Possible breeding program

[TokoBird]

Current cockerels:

26 weeks, currently the favorite of the adult hens. I put him in their coop last night, we'll see if he sticks. Behavior seems perfect at this point. ((JG x RIR) x RIR) x (JG x RIR))
View attachment 4013959

20 weeks, ((JG x RIR) x RIR) x Ranger (the black and gold) and the other is ((JG x RIR) x RIR) x (Biel x BA))
Perfect behavior to this point for both, but they're also at the bottom of the rooster hierarchy.
View attachment 4013958

20 weeks, ((JG x RIR) x RIR) x Marans
I haven't seen any bad behavior, but the hens are avoiding him. (WHERE did those white feet come from?!)
View attachment 4013956

20 weeks, ((JG x RIR) x RIR) x Ranger
I saw one incident--the pullet ran and he didn't chase. But the girls are all avoiding him so I suspect he's the cause of the disturbance in the flock.
View attachment 4013955

Those cockerels are GORGEOUS. Ranger especially has some stunning coloration.
I hope they continue to be well-behaved!

 

[cubalaya]

I am starting a breeding project for a sustainable dual purpose breed that thrives on forage, goes broody and raises its own chicks, etc. In this area, it will need to be both cold and heat hardy and able to withstand some predator pressure.

The breeds I chose were Bielefelder (roo), Jersey Giant, Mottled Java, Black Australorp, and Rhode Island Red. Because of problems I ended up with a Bielefelder pullet, three Jersey Giants, one Mottled Java. The BA'S and RIR's are still babies.

Anyway, one of the JJ's ended up being a roo, and I got an adult Biel roo from another source. So I have enough for two population groups with the breeds I selected.

I want to keep the two groups separate, unrelated for the first few generations, but I'm concerned as to what to do with the Jersey Giants.

If I leave the Jersey Giant pullets with the Bielefelder roo, the population will be heavily weighted toward JJ in the selection phase (3rd gen) and I really don't want that.

1st possibility, get rid of the JJ roo and have the Bielefelder be the foundation. Stick with one group for now.

2nd, get rid of the JJ roo and get a roo from another breed for the breakout group. Dominique and Orpington have both been suggested.

3rd, create a third population and move selection back another generation.

All viable solutions, but they all have their problems as well.

Are there other options that I haven't thought of? Solutions or problems?

The current plan is
B x MJ and JJ
JJ x BA and RR

The next generation roo for the rotation to group 2 would have to be B x MJ to avoid the weighting toward JJ for one more generation.

why not just pick a heritage dual purpoise breed like barred rock or dominique

 

[LaurenRitz]

why not just pick a heritage dual purpoise breed like barred rock or dominique

I have explained this a number of times.

1. Many varieties are subject to genetic weaknesses from inbreeding

2. No breed has exactly what I want

3. I choose to have something adapted to my location, not some random location thousands of miles away with an entirely different environment

4. I would be doing the same sort of work if a breed did have what I want, adapting that breed for my area

5. Why not start at the beginning, select the traits I want?

6. Genetic purity is just imbreeding by another name.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I have eggs in the incubator, scheduled to hatch 3/22. So 5 more days. 5 of them are from my consistent and experienced broody, so likely JGxRIRxBA.

I have 4 week old chicks in the brooder who will need to go into the adult coop when the babies hatch but are showing no signs of wanting out of their brooder. By this time most of the babies are out mingling with the adults and eating grass, but not this group.

Two of my girls are showing signs of going broody (one of them the broody mentioned above) but haven't committed yet. If they were even a week along I might take the chance of introducing the new chicks to one of them, but this is just too close. 6 days at best. My good broody has never rejected a chick, but that's pushing it.

It's fun to watch the hens walk past the brooder and just stand there, watching the chicks.

The Ranger cross is out with the flock and appears to be doing well. Both of the Buckeye crosses were showing aggression, so they're in isolation for the duration.

 

[LaurenRitz]

All but 1 of the Marans mixes died before lockdown. I am hoping to have several pullets from the BAx group. They are still inside at this point.this

 

[LaurenRitz]

There's some adjustment going on that I find fascinating.

The BielX cockerel had four girls and seemed content with that. The other kept trying to poach, apparently thinking 9 wasn't enough.

One of his girls started spending time with the BielX, then another. The hens are making the decision. The BielX now has 7 groupies and the other only 3. The rest are wandering. I expect they'll make a decision eventually, and since the BielX is nicer and more of a gentleman, I can guess which direction it will go.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Saw one of my birds (BYM, purchased eggs) fly today. Her leg is hurt and she doesn't want to walk on it, but she made it to lunch. Mostly my birds think those things attached to their shoulders are for decoration. My fences are only 4 feet, but I've only seen one bird go over as a juvenile and she never tried it again.

The BYM isn't on the breeding list, though. She's cute, but her eggs are tiny. The 5th toe thing is weird. She has a fifth toe on one foot, but on the other foot she just has two claws on the rear toe. The 5th toe does not appear to be functional on any of her siblings. It's just a fleshy nub with a claw on the end. Or several claws.