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By Lindon Reid
© 2002
I just thought I would share some info I have gleaned from yet another
breeder/enthusiast. I met Jim through an advertisement I ran when
selling some excess Malay Game. He is in his 60's and has had a very
"colourful" life. His passion has been breeding Greyhounds, Muscovy
ducks and various poultry breeds. He is as rough as they come
(an ex bare knuckle fighter!!), real "man from Snowy River" type, but
when it comes to his birds a real softness is evident as well as a
great store of knowledge form his and others experiences.
With breeding birds I have never followed a great system. I tended to
breed best to best with occasional line breeding. Jim told me of the' 7 diamond pyramid' which, if followed closely will always breed birds true to the original parent birds. This is particularly important if we start with good birds. However I (and how many of you) have had good birds to breed from and within a couple of seasons was breeding birds inferior to the original couple only because I did not use a scientific method.
Jims Method is as follows.
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1st generation
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Parent Cock (C1)
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Parent Hen (H1)
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2nd Gen
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Best Hens to C1
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Best Cocks to H1
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3rd Gen
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Best hens to C1
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Best cocks to H1
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4th Gen
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Best Hen to C1
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Best Cock to H1
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5th Gen
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Best Hen to C1
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Best Cock to H1
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6th Gen
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Best Hen to C1
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Best Cock to H1
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7th Gen
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Best Hen to C1
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Best Cock to H1
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Obviously other lines can be started but he says that if this system is
used then the end result at the 7 th gen. is a bird identical
genetically to the parent bird and one which will breed true to type
as the parent bird was.
I would appreciate any comments on this. I am onto my third generation
with some of my birds and have been very pleased with the results so
far. Appreciate any feedback.
BTW his Muscovy ducks, which he sells to restaurants, are enormous and
the diet he feeds his birds on is quite amazing. More on this later.
Lindon
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