Breeding Program: Record keeping and traits

Don't worry, I'm not asking you to expose your breeding program.

Moose and I determined our breeding program project today including breed(s) traits, we're just waiting to see how some of our stock turns out before diving head long. I'm just trying to make sure I have all my ducks chickens in a row for record keeping.

When keeping records I figure you need to:

• Track parents and lineage
  
• Record chick colouration
  
• Growth
  
• Feed to weight ratio
  
• Egg colour and weight
  
• Leg colour
  
• Skin colour
  
• Feather colour/type (can't think of a better word)
  
• Comb type and size
  
• Wattle size
  
• Eye colour (?)
  
• Carcass quality for hens and roos

Did I miss anything?

What traits do you breed for in particular. I'm not asking for specifics, but in you program is leg colour what you work on? Comb type? Size?

Do you have any additional tips on breeding programs? Maybe some things you consider do's and/or don'ts?

This is probably not helpful and mostly related to the addled brain of advancing age...but make absolutely sure that the records you keep are painfully, obviously understandable.

I have kept records, jotted notes that were disjointed sentences that I was sure I would understand forever. Nope. I go back and read my notes and wonder, what on earth I was talking about? I cannot figure out what the heck I was trying to say! I know you are young and your mind is very sharp, but if you have lots of birds to keep track of, keep your notes detailed, clear and leave nothing to your memory!

I guess it really depends on your goal (and how good you are/how much you like record keeping) you can do minimum or go crazy with it im sure....
First I would recommend joining the breed clubs of the birds you are infatuated with and going from there.
Usually they have the APA standard for your particular breed there and often advice from club members about breeding up and record keeping.
Try googling your breed and see what you find.
Good for you thinking about this stuff at the beginning!

mirycreek wrote:First I would recommend joining the breed clubs of the birds you are infatuated with and going from there.

I am trying to formulate my own breed, do you think it would still be beneficial to join the clubs of the breeds involved??

well not necessarily in that case I guess, but of course would be good to know the correct traits of the birds you are working with, so yes i think it would be worth your while to learn lots about the foundation breeds you are starting with!
Some you do not need to join either, you can often glean lots of info from their website etc.....
i have found the Dominique club to be very helpful and supportive and I know Chantcler_eh? likes his Buckeye club and Chanteclers International as well.

Sweet end (don't know why but I always read your name as Sweet End, as opposed to a dreadful end) FOrgive me but I had to chuckle. I think when all of us first got into poultry we decided to create a new breed. A chicken that would astonish and amaze, set the poultry world on its ear. We would unveil it at some world exposition and people from all parts of the globe would flock (purposeful choice of word) to see this Super Bird that was going to take the world by storm.

At least this is how I pictured my project turning out. Then I made some mutts and kept records I could not decipher and that was pretty much the end of my plans for world domination...I mean chicken breed development.

I am reading a book about people who develop new roses. It takes YEARS and YEARS and thousands of started roses to perhaps find one that has traits worth reproducing. Some rose developers never find that rose that meets the requirements. I'm thinking it is thus in poultry development. HOwever, I think it is a worthy and interesting pursuit and believe it CAN be done! But is a massive undertaking with many blind starts and dead ends. (but we all hope for Sweet Ends)

On another site a fellow had posted his Brahma project and those were some jaw dropping birds. But the eggs hatched, birds culled and years invested was staggering. But the product was awesome. GOod luck, you might be the one who actually gets it done! Sweet end for you, I hope!

uno wrote:Sweet end (don't know why but I always read your name as Sweet End, as opposed to a dreadful end) FOrgive me but I had to chuckle. I think when all of us first got into poultry we decided to create a new breed. A chicken that would astonish and amaze, set the poultry world on its ear. We would unveil it at some world exposition and people from all parts of the globe would flock (purposeful choice of word) to see this Super Bird that was going to take the world by storm.

I most certainly have no expectation to knock anyone's socks off or make "The next big thing", but if it happened, wouldn't that be a beautiful thing? I'm wanting to make a breed that I would find useful and vigorous for the climate in which I live, as well as a dual purpose, and productive breed with specific traits that aren't readily available in the combination I'm looking for.

If I spend my life selling the mutts or putting them on the dinner table, then so-be-it! Besides, I think it'll be fun, and most humans have a penchant for playing God in these ways, or however you want to put that.

Haha, so very true! And you are capable, you have the intellect and the tenacity for it.

I guess first I would set out the traits I wanted on my dream birds like weight, size, comb type, egg color...etc
and also come up with a list of traits I didn't want like large single combs due to chance of freezing, small egg size.

Then just play with what you have and see and your breeding project will change as you get an 'eye' for your 'ideal' bird.

I must agree with Uno that most of us planned on creating our 'own' dream breeds... over time I have found breeds that suit my main requirements for the role my birds have.

I learned lots in my days playing with crossing breeds myself, but now that I have settled on a few breeds and show them, other people have been able to give me pointers that would have taken me years to find out on my own.

k.r.l wrote:I guess first I would set out the traits I wanted on my dream birds like weight, size, comb type, egg color...etc
and also come up with a list of traits I didn't want like large single combs due to chance of freezing, small egg size.

Then just play with what you have and see and your breeding project will change as you get an 'eye' for your 'ideal' bird.

I must agree with Uno that most of us planned on creating our 'own' dream breeds... over time I have found breeds that suit my main requirements for the role my birds have.

I learned lots in my days playing with crossing breeds myself, but now that I have settled on a few breeds and show them, other people have been able to give me pointers that would have taken me years to find out on my own.

Thanks k.r.l! I'm kind of saddened by people abandoning project birds! I think I'm most interested in doing it because I like to create things and this is a project that will teach me patience and help to give me an understanding of passed-on traits, not to mention a freezer stocked full of culls and barn yard layers. If I don't get anywhere with it, I don't really see a loss.

I didn't consider separating weight and size, but since you mentioned it it occurs to me I have some birds who are smaller that weigh more than my bigger birds, so that's a good point that I'll have to keep track of that as well.

Thanks so much.

Good luck with your project Sweetened. It will be fun and you will learn LOTS by doing this.

Uno is right, it will take years and years, but so worth it when you get were you want. Don't be disheartened when things don't go in the right direction in a year, I figure that just helps you refocus and go harder!

I am a project kinda girl too. I always have a 'standard' breed or two and then I have side projects that I have some fun with along side them. I always figure it will take me 5 years to get some direction and consistancy and 10 years until they are just right. I actually feel this way when I am breeding standard birds too. 5 years to develop my own line and 10 years to get them really established.

After 3 years you can usually really see if the direction you are going is working. That is usually when it all starts to come together and then you can start to tweek it.

Looks like you are organised and know what you want. Don't lose focus on what your final project is going to be. I would love to hear more about what you think you want your finished product to be.