Ayam cemani and Naked Neck mixing (with some moral questions)

[Appalachickens]

Interesting. If you think about it, all current chickens are mixes to one extent or another. All came from selecting for specific traits from their jungle fowl ancestor (or through natural selection of traits) and cross-breeding to get different characteristics. All the big hatcheries offer a wide variety of breeds crossed with each other. Some breeds are just much older than others or more protected as a breed. But if an NN met an AC in the wild, they would breed and produce little mixed chicks. So if you like the idea of mixing the traits of both of them, go for it!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Interesting. If you think about it, all current chickens are mixes to one extent or another. All came from selecting for specific traits from their jungle fowl ancestor (or through natural selection of traits) and cross-breeding to get different characteristics. All the big hatcheries offer a wide variety of breeds crossed with each other. Some breeds are just much older than others or more protected as a breed. But if an NN met an AC in the wild, they would breed and produce little mixed chicks. So if you like the idea of mixing the traits of both of them, go for it!

^^^ THIS. I love my Easter Eggers, a very popular breed, commonly considered a "mutt" breed, which is usually a combination of either Ameraucana or CCL with anything else. I believe the Barred Rock is descended from Dominques and several other breeds. Almost every breed available today has been developed from other breeds, except for those known as "heritage" breeds. So there is nothing wrong with what you want to do. Enjoy your chickens and have fun. If other people have a problem with it, that's their problem, not yours.

 

[Appalachickens]

^^^ THIS. I love my Easter Eggers, a very popular breed, commonly considered a "mutt" breed, which is usually a combination of either Ameraucana or CCL with anything else. I believe the Barred Rock is descended from Dominques and several other breeds. Almost every breed available today has been developed from other breeds, except for those known as "heritage" breeds. So there is nothing wrong with what you want to do. Enjoy your chickens and have fun. If other people have a problem with it, that's their problem, not yours.

Absolutely. And even those heritage breeds didn't emerge out of thin air. Take landnámshænan for instance. They were brought to Iceland by Viking settlers in the 900's and are now a carefully preserved landrace. (I want some, by the way). But they came from whatever mixes there were in Scandinavia at the time. So does them being a now-old breed mean you aren't allowed to mix them with others? Well, the preservation group would frown on it, but as long as it's for your own use, it's your right. Same with any other heritage breed.

 

[EggzactlyRight]

Wow, thank you everyone for the responses!

I feel validated (though obviously I wouldn't argue if I was given a different response, after all by asking my questions I was actually hoping for honest insights) and even more motivated now. I can't wait to start this journey, as cheesy as that may sound!

 

[Appalachickens]

Wow, thank you everyone for the responses!

I feel validated (though obviously I wouldn't argue if I was given a different response, after all by asking my questions I was actually hoping for honest insights) and even more motivated now. I can't wait to start this journey, as cheesy as that may sound!

Not cheesy, exciting!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I mean ... what are they gonna do, arrest you? And who are "they?" The Society for the Preservation of the Genetically Pure Chicken? Puh-leeeeze.

 

[Susan Skylark]

Actually I think it is the purebred people that should be held morally accountable, breeding a dog with good herding abilities or sheep that don’t need shearing (hair sheep) or cows that give better milk is just fine, but when our own human preferences, fads, or pretensions interfere with an animal’s ability to simply survive, we need to stop and ask is this in the best interest of the animal or for my own benefit? When a dog can’t breathe (pugs) or give birth naturally (French bulldogs) or gets lymphoma at 5 years of age because of excessive inbreeding to simply produce more golden retrievers then we have issues or the breed standard for the show ring has no correlation with the animal’s ability to survive in normal surroundings for said species (dairy cows or halter quarter horses) we need to rethink things. Yes, breeds should have their uses, uniqueness, and enthusiasts but not at the cost of the animals health and well-being. By all means enjoy your crossbreeding as it will certainly not jeopardize the welfare of your critters!

 

[Appalachickens]

I mean ... what are they gonna do, arrest you? And who are "they?" The Society for the Preservation of the Genetically Pure Chicken? Puh-leeeeze.

There actually are those groups. They have them for specific breeds (like the Ayam Cemani Conservation Club and the Icelandic Chickens Official Preservation Organization) and also for preserving heritage breeds in general (like the Heritage Poultry Conservancy). And that’s not a bad thing. It’s just that the two ideas are compatible - there can be people dedicated to ensuring a genetic strain of chicken doesn’t become extinct and also people who mix breeds as individuals for their own purposes.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I do get it. I had an interest in a breed that I think may now be extinct except in a particular color phase. I was interested in the black phase but I think I'm too late.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I do get it. I had an interest in a breed that I think may now be extinct except in a particular color phase. I was interested in the black phase but I think I'm too late.

I don't now remember the name of the breed, but I know @ChickenCanoe had some at one point.