Over the years I have heard it time and time again about breeders who have been successful in breeding with both young hens and young cock birds. I must admit that I gave up this procedure many years ago because it simply did not work for me.
Many of today’s ‘older’ breeders will recall that years ago very few would pair up a hen which was under 12 months old. Some would pair up a younger cock if they felt it had matured fully, but even then, the tendency was to wait until it had fully developed.
My first experience with breeding exhibition birds was with Blues and I was warned by experienced breeders of the day that a Skyblue, Cobalt or Violet does not mature until at least 12 months old. I adopted that advice and even today I must admit that I try whenever possible to keep birds which catch my eye until they fully mature before thinking of either pairing them up or putting them up for sale.
I could be wrong, but somehow I feel the present trend of pairing up hens, which are just over six months old has a bearing on the short life of birds in our aviaries. There was a time when three-year old hens were bought as good breeders and many changed hands to produce top show winners. It was the same with cock birds. Today we look at a three-year old hen or even a similarly aged cock bird, as being lucky to be alive with their breeding days well and truly over.
Of course I have heard of a breeder somewhere, who still breeds well from old stock, but they are very few and far between. And it is more than probable, that such stock has been in the same surroundings for years. If moved elsewhere, it would probably be nothing but a problem bird and simply a waste of time.
I am well aware of the fact that the younger generation seem to scoff at some of the thoughts expressed by their elders. We could be ‘behind the times’ when it comes to quite a number of things, but I feel experience is something which should be shared and if possible improved upon.
Reading last week’s Editorial by the Editor in which he states he had a very disappointing start to the breeding season is simply repeating what fanciers say all over the country. And you will be surprised when some after being pressed, admit they have lost more stock in January than in any other month. In my view part of the problem is the change I feel that has occurred in the ‘conventional’ breeding season. Whereas December was the month to pair up I think it is now the one to avoid. Nowadays you must either pair up at the end of October or leave it until the spring. I also believe the birds must be on breeding condition and I fail to see how a six-month old hen fills that category.
I have another thought and one, which I always try to keep. If a chick is born in April, then it should be paired up during that month. Of course I know it is 12 months old, but what I am aiming at is that the month it was hatched has some bearing on the month it should be paired up. I might be wrong, but if you do buy in hens, try and pair them as I mentioned.
Years ago (yes, a well known phrase) breeders bred to patterns of inbreeding. They would use the grandparents and even great-grandparents to produce birds which were so much like peas in a pod. That was how the successful studs of the day were established. Birds lived longer and they made good use of them.
They bought in outcrosses in an attempt to improve certain show points. Those birds were even tested on other stock to see if they produced those points before being introduced to the main stock of show birds. Can you imagine anybody doing that today? I can’t.
Today people are after instant success. Some do get it, but then they disappear. The plain fact is that they were lucky in their original purchases, but have failed in following it up. The original birds either did not live long enough to enable the breeder to implement a breeding system, or they parted with the very birds they should have kept.
I still feel today’s breeders have much to learn from those breeders who were so successful with their breeding methods of years ago. They could breed the numbers and win year after year on the show bench. They became famous for their strains whether they be Greens, Blues, Cinnamons, Lutinos or whatsoever. They were the true breeders. And the fact that they were successful breeders opened the door for them to be successful exhibitors. The question is: were they doing something right, which is being done wrong today? It seems that going back to basics could be the answer.
Two important decisions for B.S. members
I have heard on the grapevine about two important decisions affecting B.S. members.
First, the B.S. is to revert back to the ‘old’ system of staging at their Club Show in Doncaster. Readers will recall that the new system of staging by colour did not go down very well with some exhibitors. At any rate, the B.S. tried it out and listened to the membership.
Secondly, despite being let down at the last moment with the purchase of new headquarters, events changed dramatically overnight and the B.S. were re-offered the property. They should have completed the sale and signing by the time you read this.
Their existing property, which is coming to the end of its lease was becoming far too small and the B.S. is bound to capitalise in the future by buying their own property. It has space to hold committees (thereby saving costs) and ample parking facilities (a nightmare at the moment). This has been a good move for the future.
© Gwyn Evans 2000
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