Project Planning

[Guest]

There has been discussions on this forum about new or unrecognized varieties of Ameraucans\' that breeders are either working on or dreaming about.  

What is the best method or plan to breed a bird with a desired color or pattern and still have all the requirements of Ameraucana\'s?

I can see some plans as more direct, a dominate trait bred on to a good line of birds in the first place can then be bred back to the original line as long as it is showing the trait until you have all that is needed type, leg color, muffs, Pea comb, and egg color.  I can see a project like that showing promising results in only a few years.

On the other hand a recessive trait or combination of traits is more what will take a longer more calculated plan.  The lavender\'s how many years did has that project been in development?  

What do you sacrifice one year only to have to go after yet another year?  What is more important or harder to achieve  that should not be sacrificed?

I feel some words of advise from breeders that have been through a long project might help those that are thinking about one, before they make a mistake of polluting their gene pool and getting no where.

thanx glen

[John]

Glen,

I resisted creating new varieties for a couple decades and instead concentrated on creating and improving the varieties already accepted.  Remember some were accepted by the APA before they existed.  Personally I don\'t see any benefit to having more varieties developed unless they are going to promote the breed somehow.  Some of the present varieties are still very rare and if there isn\'t an interest in them so be it.  On the other hand some varieties, like LF blacks, are very popular and are beneficial to elevating the breed and club.  When I think of Orpingtons I think of buff, with d\"Uccles I think of mille fluer, with Hamburgs silver spangled is the first variety that comes to mind.  Maybe someday folks will think of lavender when they hear Ameraucana.  It is one of the top varieties of the British Araucana.
I always liked the lavender color and don\'t like the fact that blues don\'t breed true so I\'ve worked on them as a substitute.  The lavenders are very popular, so it shouldn\'t be difficult to get them recognized.

recessive trait

Sometimes as with lavender they are easier to work with.  Once you have it...that\'s it.  Also they can be difficult to get rid of without test mating.

many years did has that project been in development?

It\'s been a few.  First developing the bantams and now using them to make a LF version.