Start where you are with what you have

[domineckernc]

Reprint of this Ralph Sturgeon book is available at the ABA website. I'm really enjoying this book. Very practical discussion of close breeding, inbreeding and line crossing. It's a different take than I've seen before or at least explains it in a different way.

[muffin57]

Maybe you could give us a brief review. I would appreciate it if you possibly could, as I doubt that I will read the book. It sounds interesting and informative.

[baronrenfrew]

Lol, Hey dom, take a technical book and turn it into Coles Notes for those of us too lazy to read it. Or better yet, make a movie so I can watch it!

Forgive my smartass answer here, but there is no "easy way" to do it. At least its free on the website and you don't have to buy it.

[Epona]

Sorry, not familiar with the work. Is it strictly on chicken breeding or does it include game birds as well?

[domineckernc]

Brief review...Ralph Sturgeon was a Plymouth Rock breeder, but the book is directed at poultry in general. In his preface he addresses the book to the average person who wishes to find "a practical approach to the art of breeding". At just 51 pages one can imagine that it is highly condensed knowledge. There are few wasted words. The introduction lays out his philosophy that being a breeder is about making the world a better place. There is a brief glossary and a page that posits the question of "Why breed?" The simple answer is that it is better to improve your stock than let it deteriorate.

The bulk of the rest of the book goes into detail about line breeding, line crossing and outcross. He explains the benefits and limits of each. He likens inbreeding and line breeding to boiling a pot of soup and skimming the impurities to clarify the broth. I think that for me this was a genuinely new way of looking at line breeding and closed flock breeding.

The last part of the book is a four year plan to boil the impurities from a new line. It is a simple outline showing how to establish your strongest traits and skim of those that are undesirable.

There are no shortcuts. I see it like someone explaining how to double dig a garden bed. The is a lot of work in the few words it takes to explain the process. Hope this review helps.

[Ontario Chick]

Excellent review, Thank you.

[Epona]

Thanks. I will hunt a copy down.

[modern17]

I met Ralph back in the day in his home state of Ohio.. he was in his late 90s... A wealth of info and a character. He played basketball daily almost to the end , work with what you have, is how he lived.. When this book was reprinted a few years back , then President Matt Lhmon put alot of effort into this book to get it reprinted. I have read lots of literature on the subject.. Ralph had it figured out. Well worth the small fee for this book.Very informative .
TL

[la-chicken]

I have this book as well. Very valuable book.

[BobG]

Great little book I think I paid a whopping $5 for it years ago,well worth a read