What separates beginners from master gamefowl breeders is that the latter knows the importance of selecting the right broodstocks. But obtaining the proper broodfowl can be very challenging. It is a tedious, yet meticulous work that every gamefowl breeder goes through. But how do we select the right fowls for our business? Get to know what goes through the proper selection process.
Good Genetics
Choose a broodfowl like how you choose a gamefowl, with the addition of making sure that the fowl to be used as brood is healthy and has a better chance of being prepotent. This means that, if the stocks are heavy in a particular trait, there’s a likelihood that they will pass it on to their offspring. For example, if your hen displays only a high level of gameness, it is prepotent with eagerness to fight. A cock that is heavy with speed and good cutting ability is prepotent with agility and fighting prowess. They should also come from a winning bloodline that has performed well in derbies.
Critique
After determining and searching for the ones with good traits, looking for obvious defects is the next step. This may include crooked toes, stubby legs, poor-looking combs, or anything that might catch your eye as flawed. In general, fowls with great legs and feet and have proper control over their tails are good broodstocks.
Good Body Conformation
Just like male bodybuilders and beauty queens, we also judge good brood fowls based on appearance. By handling the fowls, you can determine whether they do or do not have great body conformation and carriage.
Experts consider the fowl’s stance; the way it stands proud and holds its head up high. Their heads should be red and their eyes should be healthy. The broodfowl’s eyes should be clear and not sunken around the eye socket.
From the head, its neck should be strong and not too long, nor too short. A proper slope and length of the slightly slim flat back should be present and should have a symmetrical angle of the legs and tail. The ideal tail for master breeders should be clipped and angled at 45 degrees. Whenever you move the fowl about, you may notice that their tail reacts as though balancing themselves.
The brood fowls should also have broad breasts and shoulders, but their waists should remain average in size. Having high and strong wings is also advantageous in the cockpit compared to low wings that scratch the ground.
Good brood fowls should be lightweight and high stationed, yet firm on the flesh. Their keel bones should neither be deep nor contorted. Just turn your fowl upside down to have a better feel of its keel bone. Breeders commonly liken a healthy body of a rooster to a shape of a football.
Experts also look out for the fowl’s fingers. Aligned middle fingers would mean that the fowl can strike accurately. Furthermore, fowls that tiptoe show that it is well-ranged and performs better in the cockpit than flat-footed cocks. They should have a good sense of balance as they touch the ground and are not clumsy footed for proper form and function.
Condition of Feathers
The last thing is to examine its feathers. The feathers of your broodfowls should be vibrant and glossy. They must also be elastic and blooming – not too soft, thick, or fluffy, as seen often from inferior flocks. Having great feathers would also mean that the fowl is healthy.
Once your fowls have gone through this process, consider them as candidates for breeding. At this point, feel confident with your choices, knowing you have given a serious thought in the whole selection process. As long as your brood possesses each criterion, your brood choice will be key to your success.
Do you still have questions on gamefowl breeding? Visit https://unahco.com/ for more tips and guides.
Sources:
https://steemit.com/sports/@restie/gamefowl-breeding-101
https://www.chickenbreedersgazette.com/obtaining-the-right-broodcock-and-broodhen/
https://www.breedersacademy.com/bred-to-perfection-ep34-how-to-select-your-brood-fowl/
https://www.breedersacademy.com/identifying-the-proper-brood-fowl/
https://gamecockcare.wordpress.com/2013/03/22/a-serious-cockers-method-of-selecting-broodstock/
https://rbsugbo.wixsite.com/the-blakliz/single-post/2017/08/14/how-to-select-prepotent-brood-fowl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHMoC0NBMw8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4wadUQT5To
https://gtte.wordpress.com/2009/04/19/selecting-a-brood-cock/
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