Today, we are talking about:
“Mother Nature and the Natural Order of Selection”
A chicken chat with my Mentor, Tony Saville
This episode is a recording from 22 years ago, with my mentor, Tony Saville. We talk about the natural selection and artificial selection, and its relationship to the breeding of chickens and gamefowl. I know you will find this very informative.
I found this recording by going through old files Gold mine of information. With Tony’s permission, I have the awesome opportunity to share with you a very special recording. This was recorded almost 30 years ago, when Tony was living down the road from us. We were sitting on his porch “talking chickens.” You can hear how young my voice sounds, I sound so different now. Lol. You’re a fly on the wall, listening to our back-porch chicken talks.
This is a recording we did for an article I was writing. Tony Saville was showing me the relationship between artificial selection and natural selection. And, by selecting like Mother Nature, we could improve our fowl’s natural instincts. There are some of us that know about the general nature of natural selection, but one might ask how does it apply to our chickens? Well, listen in and find out. I believe you will find this episode extremely fascinating.
This talk led me to learn more about:
- Charles Darwin
- Evolutions and natural selection
- Evolutionary biology
- Genetics
- Selective breeding
- Breeding programs
Disclaimer: We don’t use harsh language, like the “F” word, but we are using a few words you might not want your kids to hear. Guys being guys. lol
Today’s Topics:
- History and evolution of the chicken
- The jungle fowl – instincts that wild jungle fowl have, that are still visible in our fowl today.
- The different breeds that exist
- The rise of the Modern Game
- Survival of the fittest, and the chicken’s ability to adapt to its surroundings
- Why defects are detrimental to the survivability of the individual and the strain.
- Pecking order (hens and pullets / cocks and stags)
- Color of uniformity
- Selecting for color and conformation Mother Nature style
- Selecting for plumage condition, Nature’s way.
- Sexual selection
- Breeding tips
- Husbandry tips
- Farm walks and free ranging
- Raising chickens around horses and horse stables.
- Predators
- Chicken intellect – are chickens intelligent, or is it all about instincts?
- By understanding their natural instincts, we can breed and raise higher quality fowl.
- Behaviors
- Disease resistance
- Selection and culling, mother nature’s way
