Backyard Poultry Forum

Looking to start a softfeather or waterfowl project, any ideas?

Hi J&T
Are you thinking of creating something from scratch?
My idea of a good project would be to take an existing breed that has become unpopular and breed it in sufficient numbers and genetic diversity to keep a viable pure population going but that is probably not what you have in mind.
I did like your magpie duck project. Did that end up being a goer?

I was thinking something like that, as in recreating a breed/variety that is almost non-existent. Haven't got anywhere with the magpies unfortunately, as I wasn't able to find a suitable Swedish.

A prolific blue egg layer that is reasonably ornamental for backyard pets?

Nah - Aracaunas already fit that description. Anything else would just be a cross breed (mongrel)

Rescuing or recreating is a much more satisfying way to go. I do think that backyard appeal is valuable especially in the early stages when there is a lot of culling.

Definitely rescuing.
I agree with fuscipes.
So many breeds getting lost with mad crossing.

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Which breed though?

Well, what do you like? What would you not tire of seeing many hundreds of generations down the track? Are you about visual appeal, or do you like utility functions?

You can have a look at the Rare Breeds Poultry Trust to see what's on the list.

However, if your magpie project failed because of difficulty in sourcing appropriate stock, that's going to be a common theme in re-creating or rescuing any of the rare breeds. Getting the stock to kick-start the project, and then sourcing suitable stock to strengthen the genetics part-way through, without significantly impacting the work you've done to that stage, is always going to be somewhat fraught.

I actually do think there's a lot of scope for working on blue/green egglayer breeds. There's only two purebreeds certified for that eggcolour (Arauacana and Cream Leghorn), while there's hundreds for the white/brown breeds - in utility breeds alone, if you specify "excellent layer of bright white eggs", I can think of three breeds instantly off the top of my head (White Leghorn, Ancona, and Campine).

So "excellent layer of bright blue eggs", starting with one of the major white egglaying utility breeds and the best blue egglaying Araucana one can get one's hands on, isn't such a bad concept to try and create a purebreed from.

My opinion alone, of course, because I like all the pretty egg colours

That sounds like DottenSilks 'failed to proceed' Blue egg laying, Silky feathered, Crowless Croad.

Now that's an idea.

A crowless breed ??

I wouldn't mind starting something with the Mediterranean's or Hamburgs

The anocona over black aracauna would be interesting if you can get the Ancona pattern with the blue egg laying , another one that if I had the room would try for something interesting is copper maran roo over aracauna to try and get the darkest plum/ green egg possible . I have been hatching eggs from slw roo over lavender and salmon aracauna hens got a pullet growing now , want to try for the wyandotte shape with blue/ green eggs . The pullet is black so from lavender aracauna hen, so far is more wyandotte in shape.

I'm not looking to create a new breed, I'm looking to bring back a rare breed or create a new variety in a recognised breed.

While I am not an expert in rare breeds of chooks (I am trained as an economist).

Is it possible that many breeds became rare because a “better” breed came along?

With Australian quarantine regulations is it likely that the genetic material to work with may be limited?

While what you want from poultry is a personal thing for any new breed to be successful would it need to become common.

For it to become common doesn't it need to be better than what is currently available?

What return you want from your efforts would be a very personal thing.

However reviving something that is only a curiosity with enthusiasts seems to have less chance of adoption than something with general appeal.

So many potential projects so little time.

Also projects often take more resources than first estimated.

Breeds come and go with fashion. For the recreation of a lost or endangered breed it is a long slog of sifting through the available gene pool. With persistance (and maybe a lot of resources) it can be done. That is the game.
Some of the so called 'Better Breeds' may have offered something seen as desirable at the time (or were very well marketed) but it is important that the poultry 'seed bank' is not lost.
All the pure breeds were developed either accidentally or intentionally because they had something unique to offer.
J & T - great idea and hoping you get all the support that you need

why don't you try for a metre high softfeather.
maybe Russian orloff.
no one has them!