Straight Spiral

                           







                  Lazarus                                                  +                                             Nelly

                                                                                       =

                                               (That's a secret, but I know the answer)

Now, I don't expect from now on, to ever have to (I might because I want to) get any new hens or roosters. To achieve this hereditary independence, Spiral or Tree breeding is required, to inhibit inbreeding.

I've decided to Spiral breed, because it is simpler than Tree breeding.

So what is Spiral Breeding?

It's a simple breeding plan that, to start, you need to have at least 3 starting lines. And I'm planning to use 4 if possible. These lines are named after the matriarch as the males are always moved to another line. But to simplify the explanation, I'll use A,B,C, & D for the Lines, and numbers for the males.

So. Lazarus and Nelly procreate. The offspring mature and distinguish themselves as 4 breeding pairs. Good. There's the 4 lines. The next season, all lines reproduce alot of offspring. All females remain in the same line as there mothers. The males... a distinguished male from Line A will be placed with the girls from Line D. A male from B will go to breed the Line A ladies, Male C will go to B, and Male D will go to C. Sound complexicatorial? Don't worry. Most folks don't quite get it. Here's another article about Spiral breeding that might help you understand better: http://www.pathfindersfarm.com/Spiral.html 

Color Translater

I know how confusing color variety names are so I've put every Basal variety name, it's genetics and all its other names:

Gold Duckwing
{-Wildtype-}

(Bankiva)

(Gold)

(Black Breasted Gold)

(Partridge)

Red Duckwing
{-Wildtype + Mh/Mh -}

(Black-Breasted Red)

(Red Partridge)

(Black-Red)

Silver Duckwing
{- Wildtype + S/S -}

(Silver)

(Silver Partridge)

(Black Breasted White)

Wheaten
{- Ewh/Ewh -}

(Black Breasted Red)

(Buff Patridge)

Partridge
{- eb/eb -}

(Asiatic Brown)

(Light Brown)
(Brown Partridge)

Silver Partridge
{- eb/eb; S/S -}

(Silver)

Single Laced
{- eb/eb; Co/Co; Pg/Pg; Ml/Ml -}

(No other known)

Columbian
{- eb/eb; Co/Co -}

(Black Tailed Buff)

(Buff)

Silver Columbian
{- eb/eb; Co/Co; S/S -}

(Columbian)

(Black Tailed White)

Red
{- Ewh/Ewh; Co/Co; Mh/Mh -}

(Black Tailed Red)

(Red Columbian)

Multiple Laced Red
{- eb/eb; Pg/Pg -}

(Partridge)

(Dark Red)

Dark
{- eb/eb; Pg/Pg; S/S -}

(Multiple Laced Silver)

(Silver Partridge)

Gold Crowwing
{- E^R/E^R -} 

(Gold Birchen)

(Gold Necked)

(Yellow-Mottled Black)

Red Crowwing
{- E^R/E^R; Mh/Mh -}

(Brown Red)

(Red Birchen)

Birchen
{- E^R/E^R; S/S -}

(Silver Crowwing)

(Silver Gray)

(Grey)

(White-Mottled Black)

Double-Laced Gold
{- E^R/E^R; Pg/Pg; Ml/Ml -}
(Dark (1))

Double Laced Silver
{- E^R/E^R; Pg/Pg; Ml/Ml; S/S -}
(Dark (2))
(Double Laced White)

Barred
{- E/E; B/b+ -}
(None known)

Cuckoo
{- E/E; B/B -}
(None Known)

Post for Annie

Annie

Breed: Half-Crele OEG. I know that much...
Variety: Cuckoo*

Annie is an odd little hen. I don't know what to make of her. First she seemed so friendly and calm it was like she was dying. Then she's so intravertial you never see her... But she's smart.

*She looks Barred, but her color is actually Cuckoo.

Post for Becky

Becky

Breed: Mixed What-Not

Variety: Double Laced Gold

Becky is a mean little chicken. She's the second most high hen in the pecking order (Nelly is the first). She's Nelly's right hand hen and is always beside her (if Nelly is removed Becky will make an incomparable ruckus).

Post for Nelly

Nelly

Breed: Bow Lake bantam

Variety: Brown Partridge (Ruddy)

Nelly is the same breed as Lazarus. She is the Alpha hen. She is extremely broody. In fact, I've had to force her to go outside everyday because she's set her mind to hatching a decoy egg in the nest box. For this reason, and her color/breed, She is the only hen that I'll let reproduce herself. The others will be deployed mothering other chicks/ ducklings/poults/keets etc.

Post for Martha



Martha

Breed: Old English bantam

Variety: Black Breasted Red

Martha is Mary's half-sister. She is quite protective of little Mary, and fights off more dominant hens that pick on Mary. Martha holds the second lowest position in the pecking order. She has smoother coloring than Mary, and is larger.

Post for Mary

Mary

Breed: Old English bantam

Variety: Black Breasted Red

Mary's my little friend. She'll sit on my shoulder and eat out of my hand, and I like her color alot. She holds the lowest position in the pecking order because she's so little and passive. She's my littlest hen.

Post for Lazarus



Lazarus

Breed: Bow Lake bantam

Variety: Golden Birchen
Lazarus is the best Rooster anyone could hope to have. He keeps watch over his hens and is very protective. He keeps the hens well serviced, and he frequently does interesting displays for them. I like him.

The New Breeds



It's a nice day.

The ducks are sieving for things in the mud.

The 5 little hens are happily scratching, trying to get every last piece of corn...

And the Rooster is keeping a careful watch on his harem. Nice day.

Only one problem:

WHAT Rooster?!?

And WHAT 5 hens?!?

This is my new Rooster, Lazarus (2).

He's very friendly, like his new mate, Mary.

He is a Gold Birchen (Brown/Red) Bow Lake bantam. He reminds me of a dutch breed by the name of Bergiste Schlotterkraehm (no, you don't have to pronounce it.).

This is Annie.

She's the friendliest hen I've ever seen.

She's a Cuckoo (pure barred), booted mutt. I must admit, the feathers on her legs are very poor. (Booted means she has feathers on her legs and toes)

Becky is a Gypsy-faced Gold Double Laced mutt. (Gypsy-faced means her skin is very dark grey)

Nelly is in the nest box, behind Becky.

Nelly appears to be the same color as Martha and Mary, but is actually distinctly different. She is booted, too. Both of them are very shy, so I wasn't able to get any good pictures of Nelly, but here's her head:

So add Mary and Martha, and you get 1 Rooster and 5 hens