Group mating V.S. Single mating
Hello everyone,
Can anyone tell me when is it best to use group mating instead of single mating i know i like single mating so i can pedigree both sides but is there a certain time when a guy would want to group mate or is it best to stay with single mating should it even have a place in someone's breeding program or is it just one of those personal choice kinda things
Thx in advance
When you get a cross that has great winning record i wouldnt be afraid to flock mate sisters to make the same cross but with less pens beeing used. but as far as breeding material i would still single mate unless u have plans to raise alot for selling than flock mating straight bred would maybe work for u but i raise only for myself so i single mate everything and keep only the ones that really produce.
Inthink it depends I u want quantity or quality i have group mated in the pass and when I get good stags it's hard to see from what hen he came from. When I single mate I record the best hens and what kind of stags they gave me and for next breeding season I go back with that cross. With quality u know what ur going to get but with qualitity u don't know were the traits come from.
I single mate everything that's straight bred for future breeding purposes... generally...
I will flock mate for battle crosses, but the females all have to be full sisters from single mated parents...
Last edited by slipspur; April 10th, 2011 at 02:26 PM.
Thanks guys those were fast responses. That's kinda how i was thinking i ask cause i had a guy that swore by flock mating and has been trying to get me to convert to it that's why i asked but i think im gonna stick with my single mating
I'm just a backyard breeder so I single mate and mostly go with natural hen hatch.
Once I come up with a winning battle-cross then I'll do the multiple hen mating, but I'll still go with natural hen hatched eggs. I believe the chicks grow smarter and healthier when they're hen hatched.
Roughly flock mating is practical when you want to raise the quantity and then select for quality later shortly after you harvest. By the big numbers, it can prove to be more expensive, and by selection you might end up culling a lot more than expected...or keeping a lot more.
Single mating is rather more stricter, and consistently produce predictable quality, although selection might still be done but more or less you can tell the chick before the egg hatched. Some even rarely spar them.
The major pitfall after acquiring a new bloodline/broodstock is that they are thrown straight away to different existing stock/flock...wishing somehow it will nick with any. It is always prudent to breed them as it was recieved, and then infuse or experiment after you have produced healthy offsprings from the new originals. In that way you will have a rough idea what you can produce with the new stock. In that sense you have a good fundamental drawing board shall you need to revisit them in the future.
Last edited by VMT^Carmen; April 10th, 2011 at 09:17 PM.
Slip what if they are half sister of the same family. Is it ok for battle cross?
Originally Posted by slipspur
it is like breeding cousins man.
So its pretty much a personal preferance thing or maybe for commercial or big scale farming/breeding for the guys looking to make $$$$$$
Does it make sense if I will pair a young cock about six months old with her mother for breeding purposes? Please advise...warm regards.
If the mother is a proven producer yes. Myself, when I find those rare golden hens, I normally double breed them as I call it to a proven son to produce future brood stock. That has worked for me for years.
If you don't know anything about her, then I would need show results before I did any inbreeding like that.
Single mating is a vital part of creating and maintaining foundation fowl. You'll be able to keep exact breeding records and to create proper pedigrees. As you progress in your breeding process creating your bloodline or strain, you will come across, somewhere along the process with a small gene pool and your lines would be very close. Then you'll find yourself group or flock breeding.
Good Luck
I single mate for brood fowl and group mate for battle fowl
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