the game boys are rather precocious compared to the domestics. One keeps trying to jump his sisters, and he's only 4 weeks old.

He's got game!

 

[LaurenRitz]

He's got game!

And then some.

Moderation, buddy! And word to the wise, if she can squash you flat by stepping on you, I wouldn't suggest you try.