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Questions and Answers

    Through the years I have answered many questions, by emails and phone conversations, concerning the raising, breeding, and caring for American Games. And it has been my pleasure.

     I thought it would be a good idea to put together the 100 most general and interesting of questions, ones that we all have as cockers and gamefowl enthusiast, and answer them in a book format. In order to do so I need your help. I would like to know from you, the average cocker, what concerns you most. With your assistance, I will answer those nagging questions.

     I do not believe there is such a thing as a stupid question, so "No Holds Bar". All questions are welcome. As usual, I am here to help you. However, to do so I will need to hear from you.

     You can email me at: maximustroypublications@yahoo.com or on my Facebook.

     I thank you in advance for all your input. If you would like to stay anonymous, that if fine. Just please let me know.

Your friend,
Kenny Troiano

You can read more articles like this one by purchasing these books, which are available on this website

Volume One

Volume Two

Read more of Kenny's articles in these publications

This page is devoted to bringing you useful information on the breeding and raising of American Games. These are excerps from my books - The Gamefowl Breeders Manual and Cockers Guides - Chronicles of Kenny Troiano - Volume one and two.

I welcome all comments and suggestions. Please feel free to email me at: www.maximustroypublications@yahoo.com
I will get back to you as soon as possible.

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How Young or How Old Should They Be?
By Kenny Troiano
www.maximustroypublications.com

This month I would like to start out by saying thank you to Mr. Frank Torres. On November 19th 2011, he put on a great show, the Orange County Old English and American Gamefowl Poultry Exhibition. This was the seventh show he put together for us. In all events we�ve had a fine turnout, and I hope to see many more as additional shows are put together. Frank gave out some of the best trophies and awards that I have ever seen. We are sure lucky to have someone like Frank who is willing to contribute so much to our hobby. I don�t know what we would do without him.
Now back to the article.

BROODFOWL - HOW OLD IS TOO OLD?
I�m sure you�ve heard it said many times, �Never breed to that �old worn-out� cock or hen, no matter how proven they may be.� Although there is considerable difference of opinion among cockers and backyard breeders as to the number of broodfowl may be sufficiently kept and bred to, there is an even greater difference of opinion as to the limit of their age.

For the average cocker and backyard breeder, this is a highly debated question, whether or not it is better to hatch eggs from hens that are over or under 2 years of age. If we were to look at other animals, such as thoroughbred horses, especially winners of the most prestigious events, you would find that many were sired or foaled by an out�standing stallion or by a great mare at 25 years of age or older. So the question arises, how old is too old?

More and more evidence is accumu�lating every day that proves it�s the old established broodfowl, which consis�tently produce the superior offspring. The fact that they have survived so long, through the test of time; the effects of the environment; natural and artificial selection; as well as survival of the fittest, they have indeed proven their overall value and worth. Yet there is no doubt that a well-matured cockerel or bullstag, because more active and energetic, will give better results in fertility than an older cock, and that a young well-matured hen will lay better quality eggs and more often than an older hen. But it takes time to identify the great producers in the broodyard, and you cannot do it by breeding unknown cockerels and pullets.

THE OLD HEN: There is a tendency, at the present time, to put more and more value on the breeding qualities of the hen that shows her vigor and vitality, by keeping her in good breeding condition for a number of years. Is this wise?

An old mentor of mine, maybe one of the finest breeders I have ever known, once told me, �Kenny, hang on to that old proven broodhen, for she is the jewel of your flock." Although I take that advice to heart, I usually draw the line at six years of age, especially for the hen. In my own experience, I have found, by keeping careful records of broodhens, which produced winners from the age of two to six, would show a great difference in the quality of her offspring after six years of age.

I was a believer of "the old hen theory" for many years until results forced me to change my way of thinking and abandon the practice. It is heartbreaking to remember the many disappointments in the progeny of a great old hen, which had produced so many winners in the past. It is enough to say that in every instance, the result was not only failure, but was a complete breakdown in the passing of genetic material and constitutional vigor.

Now don�t get me wrong, I do not want to imply that all hens past the age of six years old are poor producers. From time to time someone does obtain excel�lent offspring from an old hen. In fact, only the other day, I received a letter from a friend telling me about his success with the progeny of an eight-year-old hen, which he is going to breed again this year. I don't blame him. In fact, I'm breeding a seven-year-old hen myself this season, which has been a wonderful producer. I just hope I don�t regret it in the future. In any case, if the progeny proves to be substandard or of poor quality in any way, I will know whom to blame.

It's hard to do away with that old proven hen or cock, but all things considered, as the expres�sion goes, �better safe than sorry.�

You often hear breeders say, "I plan to mate this �old pair� again this season. Maybe the offspring will be as good as last years.� Unfortunately, it has been my experience that it usually does not work out. It has been my misfortune to find that old worn-out broodhens produced not only inferior pit and show birds but inferior broodfowl as well. Where there is a choice of broodfowl, from the same mating, fowl which were produced when the parents were younger, are usually the more pre�ferred. This is particularly true of the hen. Her appearance and action may be similar to a pullet, but her reproductive system has deteriorated, even though you can't see it, the effects of age have caught up with her. For some reason or another the cock seems to last longer, so far as reproductive qualities are concerned. Many times he turns out good offspring, but only as long as he remains vigorous and fertile. However, such is not the case with the hen.

A few years ago I sent a friend of mine two pullets. One was from a pen that had a three year old broodcock and a broodhen that was seven years of age. The other was from a pen which had a three year old broodcock and a broodhen that was four years of age. All fowl were proven broodfowl. A year later my friend informed me that after breeding to those pullets, which are now hens, the cockerels, which came from the young grandmother, were excellent, whereas the cockerels, which came from the older grandmother, were of poor quality. He said they were of poor constitutional vigor and they simply lacked vitality and strength, a complete contrast from the others. He also told me that both of the hens that I sent him were mated to the same broodcock. The difference in the quality of the cockerels could only be accounted for, in my opinion, by the difference in age of their grandmothers at the time their mothers were hatched.

Many times in the past I have heard of breeders who have attempted to "revive" an old famous line of fowl by breeding to the �Queen Bee of the Dynasty,� the grand old hen that was once the jewel of the flock, which is now an impediment, rather than an asset to the future of the flock.

When I was a young boy, an old mentor of mine was going to cull an old hen that had produced many cockerels, all of which had won impressively in competition. I talked him into letting me have her. He warned me of the consequences of breeding to such an old hen, but like a young naive boy, who thought he knew everything, I thought I could do something with her. At the time I couldn�t believe my good fortune. I bred her to the finest young cock I owned. What did I get? A bunch of weaklings! I guess my mentor knew what he was doing by culling her.

What happens to a hen�s eggs as she ages? A hen hatches from the egg with all the eggs she will ever lay. As the hen ages so does her eggs! For instance, when a hen reaches 6 years of age so does the eggs within her body, they too are 6 years of age. She does not develop new eggs every year, or month, or week, or every day. They are in her body from day one. So when she ages so does her eggs.

This is where the problem lays. The older the hen, the older the egg, and the greater the chance that the chick will not develop as hoped.

Here is a good example of what I am referring to. When my wife became pregnant with our daughter, Tawny, at the age of 38, because of her age, she was at risk of having a baby with �down-syndrome.� Because of this, we did a procedure known as an amniocentesis; this is used to check the health of the baby during pregnancy. Everything tuned out just fine, and today, Tawny is a healthy, happy child, but it was a concern.

Well, this holds true with baby chicks as well. When the mother is up there in age, there is a risk that the offspring will not be as good as offspring that were hatched years earlier. As you can see, the hen must be used as a broodhen earlier in life. Just because she is laying eggs does not mean she is a good broodhen.

The cock, on the other hand, produces new sperm every single day. He may produce less and less sperm as he ages, but the sperm he produced is not old. As long as he is strong, vigorous, and fertile, everything should be fine. The chicks that hatch will not feel the effects of his age. Therefore, his age is not a factor in the quality of the offspring. As long as the cock produces fertile eggs and has proven his value and worth as a broodcock early on, he should be used as long as possible!

THE OLD COCK: I have talked to some prominent, well established breeders that believe declines in reproductive capacity normally occur faster with aging males than in females, especially in cocks of the larger breeds. As for American Gamecocks, many times we hear about a famous cock, which descended from broodcocks ten years old or more. Unlike hens, most cocks, I believe, will continue to produce high quality offspring at an advanced age. I have heard of cocks, which lived to the ripe old age of sixteen years. The cock will normally eliminate himself from the broodpen due to infertility before attaining a very great age, but the fact that he can reach such an advanced age is proof that he has the capacity to produce for a longer period of time than originally thought.

Although, some believe that the cock ages even faster than the hen and should be discarded even earlier, this is contrary to my own findings. I have found this to be true only when the cock was kept penned throughout the year, the same as the hen. In this case, the strains of the breeding season, and the lack of exercise, as well as the all-important �nutritional factors� have combined to age a cock prematurely, and render him unfit for the broodpen at a comparatively early age. It is my experience that a properly cared for broodcock might remain useful for several years longer than the hen. By the same token, it stands to reason that a cock and hen which could somehow be put out on a good walk, free range, for a portion of the year would retain their overall condition and value as broodfowl.

I tend to give cocks a few years or so longer than the hens, provided he is extremely vigorous and virile. I believe in using him as long as I am happy with the offspring he produces.

Remember, a hen is born with all the eggs she will ever lay at birth. As the hen ages so does her eggs! The cock, on the other hand, produces new sperm every single day. He may produce less and less sperm as he ages, but the sperm he produced is not old. Therefore the chicks that hatch will not feel the effects of his age. As long as the cock produces fertile eggs and has proven his value and worth as a broodcock early on, he should be used as long as possible!

YOUNG FOWL ARE OF UNKNOWN ASSETS: I have talked to many breeders that think it�s best to breed fowl in their early years rather than after they were "getting along in age." They feel that the quality of their offspring drops so noticeably with each passing year that they are missing valuable breeding time with those fowl. They believe that good families have been "lost" while endeavoring to perpetuate them through the use of the old parents than from any other reason. These are also breeders who despise the use of line-breeding, a breeding technique that is very important in the uniformity of a strain.

I have often felt that the downfall of many fine American strains could be attributed to the attempt to perpetuate them through the medium of in�dividuals that are extremely over the prime age of breeding, even though such fowl were exceptional during their prime, but I also feel that it is a mistake to breed fowl that are extremely under the prime age of breeding.

We must be careful with fowl that are too young, such as immature cockerels and pullets. They are either not grown-up or developed enough, or they have not proven themselves to be producers of high quality offspring. If your goal is to improve the health and vigor of future generations, hatch from older cocks and hens. Two year old hens that are laying well must be relatively disease resistant, and are likely to pass that resistance to their offspring. Furthermore, older birds tend to be the more valuable breeders, since they have proven their ability to pass de�sirable characteristics and traits along to their offspring, less desirable breeders having long since been culled.

On the other hand, we must be careful with older broodfowl as well. Hens past the age of six years are not normally suitable as breeders. There's a slight but significant decline in hatchability after a hen's third year, and the decline continues as the hen gets older. After the sixth year, hens at that age lay fewer eggs, while cocks at that age are less fertile. Eventually you will see a greater percentage of early embryo deaths and failure of full-term embryos to emerge from the shell. If you breed old birds, take special care to keep them stress-free. When both old hens and old cocks are used in the broodpen, fewer hens should be used with each cock than generally recommended.

HOW OLD IS TOO OLD? The English, throughout the centuries, have been great breeders of gamefowl. In fact, Old English Games were the dominating force for centuries, until sometime in the twentieth century when the rise of the American Games caught the interest of the world. The English were also great practitioners of techniques such as inbreeding and line-breeding, and to a wider degree and with greater success than has been done in this country. Undoubtedly several factors have contrib�uted to their greater success, but I have noted many times that in their breeding of fowl, that were closely rela�ted, they frequently used proven mature broodfowl, often a five year old broodcock to a two year old hen, or a two year old broodcock to a five year old hen, never a cockerel to a pul�let, and never to fowl that were way past their prime.

A mistake which beginner breeders often make, and experienced breeders are well aware of, is the mating and breeding of older fowl that are way past their prime. In an otherwise sound breeding program, this is where most beginners often make the biggest blunder. There is no other factor that can destroy a family�s good qualities faster than this one. It is an easy trap to fall into. They simply want to get the most out of their best individuals.

Although it is generally accepted that the productive power of both, the cock and hen, will eventually fail, the exact age when they become too old to breed may vary to some extent due to environmental conditions; general health and care; ancestry; and individual makeup.

Most breeders believe that the genetic deterioration caused by old age begins after the third year, and declines rapidly after the fourth. Many discard even outstanding hens at four years of age, and in some instances even younger. However, I think this is when they are at their best! The common theory is to stop breeding, even superior matings, at this time.

Most broodfowl of superior quality have a good six years worth of breeding in them. I will breed them as long as they keep producing good offspring. I look for signs such as poor egg laying, low fertility, poor rate of hatch, and a rapid decline in the size and vigor of the chicks, before I discard any cock or hen from my breeding program.

I have had broodcocks that produced great offspring that were thirteen years old. I know that this doesn�t happen all the time, but if I have a great broodcock I will give him a chance to prove himself before I cull him from my breeding program. Like I mentioned earlier, if you breed older birds, take special care to keep them healthy and free from stress.

However, it is the most competent of apprentices, of serious breeding that will use a hen no more than six years of age. I have always made it a general rule-of-thumb to have no hen on my farm past six years of age. Keep in mind however, that these are fowl that have had the best of care and consideration. The general rule is to stop breeding even superior matings after this time. In fact, I have seen many promising fowl that were not fit to breed past the age of three even though they were outstanding producers at the age of two. Frequency of egg laying; the hatching rate; and the size and vigor of the chicks, rapidly decline after the age of six.

Although this is the case with most broodfowl, there are several accounts in the literature, written by respectable breeders of exceptional progeny obtained from matings, which were ten or twelve years old. I will admit that I have had a few such matings myself, which I kept together for several years, probably longer than I should have. But as long as they produced good offspring of high quality I would keep on breeding them. However, I would like to advise the beginner to steer on the side of caution and not to breed their broodfowl beyond their sixth year. As a general rule, I suggest a maximum of six years for both the cock and hen as suitable broodfowl, unless you are familiar with the breeding characteristics of your fowl.

The failure of older "proven producers" in the breeding program has probably been the downfall of more great strains and families than any other single cause. Even men who are convinced that a young cock must be used will still mate him up with hens that are far past their prime. The offspring from these yards may look the same, sometimes, even perform the same, they just seem to be missing that certain spark that separates the high percentage winners from the losers.

SUMMARY: After studying all the available information on the subject, and whatever records I could get my hands on, accompanied by my many years of practical experience as a master breeder, I came to the conclusion that the average productive life of an American Game hen was about 6 years of age, and that you could get a few more years of productive life out of the cock. I go along with the theory of my old mentor who will not breed a hen after she has passed her sixth year. Admittedly I break this rule in certain ex�ceptional cases, but most of the time I stick to it. Accordingly, about 50% of my broodhens each year are 2 years of age. I hold all promising pullets over until their second year before breeding.

Although my own practice, for the most part, is to quit breeding to hens that are more than six years of age, it�s a good idea, until you get to know the breeding characteristics of your family of fowl, to put into practice, the managing the replacement of broodfowl, to replace only those birds that show: A lack of fertility; An inability to produce high quality offspring; Shows evidence of deterioration or a breaking down in overall health and condition.

In my opinion, and in the opinion of many well-informed cockers and backyard breeders of high quality fowl, the best guide as to the length of time a hen or cock may be retained for breeding, is by the health and vigor that they display. There is no reason why a proven cock and hen should not be used as long as they hold on to the ability to reproduce and possess the capacity to produce high quality offspring. When the progeny test reveals that a particular cock or hen is a valuable breeder, he or she should be used as long as possible.

Analysis gained from many years of practical experience as a breeder and extensive statistical studies of the biology of gamefowl and chickens, leads me to someday, with my knowledge, to try an experiment that would confirm the actual longevity and productive value of broodfowl. I would like to try, for a period of five or six years, the experimentation of breeding each year the oldest hens. To insure a reasonable degree of fertility, I would use younger male birds, such as young bullstags. Such offspring, obtained from these matings, would be kept as a completely separate flock, and line-bred, working in, all the time, as much "high longevity" blood as possible. I believe that after about 6 years I would have a flock of astonish�ingly strong constitution, extremely low rate of mortality.

Now I recognize that all sorts of evidence and countless specific examples can be pro�duced in favor of breeding to extremely young or extremely old broodfowl. But if your own breeding endeavors, no matter what system you follow, have proved unsatisfactory, give thought to this age factor. It might help.

For now I wish you the best of luck, so take care and we�ll see you next month, and remember folks, the future of our hobby rest in your hands and your hands alone! So let�s all do our part and together we just might save our way of life.

This article is an excerpt from my new book, �The Gamefowl Breeders Manual and Cockers Guide - Chronicles of Kenny Troiano - Volume Three. Hope you enjoyed it, and thanks again for reading. Also, I urge you to go to our website and join our mailing list. There, you will receive valuable information on breeding and raising of chickens and gamefowl.

Yours truly, Kenny Troiano 
Fellow Poultry Enthusiast 
www.maximustroypublications.com
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July 8th 2011 � (Weekly newsletter #6)

SUMMER TIME CARE
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

Summer is here and things are beginning to warm up. If you are like me, you dread this time of year. However, this is not the time to slack off and neglect your fowl. This is the time of year that they need our attention the most.

Soon our fowl will begin to molt (drop old feathers and grow new ones in their place). While in the molt they tend to run a fever. Growing feathers takes up a lot of energy and is very painful. They generally don�t feel very well and will tend to be temperamental. This is the time of year that most cocks become manfighters.  Try not to handle your fowl during the molt. If you should need to worm them or take care of other minor problems, it is best to do it before things begin to warm up.

Before the molt, I like to clean up the pens and manage my birds. I do everything that is necessary, early in the season, so that I can leave them be until they are finished molting, which is sometime in November. Some birds may finish in December, so make sure their feathers are dry and not full of blood before handling.

I usually start by separating my fowl. Each individual cock and hen is put into their own pen. The last thing a hen needs and wants is an active and flirtatious broodcock during the hot molting season. This time a year they just want to be left alone.

During the summer months, I like to adjust my feed mix as well. I like to add more protein and take away some of the carbohydrates. This means adding more breeder pellet and taking away some of the grains. Protein and good nutrition is very important for proper feather growth and development. Breeder pellet is a great source of nutrition. Normally at 20% protein, it has most of the vitamins and minerals that our fowl needs. It is ok to have some grains, especially for proper digestion, but it should only be used to adjust the protein level. 16 to 18% is a normal protein level for cocks, while 18 to 20% is best for hens, especially during the breeding season. However, 18% protein is a good level for both cocks and hens for proper feather growth during the molting season.

I also like to add more black oil sunflower seeds to the mix. This is a great source for oil, which they also need for proper feather growth and maintenance. During the winter and spring (breeding season), I like to maintain a 3% sunflower content. During the molt, I like to raise it to 6%.

I water in the morning and feed at night (6pm). I do not want their crops to be full of feed during the hottest time of the day.

Make sure they always have fresh water, and try to keep it out of the direct sun. Water is just as important as proper nutrition. Please take this serious. They will not drink water that is warm or taste bad. They need plenty of fresh, clean, cool water during the summer months.

If you would like to add vitamins and electrolytes to the water, make sure not to use too much or use it too often. Vitamins and electrolytes are wonderful, if used properly. Once a week, for two or three days is plenty. I will only use it when it is extremely hot. Proper feed mixes usually give them plenty of what they need, but when it is especially hot, I will give them a little vitamins and electrolytes in the water. I will replace it daily and only give it for two days.

When I water every day, I like to poor the old water in the pens. Watch how they will bathe in the wet dirt. This is also good for proper feather development. It helps to eliminate lice and mites, especially feather mites, and gives the feathers some of the moisture that they need. It also helps to keep them active and cool.

As the tail feathers grow and develop, I like to spray the feathers with a soap/shampoo with Pyrethrins. This comes in liquid form at your local feed store and is used for washing horses. Pyrethrins is a flower extract that is safe for animals and humans but deadly for insects and bugs (external parasites). I will mix it 50/50 with water, and will put it into a spray bottle. Once a week during the summer months, as I walk by the pens, I will spray the tails with this solution. The result is a healthy looking tail that is free from feather mites.

I hope this aids you in taking better care of your fowl during the toughest time of the year. Have a great summer and hopefully your fowl will get though it stress free and looking good.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

July 1st 2011 - Weekly Newsletter #5

THE GREATNESS OF INBREEDING

�While we hear a great deal about the degeneracy caused by inbreeding, it is an undoubted fact that nearly all the best strains of game in England were produced by a system of inbreeding; the old breeders for the pit seldom crossed their stock. I know a case of a gentleman who had some noted fighting birds, and seeing a cock that caught his eye while fighting, he bought him and bred from him and his own hens. The produce proved far worse than either parents, and were almost worthless�� - Herbert Atkinson

If I were to ask you, what do you think of inbreeding, what�s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it - smaller size, shorter station, a loss of gameness or poor temperament? There are those that are terrified of inbreeding. They are convinced that �inbreeding depression� will be the result of their efforts. After discussing the issue with many cockers and backyard breeders, I have found that most have no idea of the true nature of inbreeding depression. It seems that they fear what they don�t understand.

I�m here to tell you that the faults I just mentioned are not caused by inbreeding; they are caused by poor selection. These breeders inadvertently bred for these traits. This is hard for most to comprehend. In their mind they would never select for those traits. However, in most cases this is not made on purpose, it is made unintentionally. They thought they were breeding for one trait, such as better ability, but without realizing it they were breeding also for another, such as smaller size. It just so happed that the birds with better ability also were the birds that were a bit smaller in size. At first it wasn�t all that noticeable, but the more they selected for better ability, the smaller the birds became. The trait just crept into the family unnoticed. They woke up one morning and realized that their fowl now look and act different.

Their first thought is that their fowl are beginning to be too inbred. Hence, inbreeding gets a bad name. They then add new blood hoping to fix the problem, but this only makes things worse. Now the offspring are unpredictable in all their characters and traits, and they are nothing like they used to be.

Before you decide to introduce new blood into your family, let me inform you of the true nature of inbreeding and that of inbreeding depression. True inbreeding depression will cause infertility, poor hatchability, and a lack of vitality. The first signs will be eggs that don�t hatch, and when they do, the chicks will be weak, feeble and lethargic. In other words, they will lack health and vigor. And if they should survive the first week, they may live, but they will not develop to their optimum level of form and function.

When it comes to birds, even gamefowl, inbreeding depression is harder to reach than you might think. For the wild Junglefowl, the original ancestors of all chickens, inbreeding is the normal function of reproduction. For example, you will have one cock heading a harem of hens. In that harem are his grandmother, mother, aunts, sisters, daughters and granddaughters. He will breed and produce offspring with all of them. This relationship will continue throughout the productive life of the bird, and continue with his sons, grandsons and great-grandsons, etc. This has followed for thousands of years with no negative effects of inbreeding depression. The only mechanism that has caused change is that of Natural Selection and Sexual Selection.

Inbreeding should not be feared but revered. The truth is inbreeding is a great tool for creating or improving a family of fowl. It is the best method we have to bring the best (characteristics and traits) to the surface and keep them there. This is referred to as the �fixity of traits,� and is the reason for the large variations of breeds (chickens and gamefowl) that we have today. I know a number of breeders who will inbreed brother to sister for 3 to 5 consecutive generations in the creation of a family. They do this because they can make more progress in those 5 years of inbreeding than they could through other methods of breeding.

It is true, however, that inbreeding also brings to surface the bad as well as the good traits, but this may be the only downside. When inbreeding, you must be prepared to cull, and cull ruthlessly. Typically, when you inbreed, you will get 1/3 of the offspring that will be awesome. You will get 1/3 that will be mediocre. And you will get 1/3 that will be awful. When inbreeding the idea is to find the few that are outstanding and breed to those, and cull the others. This is how real progress is made. As long as you make sure that the offspring are better than the parents, every generation, progress will be made.

True breeders are inbreeders. I urge you do not shy away from the most valuable tool in the breeder�s toolbox.

July 22nd 2011 � (Weekly Newsletter #8)

THE LAW OF CORRELATION
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

�When parts stand in close relationship to each other, changes in the one are usually accompanied by modifications in the other, though not necessarily to the same degree.� - Charles Darwin

There is no doubt that marvelous things can be accomplished through the breeding of chickens. Selective Breeding is a wonderful mechanism for creating and improving a strain, but there are factors which can seriously limit what the breeder wishes to achieve.

It is often said that - "If we could just start with the individuals that we desire, within a few genera�tions, it would be easy to create the family of our dreams." But the reality is, no matter the quality of the individual, when breeding to create, maintain, or improve a family, it is necessary to consider many characteristics and traits at the same time. For instance, breeders of American Games are continually dealing with fowl that have a never-ending tendency to go back to original type. In fact, they are bombarded with variations of characteristics that are always pulling their families back to the original traits of their ancestors. At the same time, they are dealing with other factors in which some traits are directly affected by other traits. What we are talking about here is a factor known as "The Law of Correlation.�  And it�s one that is more important than you might think.

HOW IT WORKS: It is said that when a particular char�acteristic is closely linked or connected with another characteristic, there is a correlation between these characteristics. This occurs when a breeder selects for a specific trait, but it�s a trait that has a tendency to generate changes in another trait, or many traits. Simply put, when you change one part of the body, you inevitably change another. It�s not just the relationship which exists between the birds overall form, but also its function or purpose. It may affect the various parts of the bird's body but also the purpose for which it was bred. For in�stance, there is a close correlation not only between the length of a cocks back, in this case, the shortness of the back and squirrel tail, but in its ability to perform. One is rarely found without the other, or others.

CORRELATION OF CHARACTERISTICS: If each characteristic were absolutely independent of every other characteristic, the making of new varieties would be a hopeless task. The welfare of the individual greatly depends on the adaptation of its parts to each other (its overall form), and to the purpose for which it was bred (its function). Therefore, a family is established by being bred on a principle of selection of certain apparent correlations of parts, which occur so regularly that they appear to indicate an essential unity, making the group of characters act as one. Thus, the body, legs, neck, and head of a bird are correctly proportioned.

For example - a bird with a long body is likely to have a long neck, head, legs and wings. A bird with a short body tends to have short wings and a tail that is up over the back. We talked about this a moment ago. This is called �Squirrel Tailed.� A bird with very short, strong bill and broad skull is likely to be short and heavily built throughout.

To fully understand the impact of these correlations and their functions, just look at birds such as the Modern Old English Games, a bird bred exclusively for exhibition by breeders who did not understand the nature and makeup of the true Old English Game. Here we see an increased length in the neck and legs, which are quite out of proportion to the length and size of the body. As you can see, there is an unnatural relationship between the structural character of the bones and muscles. This bird is absolutely useless.

CORRELATION BETWEEN CHICKENS AND AMERICAN GAMES: There is, without a doubt, a general correlation of characteristics between all poultry. However, American Games are very unique. They are very different from other fowl in their overall form and function. Just look at their conformation of body and color of plumage. No other domestic fowl has their stature or color. This is further evidence that Correlation does indeed exist, and makes possible their systematic classification.

�Of all the laws governing variability, that of correlation is one of the most important.� - Charles Darwin

CORRELATION AND SELECTION: American Games are excellent for studying features that are correlated, because they have many variable and easily defined parts. The form and size of the individual is often proportional to the form and size of its parts. For example, a bird with a long neck is very apt to be �rangy" throughout. Long necks are closely associated with having a long body, long legs, long wings, and a snake like head. The reverse is also true, where a bird with a short, compact body and neck usually has short, stout legs, short wings, and a short, overly compact back, and their head is short and compact as well.

Correlation is a big issue when it comes to the selection and breeding of high-quality American Games, for there are many characteristics that usually go together. Therefore, the breeder must be very aware of these characteristics when selecting the ideal bird.

EXAMPLE OF CORRELATION OF PARTS: Cor�relation can be very valuable when fixing things such as their conformation of body. On the other hand, it may prove troublesome. It is true that cocks, which are high stationed, are not only extremely leggy but they also have weak breast muscles. High station of leg and weak breast muscles are usually correlated, and it�s extremely rare for individuals that are medium stationed to have weak breast muscles. As you know, breast muscles are very important for proper wing function.

I hope this helps you in selecting better fowl for breeding. Remember, if we all work harder to perpetuate superior American Games, everyone benefits. Once again, have a great summer and hopefully your fowl will get though it stress free and looking good.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

July 17th 2011 � (Weekly Newsletter #7)

REMEDIES FOR SICK CHICKS
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

Have you noticed that your young chickens may be looking a bit under the weather? They are not as active and energetic as they were a few weeks ago? Well, this is the time of year that our young fowl tend to struggle the most. It is usually due to a disease called Coccidiosis. Chicks sit around with their feathers ruffled looking chilled and somewhat pale. In severe cases they even have bloody droppings. This is nothing to be alarmed about; it�s more common than you might think.

There are two ways to deal with this problem. One is to treat the disease with a sulfa drug and hope they pull through. And the second way to deal with this problem is to cull all chicks that are symptomatic and keep only the healthiest individuals. This is called breeding for constitutional vigor. It�s also referred to as breeding towards disease resistance. The first way works immediately if you catch it early enough, but it will be something that you will have to deal with every year. The second way takes a few years, but you will eliminate the disease from your yard forever. As long as you do not infuse new blood into your family, you will not have to worry about Coccidiosis.

I used to treat for Coccidiosis. Nowadays I cull any chicks that don�t have a strong constitution. They must be able to endure the elements of their environment. I want chicks that can get through the toughest times of the year, on their own. If they should come down with a disease, they must recover in a speedy manner, and come out of it in good shape. Even better, I look for chicks that are never symptomatic. These chicks are naturally stronger; they have a great constitutional vigor, and will pass this trait to their offspring.

Since I have discontinued all treatments for this disease, I see fewer cases of Coccidiosis. I have a healthier bunch of chicks, every year. I don�t keep medications on my shelf except to treat or prevent internal and external parasites. Even then, I only use these when it is absolutely necessary. Medications are a Band-Aid approach to curing diseases. Like most characteristics and traits, disease can be eliminated through proper selective breeding practices, not drugs.

This approach works for all disease and weaknesses. However, this only works if you keep a closed yard. Every time you bring in new fowl, or infuse new fowl into your family, you introduce new diseases and new weaknesses. Be very careful when bringing new fowl to your yard, and be especially cautious of the fowl you put into your brood pen.

I hope this aids you in taking better care of your fowl, and in breeding healthier, stronger, more vigorous fowl. Once again, have a great summer and hopefully your fowl will get though it stress free and looking good.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

August 9th 2011 � (Weekly Newsletter #10)

New San Diego County Ordinance Is Restricting the Number of Roosters Residents Are Allowed To Have, Who�s Next?
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

Hello,

It has recently come to our attention that the San Diego County Department of Animal Services is trying to pass a new COUNTY WIDE, not city wide, but COUNTY WIDE ordinance on ALL residents that would restrict the number of roosters you are allowed to have by the amount of land you have. This is an attempt to eliminate cockfighting. The problem with this ordinance is that it has no limitations as to who can and cannot have roosters. It bans anyone from having more than 1 rooster on anything less than half an acre and 6 roosters on anything less than 5 acres of land. This is happening throughout the state of California, and is likely to spread throughout the country.

What this means to you is that there is a possibility that all of us who breed and raise fowl, whether for exhibition, hobby or profit will no longer be able to keep the number of roosters necessary in order to maintain the genetic integrity of our strains.

Public officials must realize that we already have laws in place to deal with cockfighting, and there are zoning laws already in place to deal with the number of roosters each of us are allowed to keep on our properties. This new ordinance will most likely not discourage cockfighting.

An ordinance such as this only punishes the many of us who enjoy breeding and raising fowl, and who abide by the laws of the land. This also will have an economical impact on our economy. Feed stores throughout the county depend on the revenue they receive from the selling of chickens, chicken feed and poultry supplies.

To stop this ordinance, or at least have it revised or amended, we all need to contact the Board of Supervisors and express to them that there are other reasons to keep and raise chickens and gamefowl other than cockfighting. And that the majority of breeders should not be punished for the acts of a few.

Here is the SDUT article on the ordinance:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/aug/01/san-diego-looking-curb-cockfighting/

And here is the actual ordinance information:
http://bosagenda.sdcounty.ca.gov/agendadocs/doc?id=09010e96800f2b5a

I plan on attending the Sept. 13th meeting and hope to have as many supporters with me as possible. If possible, I will speak to the Board of Supervisors. I will also email and call all of the Supervisors in hopes of persuading them to change their mind.

I encourage you to write to the Supervisors in support of our opposition of the ordinance. Please send your letters/email to:

Supervisor Greg Cox
County Administration Center
1600 Pacific Hwy Room 335
San Diego, CA 92101
(619)531-5511
greg.cox@sdcounty.ca.gov

Supervisor Dianne Jacob
County Administartion Center
1600 Pacific Hwy Room 335
San Diego, CA 92101
(619)531-5522
dianne.jacob@sdcounty.ca.gov

Supervisor Pam Slater-Price
County Administration Center
1600 Pacific Hwy Room 335
San Diego, CA 92101
(619)531-5533

Supervisor Ron Roberts
County Administration Center
1600 Pacific Hwy Room 335
San Diego, CA 92101
(619)531-5544
Ron-Roberts@sdcounty.ca.gov

Thank you for your support, and I look forward to seeing you all at the upcoming meeting on Sept. 13th.

Kenny Troiano 
Maximus Troy Publications

July 30th 2011 � (Weekly Newsletter #9)

LAW OF THROWBACKS
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

�Domestic races have often been intentionally modified by one or two crosses, made with some allied race, and occasionally even by repeated crosses with very distinct races; but in almost all such cases, long-continued and careful selection has been absolutely necessary, owing to the excessive variability of the crossed offspring, due to the principle of reversion.� - Charles Darwin

When the offspring of American Games resemble some remote, rather than immediate ancestor in a noticeable degree to that distant ancestor, we refer to it as a �Throwback." In other words, a throwback is a characteristic or trait that appears in the offspring that does not exist or appear in their parents or known ancestry, but in actuality, did exist in some of the ancestors many generations before. This is a common occurrence, and is generally well accepted and understood by the most experienced breeders. These are breeders that know the benefits of a throwback, as well as the pitfalls.

Some look at throwbacks as a form of degeneration. In some cases they are right. The appearance of offspring resembling remote ancestors has long been regarded by some cockers and breeders to indicate and imply a so-called impurity of breeding. In some cases this is true; however, there are times when a throwback is just what the breeder needs to improve his fowl. This is referred to as �The Advantages of Variation.�

Throwbacks are likely to appear in crossbred forms or infusions. The more recent the cross or infusion of such birds used in a breeding program, the more frequent and troublesome these throwbacks could be.

Such throwbacks are due to a recombination of certain genes. The most common are throwbacks to the grand-parents. However, there are times when the throwback can go back so far that the unexpected characteristic, which comes from some distant ancestor, is a complete and total surprise. This may have come from a bird so many generations back that the breeder has no knowledge that such characteristics ever existed. Hence, the result of this reappearance of such characteristic only leaves the breeder scratching his head in wonder. It is for this reason that heredity is not a matter, which involves only the individuals mated; it involves all the ancestors of the individuals as well! Each individual displays only a part of the characteristics he inherits. Therefore, he is capable of transmitting characteristics which he apparently does not possess.

To understand �Throwbacks� study the effects of variation. It is the effects of variation which causes the �throwback� to appear. Variation is an important part of breeding. If the variant is a desirable characteristic, it behooves the breeder to take advantage of the characteristic. If the variant is undesirable, it would be unwise to use these individuals for breeding, particularly if the undesirable �throwback� is frequent in appearance. This undesirable characteristic would cause the family to degenerate.

Read the book: �The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication,� By Charles Darwin. In Darwin's own experiments, crosses of various breeds of chickens occasionally produced fowls resembling Gallus Bankiva. He considered this a reversion to the ancestral type, the most prevalent of throwbacks of them all, the Wild Jungle Fowl.

A COMMON MISPERCEPTION CONCERNING THROWBACKS: There is a belief out there that cocks or hens, which express unusual physical qualities (because of the inheritance of certain characteristics and genetic traits from distant relatives) make the best foundation fowl. The main reason throwbacks are a fairly common occurrence these days is due to the widespread practice of crossbreeding, and not from sound breeding fundamentals. Almost all American Games we have today were created by highly crossed flocks of fowl.

In a properly bred family of American Games, throwbacks only occur occasionally, and they don't perform any differently from their brothers. Yet, against my advice, a number of my customers insist on buying them for breeding, in the belief that all throwbacks carry valuable genes, which will make them exceptional foundation fowl. If only breeding were that simple!

Remember, variation makes selection possible and selection makes improvement possible! It�s the variants that you choose that will determine your success, as well as your failure.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

September 2nd, 2011 � (Weekly Newsletter #12)

INFUSION
The introduction of new blood to improve the family
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

Every strain may have one or more weak points. Some strains have many. Even though you are careful in your selection and breeding practices, you may still experience a number of characteristic that will need to be selectively bred out and eliminated. When this happens, do not despair, as there are other techniques which you can use to overcome this problem.

In order to correct or modify these undesirable weaknesses or characteristics, there are times when you will need to add new blood. By adding characteristics of another bloodline, some families can actually be improved.

HOW TO INFUSE NEW BLOOD: In introducing new blood, it is a good idea not to infuse it haphazardly. It is beneficial to determine how well the new blood will nick with the blood of your birds before going full force.

For instance, let's say you have purchased a cock, which you believe will improve your fowl. He should first be mated to three or four selected hens as an experiment or trial mating. The quality of the offspring from this mating should be carefully evaluated. If the results are good, you can most likely integrate the blood of that cock into the rest of the family. This will not only give you an opportunity to test out the fitness of the new blood, but by using the offspring of the "trial" mating it will cut down the percentage of new blood introduced on the family as a whole, thereby lessening its dis�turbing influence.

THE 1/16th INFUSION METHOD: This method is the introduction of a strain into an already established strain, for the purpose of improving its characteristics in small but significant increments. It is not used to completely change the strain. It is also used for refreshing the bloodline. The idea is to breed a special individual into your family that will compliment or improve your family. For example, in a family, such as a Hatch, the idea is to introduce blood, such as Aseel, and then breed back to the Hatch bloodline until you are at 15/16th's of the Hatch blood and 1/16th of the Aseel blood. Once you reach this point, line-breed to the Hatch side. What you are left with is a family that is a little better in some areas of its makeup.

AVOID THE GUESSWORK: It is very difficult to raise standard-bred, high-quality American Games if new blood is added to the family each year. You may buy a purebred broodcock to mate with your purebred hens, and later find that the two strains failed to nick. In short, the introduction of new blood is a matter of guesswork, not good breeding practice. If it is your desire to introduce new blood, the rule should be to do so, not just because it is new blood, but because it is far superior to your own in many of their attributes.

TAKE YOUR TIME: A better way to introduce new blood is to take three years to do it, and experiment with the individuals produced before going at it full force. Purchase a few hens of the desired strain and mate them to your best cocks, or secure a couple of good cocks and mate them to your best hens. Then study the progeny for a couple of years, and if they are satisfactory, mate the new blood to the rest of the family.

KNOW THE RISKS: Although many breeders tend to infuse outside blood, you have to be very careful you don't ruin the originality of your family. If it becomes necessary to infuse blood into your family from an outside source, be very careful about the blood that you add.

I personally would not infuse new blood from an outside source into my family. However, if there came a time that I found it necessary to do so, I would infuse the new blood into a small group of my birds first, and make a separate family out of them. If in time the infusion look to be beneficial and did not bring in new weaknesses, I would then begin to integrate it into the rest of the family. I would do it slowly though. In fact, I would do it one line at a time, starting with the worst line.

INFUSING BLOOD FROM ANOTHER LINE OF THE SAME FAMILY: this is by far the best method of infusion. There are fewer risks and many more benefits. If I should experience a number of characteristic that I will need to eliminate or breed out, I will breed a cock or hen from one of my other lines that is especially strong in those areas into the line in question, then breed it back out by line-breeding back to the original line.

If it is Line "A" that is having all the problems, I will infuse blood from Line "B", and then breed Line "B" back out, leaving the good qualities of Line "A" and replacing the undesirable qualities of Line "A" with the attributes of Line "B".

IT'S IMPORTANT NOT TO INTRODUCE THE UNDESIRABLE: With the introduction of new blood into an established family, it is very important not to introduce undesirable in�herited characteristics or diseases. The idea is to strengthen the family, not weaken it. In any well-bred family, the danger of deterioration through the introduction of new blood is much more real than any danger of deterioration through lack of new blood.

I do believe that a blending of bloodlines tends to bring out latent or dormant ancestral characters. Therefore, before making extensive use of a bird of un�known breeding, try the new blood in special matings for a number of years in order to find out how it will �nick".

There are breeders who are always trying to produce something which does not already exist. Some are interested in producing a new breed and others are interested in improving an existing breed. Even after a good deal of experience, they are still prepared to take chances on a new bird that has caught their attention, and will quickly infuse it into their general matings, usually by crossbreeding. Often with the result that faults, requiring years of careful breeding to eliminate, and which will crop-out all through the progeny.

The experienced breeder never relies on a new bird until he has fully tested it. He will maintain the family in its original form until breeding tests proves the new infusion has been successful.

I hope this helps you in advancing your family. Remember, if we all work harder to perpetuate superior fowl, everyone benefits. Once again, have a great summer and hopefully your fowl will get though it stress free and looking good.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

August 24, 2011 � (Weekly Newsletter #11)

PROGRESSION NOT REGRESSION
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

Progression and Regression are two laws of opposing forces. One advances the strain towards perfection, while one moves the strain towards a path of mediocrity. Let�s look at them both a little closer.

PROGRESSION is the advancement of offspring that surpasses their parents every year. These offspring are usually outstanding in all areas of their development as compared to the family as a whole. Progression applies to the individual rather than to the accumulation or mass of the offspring. An illustration of this principle is as follows: A cock and hen of good quality are mated; as a result, one of the offspring develops into a specimen that far surpasses, not only the parents in every aspect, but is beyond that of the family as a whole. This individual is an example of progression.

By REGRESSION, what I really mean is an eventual movement towards mediocrity. In this case, regression is the opposite of progression. It is when the general tendency of the offspring of a particular mating is lower than the norm for that family. In this case, they are actually worse than their parents. If the parents are highly selected individuals, as they should be, and their offspring have regressed, they will be poorer in quality than that of the parents. Regression is ordinarily not limited to one or a few individuals but appears in the mass or greater percentage of the offspring.

SELECTION IS THE KEY: In breeding fowl, the goal is to always select individuals for the broodpen that are well above the average. It is that tendency, toward a lower average in the offspring, which should be of particular concern to the breeder. He must continuously fight this tendency of the offspring to regress toward the average, producing offspring that are nothing more than mediocre.

The breeder must continually select broodfowl that are of the highest quality. The best method for progression, and preventing regression, is to always select offspring that are better than their parents. If the offspring are not better than the parents, you are going in the wrong direction. I would rather not breed, that season, if the offspring are not better than their parents.

It is only by continually selecting breeders of a type better than the average of the family that progress can be made, even after he has attained a high degree of excellence. For the minute he stops, thinking that he has reached his highest level of perfection in maintaining high quality fowl, he will soon find out that he has quickly lost ground.

When no selec�tion of any kind is practiced, the tendency is to regress toward the average. Selection, therefore, is absolutely neces�sary to maintain a certain standard of excellence, even if no further progress is desired.

In order to achieve progress, it is necessary for the backyard breeder to be able to identify superior broodcocks and broodhens, and to mate them in such a way that they will produce the largest possible number of progeny, possessing the desirable characteristics. The ability to identify cocks and hens of superior breeding worth is the first requisite of a successful breeding program.

In many gamefowl farms throughout the country, far too many birds of inferior breeding worth are used each year because many breeders apparently have never adopted a logical basis on which to select their broodfowl. The results secured from many matings are largely matters of chance, because in too many cases, the matings are made by guesswork, due to an insecure amount of evidence upon which to support intelligent selection.

BREED TOWARDS PROGRESSION NOT REGRESSION AT ALL TIMES: Remember - perfection is the goal, not mediocrity. Unless you are very selective in the type of fowl you are using for broodfowl, your offspring will only be mediocre. Unless you are willing to cull ruthlessly, and I mean all fowl that are less than perfect, your fowl will regress. All living things, wild or domestic, will regress if left to breed freely and naturally. In fact, it is my belief that if all chickens were released and allowed to breed freely among themselves, they would revert directly to their origins. In time, they would look identical to the Wild Junglefowl of South East Asia. Of course, climate and environment would have some effect.

SELECTIVE BREEDING IS THE ANSWER: It is through �Selective Breeding� that we have so many different breeds, varieties and strains of gamefowl and chickens. And it is through Selective Breeding that we are able to keep them this way. Just look at all the breeds of dogs that exist today. I am sure they evolved from the wild state, such as the wolf, coyote, and fox. In the course of many years, through the practice of Selective Breeding, their structure and appearance has evolved into the kind of dog that the breeder desires. Well, the same thing has happened to the chicken. They have been bred to suit a certain purpose, and that purpose is determined by the breeders needs.

Some chickens are bred to lay lots of eggs; some are bred for meat produc�tion; some for ornamental and exhibition reasons. Although American Games were originally bred for cockfighting, they have found another purpose in the modern world, which is that of the exhibitionist. Not only do they have a rich history, throughout the world, they have become the show bird of all show birds! I feel this is a good thing, for it will only help to improve the breed, as well as preserve its existence for future generations.

BREEDING TOWARDS �PROGRESSION� AND NOT �REGRESSION�: This is the key to improvement. To be successful in breeding high-quality fowl you must constantly select and breed toward improvement. Why do you think some thoroughbred race horses are in such great demand for stud service? It�s because they are the finest individu�als of their breed. As a result, they are highly sought after to improve the breed. These are breeders who know the value of an outstand�ing individual, for they know that it is the superior specimens within the family that are able to best improve the breed. If these breeders did not do this, their horses would all regress back to mediocrity.

Practice Selective Breeding and strict ruth�less culling at all times. Do your part in pre�serving and advancing the breed by breeding toward more perfect individuals, do this through Progression and not Regression. Do not breed to mediocrity. Breed fowl that you can be proud of, and remember, Mother Nature loves mediocrity but breeders hate it!

I hope this helps you in advancing your family of fowl. Remember, if we all work harder to perpetuate superior fowl, everyone benefits. Once again, have a great summer and hopefully your fowl will get though it stress free and looking good.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

September 11th 2011 � (Weekly Newsletter #13)

THE LAW OF LIKE BEGETS LIKE
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

This is a common phrase used by many breeders. It simply means that there is a strong similarity be-tween the offspring and their parents, and of that of their distant ancestors.

When creating a family, the offspring may resemble the parents quite closely. The likeness can be so strong that it is easy to see who their parents are. If bred close enough all the individual birds within the strain will resemble each other quite closely.

DOES LIKE ALWAYS BEGET LIKE? This brings up a good question, does �like always beget like?� In general, the logic behind this is true, but there are some that say that it is not always so. There are many breeders who believe that there are limitations to this theory. That it is foolish to believe that it is an absolute. I can see where they are coming from.

We often see children who resemble one parent, let us say the father, while others resemble and act like the mother. And yet some children will be like neither of the parents. I have experienced this first hand. I have three daughters, all three are distinctly different, not only in looks, but in their personalities too. My oldest daughter, Megan, looks and acts just like me. She takes after the Troiano side. My youngest daughter, Tawny, looks and acts just like my wife, Nancy. And my middle daughter, Sammy, looks and acts nothing like me or Nancy. But, they all three look very much alike, as sisters should. Breeders of dogs and horses are fully aware of this variation in offspring.

Among those who have never given mating nothing more than a casual thought, there is the belief that winning cocks are bound to produce chicks which will develop into winners. In their minds, to produce a winning strain all that is necessary is to test the progeny, and breed only from such cocks that have achieved a certain performance record. This is a step in the right direction. But, unfortunately, it does not go far enough. In the first place, we cannot test the hens, which have the greatest influence on our stags.

THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE: When it comes to American Games, we would like to believe that the hereditary transmission of physical characters and traits to their offspring are true and absolute. In most cases it is, if you understand the laws of inheritance, such as the function of chromosomes and genes, dominant and recessive characteristics, chromosome segregation, hybridization, sex-linked inheritance, sex-determination, and phenotype vs. genotype, the results are very predictable. But when you do not understand the laws of inheritance, it�s like playing pool with your eyes closed and having your hands tied behind your back.

To illustrate this further, con�sider the man who purchases a strain from a breeder, who truly has high quality fowl. He gets pure blood that is true to type and starts to carefully breed them. Fully expecting every chick to be like the parents, it takes but one season to show him his error. In this case he simply lacks the knowledge of the family. He is not acquainted with their special individual characteristics, and knowing which broodcocks to breed with which broodhens and why. It takes a certain familiarity of the family and knowledge of the laws of inheritance to be as successful as the original breeder.

It is true that the longer you maintain a closed yard, the more uniform they will become and the more they will resemble their parents. In a strain of fowl, which have been bred true to color and type, will every chick come completely uniform? Certainly not! There will always be an exception from time to time. This is called variation. It doesn�t matter what characteristic or trait you are attempting to perpetuate, an exception from time to time will occur. If it is station, and the tallest fowl are used as broodfowl, some short stationed fowl will appear from time to time. No matter how long may be the pedigree of the hen from the highest station of blood, there will be some exceptions in the offspring.

WHICH PARENT HAS THE STRONGEST INFLUENCE? It must be understood, however, that it is impossible to select parents that are identical in their characteristics, and as each parent has an influence upon their offspring, it can be easily understood why the offspring may not be identical with one or either of the parents. It must also be remembered that the grand�parents and great-grandparents, as well as their distant ancestors, all exert some influence which tends to bring about variation. However, this is nothing to be feared but only something to watch out for. If used the proper way, variation can be a very positive force, for variation is the main equation for the improvement of the strain.

THE INFLUENCE OF HEREDITY AND LIKENESS: The practical breeder is guided by this law of "like begets like" first and foremost. But while the law of heredity is persistent and inflexible, while like begets like, there is the strange contradiction in nature that no two individuals are alike. The male chickens all crow; they are alike in that respect, but there are dif�ferences in the crow which are easily discernible. So the females are alike in regard to laying eggs; they all lay eggs, but there are differences in the size and shape of the eggs and how often they lay them.

Once a particular characteristic is "fixed" within your strain, meaning most of the birds in the family possess this characteristic, a high proportion of the offspring will also possess this desired characteristic. As a result, this characteristic will become the trademark of the strain. The repetition of noticeable characteristics is what has led to the principle of "Like begets like." As a family, they will start to look quite different from other fowl that are from the same breed and variety, and begin to take on a look of their own.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO PRODUCE �PERFECTION� IN A FAMILY OF FOWL? Unfortunately, undesirable characteristics are also inherited in exactly the same way, so that the mating together of birds with the same fault will per�petuate the undesirable. Within closed strains there will obviously be a greater degree of uniformity than that of unrelated fowl, so that the amount of "likeness" to related fowl is greater.
The skillful breeder should have a strain where all the "fixed" character�istics are desirable, and the variation occurring within the strain allows the future blending of all desirable qualities on to a single bird. In other words, it is ultimately possible to produce perfection, however, two birds, both of which possess the same desirable characteristic, may produce offspring of which a proportion does not possess the same characteristic. Why? The answer is simple. The undesired alternative to the desired characteristic has been "carried" undetected within the strain until two such carriers have been mated together.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

September 17th 2011 � (Weekly Newsletter #14)

THE PRACTICE OF SELECTIVE BREEDING 
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

Part One

Domestically bred animals are known as breeds. Within each breed we have varieties, and within each variety we have strains, and within each strain there are a series of lines. These lines are selectively bred for a particular form and function. This is a process used to improve a family under domestication, and when successful, it will make a significant impact on the breed as a whole.

My principle for Selective Breeding is simple - breed and raise many offspring, cull ruthlessly, and select individuals that have variations which are desirable or advantageous. I will introduce new blood only when absolutely necessary. If we can follow these guidelines, we can usually improve the quality of what we have.

We must also acknowledge that progress can be slow. In fact, many breeders spent a lifetime working to improve or create a new breed or variety. My advice would be to set a goal, create a plan to achieve that goal, and learn to recognize improvements, even though they may be very small. Most importantly, never give up, for the satisfaction of improving or creating a breed or variety can be beyond measure.

As many of you know, I breed American Games and Homing Pigeons; both are a great resource for learning how Selective Breeding operates. I have bred birds for almost forty years and have learned a lot about the process. I�ve learned how to create new variants and how to maintain ones already created. It is my intention to help you to maintain or create fowl that you can be proud of. More importantly, fowl that will last well into the future. I hope you have much success in all your breeding endeavors.

WHAT IS SELECTIVE BREEDING? The term Selective Breeding is synonymous with Artificial Selection. For thousands of years, new breeds and varieties of domestic chickens have resulted from Selective Breeding for particular traits, or combination of traits. Some Selective Breeding techniques include Artificial Selection, where individuals with desirable traits are mated to produce offspring with those traits. A variation of this process traditionally used is inbreeding, where the offspring produced by Artificial Selection are mated with one another to reinforce those desirable traits.

In fact, Selective Breeding was used by Charles Darwin as a springboard to introduce the theory of Natural Selection, in which the differential reproduction of organisms with certain traits is attributed to improved survival or reproductive ability. This is known as �Darwinian Fitness.� Selective Breeding was used by Darwin and other breeders to help support his theories. In his book, "Origin of Species," Charles Darwin discussed how Selective Breeding had been successful in producing change over time. As opposed to Natural Selection, where the environment acts as a filter through which only certain variations can pass, in Artificial Selection, humans favor specific traits that they believe are beneficial or advantageous.

Selective Breeding supports Darwin�s theory because organisms adapt to their environments, and whoever is compatible with the environment for which they live will pass on their traits, even if that means outside their own species.

Although Natural Selection is guided by different influences other than that of Artificial Selection, they operate in similar manners. We, as breeders, may not breed outside the known species, but we do breed outside the known breed in creating new and more improved breeds. In fact, American Games have many breeds within their blood, such as, the Wild Junglefowl, Phoenician Games, Greek Games, Roman Games, Old English Games, Irish Games, Spanish Games, and Aseels, which carry in their bloodline breeds such as, Sumatra and Malay Games. However, as Darwin put it: �As each breed is slowly improved, the inferior varieties are first neglected and finally lost.� When it was all said and done, we were left with the fowl we have today.

NATURAL SELECTION VERSUS ARTIFICIAL SELECTION: To understand Artificial Selection, we must first understand Natural Selection. It should be emphasized however, that there is no real difference in the genetic processes that are fundamental to both Artificial and Natural Selection, and that the concept of Artificial Selection was used by Charles Darwin as an illustration of the wider process of Natural Selection.

The selection process is termed "artificial" when human preferences have a significant effect on the evolution of a particular population. However, when it comes to Natural Selection, it's quite a different story, for there is a war of nature, where individuals are in a struggle for existence. The strong survive and reproduce, while the weak die and go extinct. Given enough variation, this selective pressure is enough to bring about slow incremental evolutionary change, a process mirrored perfectly in the breeding of chickens.

Although species or populations evolve, Natural Selection does not act directly on them as a whole. Natural Selection acts only on individuals. Because each individual is the sum of many different genetic traits, the relative advantage of each trait depends on its genetic context. For example, a trait increasing the growth rate of a tree's trunk and branches is useless, possibly even detrimental, unless accompanied by a trait to increase the growth of the roots. Likewise with chickens, a trait that increases the length of the wings would be useless, possibly detrimental, unless accompanied by a trait that would lengthen the neck, body and legs, and increase the size of the tail. A bird such as this would be imbalanced.

Although, Natural Selection occurs due to environmental influences, such as predation, Artificial Selection is the process of "selection through variation." This requires controlled mating for the production of specific traits that the breeder desires to perpetuate. In other words, it requires genetic variation on which to act. Sometimes it's through culling the undesirable traits that produces the biggest change, and in some cases it's much faster too.

Animals that are easily manipulated, such as Wild Junglefowl, were easy targets for Artificial Selection and domestication. The fact that it only takes a short time between generations facilitates the process of Artificial Selection, by speeding up the response to selection.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

September 24rd 2011 � (Weekly Newsletter #15)

THE PRACTICE OF SELECTIVE BREEDING 
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

Part Two

HOW SELECTIVE BREEDING FUNCTIONS: Today we live in a world of exquisite diversity, with more breeds and varieties of chickens than we can possible count. Why so many? Why so different? The answer is through the process of Selective Breeding.

Approximately 6000 B.C. in the countries of India and South East Asia, Gallus Bankiva, otherwise known as the Wild Junglefowl, were first known to be domesticated. As we well know, Wild Junglefowl eventually gave rise to gamefowl. As new breeds of gamefowl arose, they gave rise to other breeds, and as they did so, they changed. The change was so minute and subtle, but given enough time the results were spectacular. Today, we have more breeds of fowl than we can count.

Many have mentioned the magnificence of the domestic chicken, but none have been more magnificent than that of the Games. Gamefowl are the reason for the diverse assortment of fowl throughout the world. I wouldn�t be surprised if gamefowl were someday called upon to save the domestic chicken from the devastating effects of genetic erosion. The heroes of the day will be those cockers who practice Selective Breeding.

Selective Breeding is the process of inbreeding, line-breeding and outcrossing. It is the selection and breeding of animals for particular genetic traits. That is the obvious explanation, but what are the mechanics of the process? All chickens at birth are split up from each other according to the characteristics and traits for which they express. Breeders select birds which carry traits that are highly desirable, and they cull the rest. The birds selected for their special features will survive and reproduce. The desirable features accumulate from generation to generation and eventually become exaggerated. Eventually they will evolve and become a new breed, or variety within the breed.

In short, Selective Breeding is the remarkable process of a breeder developing a superior breed over time, and selecting qualities within individuals of the breed that will be best to pass on to the next generation. Furthermore, it is the intentional breeding of birds with desirable traits in an attempt to produce offspring with similar desirable characteristics or with improved traits.

WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF SELECTIVE BREEDING? Today, nearly all breeding of domestic animals is �selective� as opposed to �random.� Years ago, before the era of scientific genetics, breeding was done more by phenotype than by pedigree. Race horses tended to be bred by the stopwatch. Gamefowl tended to be bred by their performance in the pit, and why not? That was where the money was! Later, it was recognized that breeding together closely related animals tended to speed up the process of "fixing" the desired traits within a few generations.

Today, Selective Breeding has become a scientific practice, one that is a three method process, which includes: Isolation, Selection, and proper Breeding Techniques, such as inbreeding, line-breeding, and outcrossing. Let's discuss them now.

Isolation - There must be a period in which the members of the group are isolated before they can be relatively fixed. Without genetic isolation, the differentiation that creates a new breed cannot take place. Charles Darwin puts it like this: �No man in his senses would expect to improve or modify a breed in any particular manner, or keep an old breed true and distinct, unless he separated his animals.� He goes on to say that: �The killing of inferior animals in each generation comes to the same thing as their separation.�

Artificial Selection - Breeders must prevent random mating from coming about, and limit mating to those individuals who exhibit desirable characteristics. One logical consequence of this isolation is the next characteristic, "inbreeding, line-breeding, and out-crossing."

Inbreeding, line-breeding and out-crossing - Ordinarily, those who are controlling the breeding through Artificial Selection will find it necessary at some stage to utilize a certain degree of inbreeding or line-breeding, to facilitate the weeding out of undesired characteristics and the fixation of desirable traits. Inbreeding and line-breeding are controversial aspects of Artificial Selection, but have been practiced for centuries. Although there comes a time when the introduction of genetic material is necessary, outcrossing is always a better alternative to crossbreeding. Here is a better explanation of these methods of breeding:

Inbreeding (mating closely related individuals) - Inbreeding is breeding between relatives, which results in a homozygous (genetically the same) population. Breeders often practice inbreeding to �fix� desirable characteristics within a population.

Line-breeding (mating within one bloodline or strain) � This is a form of inbreeding. It is used by breeders to �fix� certain desirable traits, while leaving out the undesirable traits that happen in inbreeding.

Outcrossing (infusion of distantly related individuals) � This is the process of introducing genetic material from distant relations into a breeding line. This creates a certain amount of genetic diversity, which greatly reduces the probability of gaining a genetic disorder. It is used in line-breeding to restore size and fertility to a breeding line. Gregor Mendel used outcrossing in his experiments with flowers in his breeding stock.

Benefits and concerns:
Benefits � The benefits of Selective Breeding is that breeders get to choose which birds fit their criteria, so more of the right kind of birds can be produced.

Concerns � The overuse of Selective Breeding can result in genetic disorders, such as inbreeding depression, which occurs when an inbred individual shows lower health and fitness levels. However, this can be overcome through proper selection and ruthless culling practices.

I hope this helps you in advancing your family. Remember, if we all work harder to perpetuate superior fowl, everyone benefits. Have a great autumn season.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

October 1st 2011 � (Weekly Newsletter #16)

THE PRACTICE OF SELECTIVE BREEDING 
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

Part Three

SELECTIVE BREEDING IN ACTION: Breeding high quality American Games begins with superior broodfowl, used for the purpose of planned breeding.

When you are looking to breed high quality American Games, you must look for certain valuable traits in order to attain a certain purpose, preferably in purebred fowl. Some will use crossbreeding to produce a new strain, with different and presumably superior abilities in a given area.

To breed American Games, a typical breeder will start by buying a brood trio, or young juvenile birds. He may even purchase baby chicks or hatching eggs. It is for this reason that it benefits you, the breeder, to study different breeds, varieties and strains of gamefowl, and analyze what can be expected from a certain set of characteristics before you start breeding them. When purchasing initial broodfowl, you should look for a group of birds that will most closely fit the purpose for which you intend to breed and raise them.

Purebred breeding aims to establish and maintain stable traits that the fowl will pass to the next generation. By breeding the "best to the best," utilizing a certain degree of inbreeding, considerable culling, and selection for "superior" qualities, one could develop a bloodline superior in certain respects to the original bloodline. Such birds should be pedigreed with some sort of record keeping.

However, single-trait breeding, which is the breeding of only one trait over all others, can be problematic at best. For instance, when cocks are bred for high station of leg - speed, power and accuracy is sacrificed. Their thinly developed, weak muscled legs can't perform properly, so they are quickly killed. This is known as the "law of correlation." This happens when a particular characteristic is closely linked or connected with another characteristic. When selecting for a specific trait, you must be careful that it does not have a tendency to generate changes in another trait.

SOME IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES OF SELECTIVE BREEDING: The following are a few fundamental factors to consider in selecting high quality breeders of American Games:

1.	Breed only from purebred birds of a well-established breed. By following this procedure a breeder gets uniformity of progeny.  
2.	Breed only from hens that lay eggs of the proper size, shape, and strength, and lays consistently from day to day throughout the breeding season, or until they go broody. Also, breed only from cocks that are virile and fertile. If culling has been accurately and persistently carried out, the remaining birds will usually be very good reproductively, and safe to use in the broodpens. 
3.	Breed only from mature birds, both cocks and hens. Mature birds produce offspring of better vigor and vitality.  
4.	Practice line-breeding wherever possible. This means breeding within closely related bloodlines. This practice combines and intensifies the good qualities of any strain. Wherever it is necessary to introduce new bloodlines, great care should be used to see that the birds, through which they are introduced, carry all the desired attributes of the original bloodline in a very definite degree. 
5.	The breeding from hens, which as pullets, were excellent layers and carry all the attributes mentioned earlier.  
6.	Breed from hens that molt late and finish early. Hens which molt early and take a long time to change their plumage are generally poor producers of eggs during the breeding season, and should never be used in the broodpens. Late molters are quick molters and almost universally great producers of high quality eggs during the breeding season. 
7.	Breed from birds, cocks and hens that are active and have good appetites, and have well-formed, athletic looking bodies, capable of digesting and transforming large quantities of feed in a short period of time. 
8.	Breed from birds which are early risers and are the last ones on the perches at night. Such habits indicate a healthy bird, for that bird is busy searching and scratching for feed.

SELECTIVE BREEDING AND HYBRIDIZATION: Although crossbreeds are a mix of two purebreds, hybridization is a process of Selective Breeding that is much more involved. This involves crossing two individuals with different desirable traits to produce offspring with a combination of both desirable traits. An example of this is the crossing of two gamefowl strains in the production of battlecrosses. They share many common traits, such as gameness and performance ability, but it also produces offspring that are bigger, better, faster, stronger and smarter than either of their parents, or the original blood from which they came.

Another example would be that of the Cornish-Cross chickens, which were developed by breeding White Cornish fowl with that of the White Plymouth Rocks, which provide good meat in a relatively short period of time (normally five or six weeks). Today the Cornish-Cross chicken is the mainstream of the commercial meat industry.

WHAT SELECTIVE BREEDING HAS ACHIEVED: Unbelievable though, as it may seem, these gorgeous but inbred aristocrats of the avian world, the American and Old English Games, which include muffs, beards, and topknots, are all descendants of the Wild Junglefowl of Southeast Asia. In time, they have developed into a wide assortment of breeds and varieties of all colors and types, and the best part is, we are not even through, for evolution has no end. Just look at all the different breeds of chickens throughout the world. The possibilities are enormous.

I'm sure there are some who enjoy the activity of developing a new breed or variety, which is fine. However, my interests and desire for others is to take existing breeds and make them better. If you have one of those rare breeds, rather than being the last one to have them, why not spread them around. Encourage other breeders to do the same. It would be great to see some of these rare varieties of American Games make a comeback.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

October 8th, 2011
Weekly Newsletter #17

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF A BREEDING PLAN
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

A breeding plan is a set of goals that is listed as steps to follow. Creating your own strain is step number one. The development of your own strain is a long term goal that can take as many as five to ten years. So be patient and stick with your plan. As long as you have good solid broodfowl and select potential broodfowl properly you�ll do great!

In order to become successful in maintaining or creating your own strain it would be extremely helpful to write out your breeding plan on paper. Make a list of long range goals written out into a series of steps. The steps that should be included in your plan are:

1)	Starting with the best available broodfowl. Your breeding goal will depend on the quality of the breeders you start with
2)	Plan your goals at least five years in advance. It is always a good idea to look far into the future when making out your goals and plans
3)	Carefully breed your fowl to meet those goals, by selecting fowl that have individual superiority and good linage. If you have an individual that looks good but has a poor family history, don�t breed to it! The bad genes will most likely be passed on to the offspring
4)	Keep accurate records of your breeding and their ancestry. The worst thing you could ever do is not to learn from past results, good or bad
5)	Mark chicks properly (by toe punching and wing bands) to keep track of them and their family line. Knowing each individual bird and where they came from is the key to successful breeding
6)	And most importantly, make sure to cull anything that does not meet your expectations, and I mean cull ruthlessly!

There are two different kinds of breeders, those who breed for quantity and those who breed for quality. To be successful make sure you�re the breeder who looks for quality. Don�t get me wrong it�s good to hatch a lot of offspring but only so that you have enough to select properly from. The more heavily you can cull the better the quality of broodfowl you will have. Genetically they will be the best!

Once you have written down your long-range goal break them down into short term goals. Set your own quality-line. If a bird falls below that line don�t breed to it, cull that bird, and every year raise your line a notch higher. Concentrate on one trait at a time, but be careful not to mess up the other traits that you�ve worked so hard to perfect. One of the biggest mistakes beginner breeders make is to breed desirable qualities �out� of the family by mistake. They concentrate so much of their effort into perpetuation certain traits and characteristics only to lose another, maybe more, important trait. This usually happens due to a misunderstanding of dominant and recessive traits. Although, not all improvements are from good inheritance, sometimes it�s from good management and other times it�s purely from a favorable accident. Don�t be afraid to take advantage of this when the opportunity arises.

I hope this helps you in advancing your family. Remember, if we all work harder to perpetuate superior fowl, fowl that have the complete package (appearance, temperament and performance), everyone benefits. Have a great fall season.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

October 15th, 2011 
Weekly Newsletter #18

I would like to thank you for the wonderful support for my work. Thanks to you, I am very blessed. I have been able to make a career from doing what I love most. For 12 years now, I have written articles and books for the average cocker and backyard breeder, and now I am writing weekly newsletters as well. It has been my goal to provide information that will help you in breeding better American Games.

Striving to make a difference, I look for ways to help my fellow cocker. By helping others to become better breeders, it is my hope that it will improve the overall quality of our fowl, and will ensure their preservation for future generations.

I can assure you one thing, and that is, every newsletter, every article and every book I write is but a small piece of a larger plan to improve the American Gamefowl. I promise you that if you follow my advice, the quality of your fowl will improve!

THE MYSTERIOUS POWER OF PREPOTENCY
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

This is a concept that can be hard to explain. The dictionary describes it as: �having exceptional power, authority, or influence over another.� These are all points that represent or exhibit good genetic prepotency. If the individual in consideration possesses it, and has a particularly good combination of those desired traits, or genes in concentration, he will then have the ability to transmit them in greater abundance to his offspring, which is more likely to occur when line-breeding is practiced, where there are fewer combinations of genes involved.

The Power of the Gene: The gene is the unit of inheritance for all various characteristics. Therefore, there are genes for physical attributes, such as conformation of body and color. There are also genes for mental attributes, such as temperament and gameness, and genes for performance such as ability and style as well. When it comes to inheritable characteristics cockers look for many things. However, they tend to look in only one direction, the cock. The fact is, genes are contributed equally from both cock and hen; therefore, the hen has just as much a chance to be propotent as the cock. It�s all in the way the genes are eventually grouped together in the fertilized egg that matters. Although, it can be seen that when the more favorable genes exist in both parents the chances are greater that the favorable genes will be those that will be in greater concentration in the offspring, and that�s what we�re looking for when creating or maintaining a strain.

Not Even Full Brothers Are Equally Prepotent: Take three full brothers from a single mating, each a multi-winner in good competition, each equally good for strength and conformation of body, and outwardly indistinguishable. It may be found that only one when bred to different hens will throw exceptional stags and pullets, while the others tend to produce only mediocre offspring at best. Offspring that are not exactly terrible but somewhat average, however, not the kind that would help keep the strain on the ascendancy. Out of the three brothers only one is prepotent, and should be used as a breeder.

The Value of the Hen: If this is true of the cock�s line, it is even more important in the hen�s line. If one hen proves to be a producer of exceptional stags and pullets from the single matings of different cocks, she is considered a goldmine, and more valuable than any cock, no matter how spectacular he may be. It is around such great individual hens that a successful strain must be built! It is this that the beginner must understand the most, because, the hen is the strain! Without the right hen you have nothing! When a single mating is found which consistently throws better than average offspring, that mating should be kept together for several years without experimentation. Although, before the hen becomes too old, it is wise to single mate her to a couple of different cocks, still within the strain, to save the progeny of her line for line-breeding and in perpetuating the strain.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

October 23th, 2011 
Weekly Newsletter #19

�Knowledge is Power�
But only when put to proper use!
Copyright�2011 - By Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

I�ve been raising and breeding American Games for a long time now, and I have learned that it�s not what you don�t know - it�s what you think you know that will set you back the most.

I have talked to thousands of cockers throughout the world, and I have noticed that we all share the same common interest. It is to attain high quality, high caliber fowl, and to maintain and improve them well into the future. Who doesn�t want to breed the best fowl possible? But when I read through many of the internet websites and gamefowl forums, and when I pay attention to what they have to say, I find that it�s the ones who are the loudest that know the least. Often, they have every famous strain ever bred, and, seldom, do they practice proven and reliable breeding methods. They are also the quickest to criticize others who are successful.

This sets a dangerous and troubling precedence for all cockers. The future of American Games depends on those who know what they are doing (master breeders), and providing proven facts for those who need it most. Like I�ve said many times, �if we all work harder to perpetuate superior fowl, fowl that have the complete package (appearance, temperament and performance), everyone benefits. This applies to �information� as well.

The average cocker and backyard breed needs proven methods of breeding, and established practices for raising strong healthy fowl. They need reliable methods that show constant results, in all areas (appearance, temperament, performance). Forget the old wives tails and superstitions; forget those who say it cannot be done. This sort of talk only creates much confusion and spurs frustration.

I am always studying the art of breeding, and let me tell you something, I learn something new every day. How can I improve my skills as a breeder if I am to assume I know it all? And, how can I improve if I think I know enough? You will never know it all, and you will never know enough. To improve your skills as a breeder, and to improve the quality of your fowl, you must always search for new, essential, and beneficial facts and practices.

But no matter how much you learn or how much experience you attain, understand this, improvement comes from slow, small, incremental changes, not all at once. Most of the time progress is achieved, but there are times when you may lose ground and your fowl digresses. It happens to the best of us. This is not a sign to quite, just that you may need to change your approach a bit. When it comes to breeding American Games, there are no quick fixes or simple antidotes. It comes from many aspects of breeding that work in complete unison of one another. Such as factors of inheritance, natural laws, proper selection and culling practices, proper methods and techniques of breeding, testing the progeny, and many other important factors. Knowing these facts and practicing them is the difference between success and failure.

Since improvements are guaranteed only when you practice many factors at the same time, my advice is to never stop learning. Continue to look for new ways to improve your fowl, and don�t listen to those who say it cannot be done. If your fowl do not look good, act well, and perform well, simultaneously, you have some work to do. Always breed to achieve the complete package, and you will create fowl that will be the envy of the world. Trust me, it can be done!

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

October 29th, 2011 
Weekly Newsletter #20

WHAT IS THE BEST METHOD FOR BREEDING AMERICAN GAMES?
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

I get many calls wanting to know how to maintain and improve a family. Although, it would be nice to start out with an established strain, for most of us that can be a difficult endeavor. Therefore, we must use what we have available at the present time. In most cases it starts with mongrels and crossbred fowl. However, in order to create a true strain the breeder must use methods such as inbreeding, line-breeding, and out-crossing.

This week we will discuss inbreeding and line-breeding. The other methods will be discussed next week.

INBREEDING

Inbreeding is the mating of very closely related individuals, such as the continued breeding of brother to sister. In the hands of the wrong breeder this can be the most dangerous and riskiest of all breeding methods. But when used properly, this method can achieve outstanding results.

The reason why is that inbreeding intensifies all their traits. This is great when you are trying to intensify the desirable traits, however, it can be very dangerous when undesirable genes (defect) are present, for it tends to intensify the undesirables as well.

I believe that there are times when you can set a strain without breeding that close and other times when it�s absolutely necessary. But you must avoid the breeding of brother to sister on a continuous basis because it brings about problems in the birds genetic make-up. It can also produce offspring that are weaker and less vigorous, and in time will lead to loss of stamina and fertility. These are birds that always seem to be look and act sickly.

Inbreeding Depression: These undesirable genes are carried in the germ cells of the bird, and may not be detected by any outward signs or action from the bird itself. When it comes to inbreeding, unless extreme care is taken in using only healthy individuals, deterioration in health and strength will progress more rapidly in each generation. This is a phenomenon called �Inbreeding Depression.� Inbreeding itself does not cause these problems. The problem is that inbreeding accentuates any tendency towards them by concentrating the same genes over and over. So to reduce the risks associated with inbreeding depression you must avoid the continual breeding of brother to sister. Instead, breed to their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles or even to their cousins, all these will work just fine.

LINE-BREEDING

Line-breeding is the most common practice for maintaining a strain. It is the practice of mating individuals who have the same common ancestor occurring frequently in the pedigree of past generations. The simplest example would be the mating of mother to son, to grandson, to great-grandson, or, father to daughter, to granddaughter, to great-granddaughter. You can also breed to aunts, uncles, and cousins as well.

By line-breeding the favorable genes possessed by that exceptional ancestor, as they�re passed down from generation to generation, they stand a better chance of being concentrated in greater numbers to the progeny. This is generally done to hold on to what has been already accomplished when the value of the strain has been established, or when attempting to clone an outstanding individual. Line-breeding is the most useful method where one is certain of the background of his family.

By breeding within its own bloodline, and concentrating the genes throughout successive generations, the offspring become predictable. After the third year, your success as well as your failures can be seen, when both desired and undesirable traits become concentrated. I caution you though; this is a time to be patient. Don�t become discouraged and quit. If you carry out a strict selection process you should be fine.

What are the benefits of Creating Sub-Families: Within one strain, a number of sub-families can be developed, that is the line-breeding of multiple proven hens that have an equal proportion of the original bloodline.

Future matings may be made between the sub-families to assure that there is no loss of vitality over the years. It�s good to start with the best cock and four best hens available then use each hen as its own family-line.

The more you separate the lines in each family the less you will become discouraged. This will increase your chance that at least one line will become successful. This way if family number one fails you can fall back on family number two, number three, or family number four.

Finding the best hens and cocks for breeding: Unless some method is made of discovering the highest quality hens and cocks (having superior traits and the power to pass those traits), and each generation is properly mapped out, the long range goal of achieving perfection cannot be achieved. The broodfowl you start out with must have the traits that you are trying to perpetuate, for the young cannot inherit something that does not even exist in the parents.

Line-breeding plays an important function: Favorable genes are grouped together more often, and desirable qualities are concentrated in the offspring. This is the method for achieving uniformity, and line-breeding is the way to do it.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

November 6th, 2011 
Weekly Newsletter #21

KEEPING AN OPEN MIND TO NEW IDEAS!
Every person should make it his business to gather new ideas from sources other than their immediate environment.
Copyright � 2011 by Kenny Troiano/Maximus Troy Publications

Through the years, I have provided useful information for the betterment of American Games. It has always been my intention to help those, interested, in creating high quality fowl that not only represent true American Games, but could also compete against the best of competitors, and to accomplish this task with the minimum amount of time and effort.

I am convinced, if the information that I provide, through weekly newsletters, monthly magazine articles, and books, is put to proper use, your fowl �WILL IMPROVE.� And if mastered, you will create the fowl of your dreams, ones that are hard to beat.

My books were written for those who want to learn. They were also written to provide information which is normally overlooked by the majority of cockers, ones who go through life producing fowl that are nothing but mediocre. Producing superior fowl that are of the highest quality is a matter of science and practice, in other words, it is using proven facts and applying them towards a specific goal. This is the focus of all my books.

However, not all cockers wish to know the truth, about all matters, especially when it comes to the subject of breeding. One of my biggest surprises, while interviewing cockers throughout the world, some successful, many not so successful, was that very few people are willing to hear the truth. They prefer illusions to realities! They don�t want to hear anything that contradicts prior beliefs and viewpoints that have been handed down with the family furniture, and live off the fat of ancient fetishes. They would rather live in a state of hibernation. If a new idea invades their den they rise up snarling from their winter sleep. As you can see, ignorance becomes their weakness.

These are cockers that tend to trust their superstitions and old wives tales rather than modern science. New truths, if accepted at all, are taken with the proverbial grain of salt. And to make matters worse, some of us demand more than a mere pinch of salt; we demand enough to pickle new ideas so they become completely useless. Nothing is more tragic, or more common, than mental inertia. For every ten men who are physically lazy there are ten thousand with stag�nant minds. And stagnant minds are the breeding places of fear.

Every person should make it their business to gather new ideas from sources other than their environment. The mind becomes withered, stagnant, narrow, and closed unless it searches for new ideas. The mind becomes more alert, more elastic and more ready to work with speed and accuracy after it has been bathed in new ideas.

I have learned that the road of the �truth-teller� has always been a rocky one. Socrates sipping the hemlock, Christ crucified, Stephen stoned, Bruno burned at the stake, Galileo terrified into retraction of his starry truths - forever could one follow that bloody trail through the pages of history. There is something in human nature that makes us resent the impact of new ideas.

It is for this reason that I have covered the important subjects concerning breeding, but in such a way that I hope it will open your mind and pave the way for new ideas. Through my writings, I have found a way to provide scientific knowledge that is easy to understand and easy to put into practice by many. In fact, I have successfully married science with that of everyday practice so that it can be used by every breeder who is interested in perpetuation high class American Games. You will find the information understandable and useful.

As an apprentice of my work, you will find yourself putting aside old ideas, and entering a field of entirely new ideas. You will come out the other end with a new appreciation of American Games and their breeding, which will make you more efficient and more enthusiastic as a breeder, no matter what kind of fowl you may be engaged in.

Some of the ideas introduced in my books will require no further explanation or proof of their soundness because they are familiar to practically everyone. Other ideas intro�duced are new, and for that very reason many students of this viewpoint may hesitate to accept them as sound. My advice is to open your mind to new ideas, for they may mean the difference between success and failure.

I can assure you that every principle described in my books has been thoroughly tested by me, and the majority of the principles are supported by knowledge gained through scientific experiments. It is also through an accumulation of experience collected from many of our successful cockers, and others who were quite capable of distinguishing between information that is merely theoretic and information that is practical.

I believe the principles that I have covered in my books can be used in the exact method for which I have described them. However, no principle should ever be accepted as sound until after they have experimented with it. Therefore, it may be easier to accept these ideas when you come to understand that no student of my work is asked to accept any statement made in these books without having first satisfied himself or herself, by tests, experiments and analysis, that the statement is sound.

The most important dilemma the student is asked to avoid is that of forming opinions without knowing the specific FACTS! Which brings us to the wise words of Herbert Spencer: - "There is a principle which is a bar against all information; which is proof against all argument; and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance. This principle is contempt prior to examination. "

I believe that it is only a matter of time that we will see the evidence of my work. It is my hope that these books will take on an aspect of authoritative knowledge, and to become the foundation of improvement for all American Games, and in time, will influence the actions of all breeders for the betterment of the breed. Remember, true success is only achieved when all American Games are bred and maintained to the highest of quality.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

November 12th, 2011 
Weekly Newsletter #22

�Come and support our efforts to preserve the American Gamefowl�
�JOIN US AT THE ORANGE COUNTY POULTRY SHOW�

For a long time now I have worked very hard in encouraging other fellow cockers to consider the benefits of showing their fowl. I have always felt that if we don�t get more involved in the exhibition side of our hobby, we will lose them for sure. We need to demonstrate to the general public, who, incidentally, funds Animal Rights organizations, through donations, that there are other reasons to have our fowl than just for the pit. We have to change the perception others have about us and our fowl. There is so much bad publicity these days about gamefowl that we are losing ground. And it is for this reason that our fowl, and our way of life are in jeopardy.

Through a growing and ever expanding membership of showmen, as well as their continued participation, we can win the respect of the general public. Only through their support, can we save our fowl, and preserve them for future generations.

I can go on and on, but the point I want to make, and for you to remember, is that our American Gamefowl are a big part of our heritage. They have been entrusted onto us by our forefathers to keep them the way in which we got them, fully functional gamefowl that are highly sought after by the entire world. It�s up to us to preserve our fowl for the next generation, and I feel that it�s the show pen which is going to play the biggest part of that preservation effort.

As many of you may already know, twice a year we put on a show, an American Gamefowl exhibition. I have judged many of these shows, and let me tell you something, they are getting bigger every year. The participation has been wonderful.

I would like to invite you to join us, even if it�s just to come out and check it out. Our next show is next Saturday, November 19th, 2011. The information and details of the show are one my website home page (www.maximustroypublications.com). Hope to see you there!

Remember, if we all work harder to perpetuate superior fowl, fowl that have the complete package (appearance, temperament and performance), everyone benefits. Have a great Holiday season.

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter, 
Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

December 6, 2011 
Weekly Newsletter #23
THE PRACTICE OF OUT-CROSSING

For most of you that raise and breed domestic chickens, Out-Crossing is a method of breeding that allows you, the breeder, to introduce new blood into your family, without changing the characteristics which are important for the breed and variety. It allows the breeder to introduce important traits that might be missing from their current genetic pool, or to improve traits that are substandard. In this case, out-crossing is the mating of birds which belong to the same breed and variety, but of a different strain. A good example of this can be seen by breeding a Rhode Island Red Rooster, from one breeder, to a Rhode Island Red Hen of another breeder; one breed and variety, two different strains.

For breeders of American Games, Out-Crossing is a method of breeding that allows you, the breeder, to take advantage of multiple lines within the same family. It instills important traits that might be missing or lost due to improper selection. In this case, out-crossing is the mating of birds which belong to the same family or strain, but of a different line. A good example of this can be seen by breeding a bird from one line, such as line �A,� to the other, such as line �B,� both within the same family strain, but of different lines.

For both, the primary use of this method is to infuse new blood without changing the overall characteristics of the family or strain. The only difference between the two methods is in the origination of the new blood. For instance, most domestic chickens can be bred with stock outside the known family, but when it comes to American Games, breeding outside the family is nothing more than a cross. In this case, any infusion of blood, outside the known family, can be disastrous. Just because they share the same strain name, such as Hatch or Sweater, does not mean they share the same family relations. It is for this reason that the �names of strains� means absolutely nothing. Except for the name, they share nothing in common.

It is for this reason that I would never add outside blood into my family of fowl. To get the proper results, I would have to get another Col. Givens Hatch hen, and hope that the breeder hasn�t changed the structure (genetic pool) of the family too much in comparison to mine. I would never take that chance, it�s much too risky. Thanks to out-crossing this is something that I do not have to worry about. I am able to improve my lines, without the need to introduce outside blood.

I have an original family of Col. Givens Hatch. They are a good solid family of gamefowl. Within this family, I have established five solid lines. I am able to improve my family through proper selection by taking advantage of small but significant variations within the family. Variations can be anything from a small difference in structure to a difference in ability.

I practice inbreeding, and maintain multiple lines through a well performed line-breeding program, and every so often, I strengthen their overall constitution through proper out-crossing. Due to the benefits of this method, I am able to breed this family from one line to another, every four or five years or so, and improve their characteristics, and take advantage of desirable traits as they arise; I am able to strengthen their constitutional vigor as well.

The way I breed them today, I can keep this family going, true and strong, for many years without introducing even one drop of outside blood.

Special note of interest: To reduce any of the risks related to out-crossing, be sure to select birds from those lines that are not deficient in any of the properties you have been working on. As always, selection in the key to success.

I hope you enjoyed the newsletter, and that the information which I provide helps you in advancing your family. Remember, if we all work harder to perpetuate superior fowl, fowl that have the complete package (appearance, temperament and performance), everyone benefits. Have a great Holiday season.

Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

December 17, 2011 
Weekly Newsletter #24

THE PRACTICE OF CROSSBREEDING

As many of you probably know, I am not a supporter or big fan of crossbreeding. I think it�s a lazy and haphazard method of breeding. However, I do believe it can be a great tool if used properly, and for the right reasons. The problem is that many use it as their main method of breeding. Some even use it as their only method of breeding. It is my goal to change that trend.

In this week�s newsletter, I will talk about both the benefits and consequences of crossbreeding. It is my hope that you will learn something new and interesting along the way. I also hope that it will inspire you to become a real breeder.

Last week we talked about Out-crossing, which is very different from Crossbreeding. For American Games, out-crossing is the breeding of one line to another, but both belonging to the same family or strain. Crossbreeding is when you bring in new unrelated blood, such as breeding a Hatch over a Sweater.

For many, the main reason for crossbreeding is to produce a great battlecock. But do these breeders really understand the in�s and out�s of this method? It may not be exactly what you thought.

There are many reasons for crossing, for example: improving general health and vigor, and improving overall appearance and ability. Some breeders use crossbreeding to improve specific traits, or when their fowl are simply lacking noticeable progress in their present breeding program, which indicates that their fowl are missing the proper genes. Crossbreeding is also the method that is generally followed in establishing a new breed and variety of gamefowl. Perhaps the most common reason to cross is for the production of �Battlecocks.�

Although there are many reasons to crossbreed, this method can be a disadvantage as well as an advantage. In other words, crossbreeding can introduce beneficial traits or it can introduce detrimental traits. It can also bring in new weaknesses that you didn�t even know were there. Due to the effects of dominant and recessive factors, some traits can even be lost, forever.

While crossing can improve many aspects of your fowl, when you bring in new blood, you may not see the changes you�re looking for until the second or third generation. So until then, you are taking a big risk.

To improve an established family of fowl, crossbreeding is not only risky, but in most cases, unnecessary. By line-breeding to sub-families, and later bringing them back together to strengthen and improve vigor, with proper selection, one should be able to continue indefinitely without any crossbreeding whatsoever.

However, if you find that a cross such as this is necessary, it would be wise to select specimens from an inbred or closely line-bred strain. They must have a good reputation for gameness, style and ability, and must also be good representatives of American Games. In other words, they should have the proper conformation of body and color of plumage, and be free of any defects or disqualifications. They should also be of good health and vigor.

When crossbreeding, make sure to breed the new bird to one of your prepotent birds. Test the results conclusively to see that they are of the highest quality, and then disregard birds of other strains. At this point you should overwhelm the half-bloods with matings of your original strain, until the cross is reduced to at least 1/8 proportion or less. It is important to do this before introducing this blood into your family.

Remember that crossing introduces an entirely new group of genes, good and perhaps bad, which have to be taken into account for years to come. So be very selective when introducing new blood into your established family.

Hybrid Vigor: It�s impossible to talk about crossbreeding without mentioning something about the benefits of hybrid-vigor. This is an effect that works in opposition of �Inbreeding Depression.� To realize the greatest benefits of hybrid-vigor you must maintain a high degree of heterozygosity. This is best achieved by crossbreeding fowl that are unrelated, but extremely inbred.

Crossbreeding is used to create hybrid-vigor, and hybrid-vigor is used to produce fowl that are better than their parents. For instance, when it comes to American Games, it creates offspring that are bigger, faster, stronger, smarter, and gamer than their parents, all attributes needed for the production of great battlecocks.

The pitfalls of hybrid-vigor: Here is where I would caution those who are interested in buying fowl. Beware of fowl that are the result of a cross. When you purchase fowl from a breeder who only sells crosses, don�t be surprised if the first offspring look great, but the offspring after that look almost mutant, it is because hybrid birds cannot reproduce their own kind.

Although, crossbreeding can produce great individuals, you cannot breed to a hybrid bird and get the same results. If you were to cross two families, which represent 100% of genetic excellence, each, hybrid-vigor would bring their offspring up to an incredible 120%! However, if you were to breed those same hybrid birds, their offspring would fall to an astounding 80%. As you can plainly see, sometime after the second or third generation the quality of the offspring produced begin to decline. Not only that, all the offspring from this mating will vary quite noticeably. Some will be big, some will be small. In other words, there is no uniformity in the offspring whatsoever. Now you know why this occurs, hybrid-vigor!

Like I said earlier, crossbreeding is a great tool, but that is all. It should never be used as a main method of breeding. By using crossbreeding as your main method of breeding you are setting yourself up for an endless search for new blood. Every breeding season you will have to find new blood or your fowl will become nothing more than unfit mutants. In time, they will no longer represent American Games. This is not breeding; this is nothing more than putting a hen with a cock, with no direction or goal in sight. There is no future in this type of breeding.

If you are wondering whether it is better to create homozygosity through inbreeding or heterozygosity through crossbreeding, consider these three points:

�	How important is predictability to your breeding program? 
�	Do you want to hide the bird�s genetic weaknesses and hope that they will never show up, or force them to the surface so that you can cull or eliminate them? 
�	Do you want to create a family or do you want to continue to experiment having no apparent direction or desire for long term results?

It�s all up to you!

Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

January 5th 2012 Weekly Newsletter #25

BREED THE BEST TO THE BEST

One of the things I like about breeding, especially American Games, is the scientific side of the hobby. I've always been amazed by the influence of selection, and the awesome power of selective breeding. I get a lot of enjoyment watching my fowl improve every year, and I'm sure you do too.

There are some breeders who say all you need to do is breed the best to the best. Although, I don't think it is that easy, there is something to be said about breeding fowl in this manner. Let me explain how a practice such as this can work in your favor.

When starting out, it is best to obtain the highest quality cock and hen possible. My advice to you is to look for the best fowl possible, never settle for second best, and if you've done your job right, they should have all the characteristics you desire. Look for fowl that carry very unique and specialized characteristics, ones that are limited to certain inherited qualities, some physical, such as conformation of body and color of plumage, some mental, such as gameness and temperament, and some related to overall ability. Here is where breeding the �best of the best� becomes a good practice.

It goes without saying that the longer you breed from birds carrying an abundance of favorable genes, especially of the desirable qualities, the better they will become. But it is also important to know that you must continue to select birds that show the same desirable qualities, over and over, to achieve uniformity of the strain. In time, all the offspring should show the desirable attributes. If done properly they will all be uniform and consistent as a family or strain.

How is this accomplished? This is accomplished through the process of selection and breeding, and mating the best cock to the best hen, and testing the progeny. Only by breeding a given hen or cock, and observing his or her sons and daughters, can one select those spectacular breeders, the ones that will improve the strain.

It is important to know that, the offspring will always show you the value and quality of the parents. As a friend of mine, Tony Saville, once told me, �Kenny, the offspring never lie.� If their offspring show the desirable characteristics it proves the value and worth of the parents. It also shows that they have the right genes needed for good reproduction.

Look carefully for defects and disqualifications, and any faults that are not representative of a properly structured American Game. It is best to cull any birds that don't measure up to your idea of a proper cock and hen. Remember, defects are usually recessive, and recessive traits are very hard to eliminate from an established family or strain.

Having discovered the few individuals who are good representatives of American games, and are best at transmitting their genes to their offspring, you should make sure to concentrate your efforts on these relative few, and not waste time on the others. And above all, resist the temptation to breed from someone else�s strain, even if it is a spectacular bird that you saw in action. As his contribution as a breeder may introduce hidden and maybe unfavorable genes that you didn't know existed and will never eradicate. There are some characteristics that are considered faults, which are almost impossible to get rid of. In this case, it is best to cull and just start over again. In short, avoid contamination of outside blood.

Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

January 18th 2012 
Weekly Newsletter #26

WHAT�S A STRAIN?

Thanks to the practice of �selective breeding� otherwise known as �artificial selection,� we now have the birds you see today. In fact, we now have fowl that spans the spectrum of our imaginations.

We have fowl of a variety of forms, functions, and beauty. We have fowl of every color, and combination of colors, and fowl of various sizes and shapes. We have the ability to categorize them into separate classes, breeds, varieties. This separation of different classes and breeds, and the ability to create the many varieties within the breeds, not to mention the breeder�s skill in reproducing predictable results, generation after generation, enables us to standardize them and perfected them.

But within these many breeds and varieties, we have individual breeders working behind the scenes creating strains of incredible forms, functions and beauty, and this has occurred for hundreds of years.

These days there are more strains of American Games than we can even count. Some of these include Hatch, Sweater, Roundhead, and Kelso, just to name a few. I�ll bet there are many of you who are probably wondering what it takes to create a strain. Well, if this is your goal, you must first know what a strain actually is.

To fully understand what constitutes a strain, we must first recognize the fact that the fowl we have today, and especially the American Games, are of a manmade design, one resulting from the practice of selective breeding, beginning with the Wild Red Junglefowl of South East Asia.

Although many different breeds and varieties have originated from the Junglefowl, the creation of a strain is the result of one man�s vision. In many cases, this is done by breeding a single family for many generations, selecting favorable variations, culling unfavorable variations, and never adding outside blood of any kind.

If the breeder has done his job properly, his fowl should have very distinguishable and easily recognizable traits that make them very unique to others in their breed or variety. Since creating a strain is the practice of developing fowl with a very specific form and function, they must have and share all the same characteristics and traits. These are special qualities that stand out from all the rest.

As a family, they must be well put together with good conformation of body, good color of plumage, good temperament and ability. This is very important! To be considered a true strain, they must also have the ability to reproduce and pass those qualities to their offspring, which means they must be bred in-line from a common ancestor, preferably from a spectacular cock and hen.

How to Know If You Have a True Strain: The way to know if you have a true strain is when all your fowl come uniform and consistent in all their characteristics and traits, year after year, generation after generation. When you go into other people�s yards, who have your fowl, you should be able to easily recognize fowl that originated from you.

What If I Were To Buy A Strain From Another Breeder? If you were to receive an established strain from a well-known breeder, and another cocker were to visit your yard, he would easily recognize the fowl as coming from the breeder whom you receive them from.

How Common Are True Strains? There are but a few well-established strains in this country and that�s too bad. A strain can only be produced by inbreeding and line-breeding, which most cockers are nervous of using. Actually, the development of a strain is an incredibly simple and ingenious concept. In fact, the best breeders in the world have been breeding and maintaining the same family of birds for over thirty years, never adding outside blood of any kind. The thing that all great breeders share in common is that they all have solid breeding programs. Their breeding plans are well thought-out from start to finish.

How Long Will It Take to Create a Strain? With the very best of judgment and care, it will take at least five to ten years to bring a flock to even reasonable uniformity. That�s five years to see if they�re worth continuing with, and ten years to set and make them a true strain.

With that in mind, I always wonder why so many cockers keep changing from one breed to another, or infuse/cross their fowl, forever mixing several breeds together, only to weaken and upset their gene pool. It seems strange to me, that it doesn�t even occur to them, that the road to success is achieved only through careful selection and ruthless culling practices, and maintaining a persistent and continuous movement towards improvement. Yet the most upsetting part of this is that so few follow this road. Most follow the easy route, and most of these fail.

Next week I will discuss the main principles required for creating a strain. Take every one of these principles seriously, each of them have their place and importance. Leave just one of them out of the equation and it could very well mean a breakdown in your breeding program, and in your results.

Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

January 27th 2012 
Weekly Newsletter #27

HOW TO CREATE A STRAIN?
For many of you who missed last week�s newsletter, we talked about what it takes for your fowl to be a separate and distinct strain, and what constitute a real strain. Well, this is a continuation of last week�s newsletter. Now it�s time to talk about what it takes to create a strain.

In creating a strain the process involves the combined methods of crossbreeding, inbreeding, line-breeding, out-crossing, and infusion. If practiced correctly it should work something like this:

Step One: After an exhausting search, along with the power of selection, you finally find and attain the brood cock that is worthy of cloning. For reasons of simplicity, let�s say he�s a �Hatch.� He�s everything you�ve always wanted, he is exceptional, and excels in these points:

�	He is extremely well built, he has good conformation of body and good station of leg
�	He has the color of plumage that best represents his breed and variety
�	He has a good temperament
�	He has exceptional ability
�	He�s an outstanding performer and winner in competition
�	And he has proven that he is game

In your search you have also found an exceptional hen from another breed, let�s say she�s a �Sweater.� She too is exceptional, and excels in these points:

�	She has great conformation of body
�	She has the proper color of plumage that best represents her breed and variety
�	She is of good temperament
�	She is of good maternal qualities (She is a good mother and producer of superior offspring)
�	And she comes from a family of birds that are all exceptional in competition.

Step Two: Now that you have chosen the cock and hen that you wish to breed, it is time to move to the next step, crossbreeding. Breed this Hatch cock to this Sweater hen. You should breed them until you get the offspring that you�re looking for, the ones that best represent your idea of good strain. This is important, for these are the fowl that will be the foundation of your strain.

To select the proper offspring, to move forward in the creation of a strain, they must have the proper appearance, temperament and mental faculties, and performance ability. They must be free of defects and serious faults. And once again, they must be good representatives of what you are trying to achieve.

Step Three: Once you get the right offspring, select the best stag and the best pullet from this breeding (full nest-sibs). It is at this time that you will �Inbreed.� You accomplish this by breeding brother to sister. There is a good reason for doing this. By breeding this close, it locks-in and concentrates their genes; this is also known as �Fixing� or �Locking� the genes. Some breeders will do this (breeding brother to sister) up to five times before moving to the next step. The closer they are able to Fix or lock the genes the better. As long they cull all defects and faults along the way, and do not start to experience inbreeding depression, they should be fine.

Because you�re breeding brother to sister, you will get offspring that show the good points that you�re looking for. But remember inbreeding brings out the worst in that blood as well. So the birds that are showing defects should be culled as soon as they are identified. The other reason to inbreed when creating a strain is that it�s the quickest way to weed out faults in a family.

Step Four: Once the undesirables are culled out and the exceptional ones are found, you would then �Line-breed� them, by breeding the stag to his mother and the daughter to her father. The following year you would breed granddaughter to grandfather and grandson to grandmother. In the following year you will breed great-grandson to great-grandmother and great-granddaughter to great-grandfather. You�re now at 15/16 of the cock�s blood and 15/16 of the hen�s blood. By doing this you have established two separate lines, the cocks line and the hens line.

Step Five: It�s at this time that you will �Out-cross� the cocks line with that of the hens line, meaning, taking an offspring from the cocks line and breeding it to the offspring from the hens line, �Infusing� the blood from one line into the other to re-strengthen the strain without introducing any outside blood. Then continue the �Line-breeding� process all over again. You will either breed to 7/8�s of the main blood and out-cross or out-cross early when you start to notice serious faults arising in the offspring. Disregard the offspring that shows faults, and start your next out-cross breeding. Then begin the line-breeding program once again.

Most people abandon the family at this point. They start noticing serious faults and feel that their fowl substandard. They end up getting rid of the family and starting over again with something else. The only thing these faults are showing you is that you need to cull harder, or you may have bred too close and it�s time to out-cross to the other line.

Special note: It is important to understand to never breed back to the original pair (in this case, the Hatch cock and Sweater hen) when creating a strain. This is breeding backwards.

Although this is a basic outline of what it takes to create a strain, there is much more information in my new book, The Gamefowl Breeders Manual and Cockers Guide � Volume Two. I suggest you take a look at it.

Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast

February 7, 2012
Weekly Newsletter #28

BASIC CULLING TECHNIQUES

In every organization or group, there are always more beginners than veterans, as it should be. Although our overall numbers are declining, as of this date and time, there is still hope. Today we have more beginners than ever before, and the number is growing every day. It is this reason we must breed and sell the best fowl possible.

Even from the very best of breeders, there will always be a certain percentage of stags and pullets that will fall short of the desired standard. It is my belief that a high percentage of the gamefowl sold, are fowl that should be culled, not passed on to our struggling beginners. This is why I decided to write this newsletter, to teach others the importance of the culling process, and point out a few things that I believe will help the beginners in selecting better fowl. If there is one thing connected with the breeding and raising of gamefowl that is extremely underdone, it is no doubt the practice of culling.

Throughout the years, you may have noticed that I use the word �cull� often. To cull, simply means to kill or butcher for consumption. Anything that is not suitable for breeding or anything that comes down with sickness is a bird that should be culled!

As everyone surely knows, it all starts with good solid broodfowl. A foundation stock if you will. However, once you�ve acquired your foundation stock, developing a family of gamefowl to meet your needs is simply a matter of breeding the best to the best and culling the rest. It is almost that simple. If you don�t get anything else out of this newsletter, just remember that!

SELECTION AND CULLING: Like selection, culling can be more a matter of personal preference than anything else. That�s what makes a newsletter such as this so hard to write, for �Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.� Except for obvious defects, I may cull for a lot of reasons, many of them different than you might cull for.

Understanding the Difference in Terms: The terms �Selection� and �Culling� carry very opposite connotations. Since �Selection� is aimed at making progress it deals with retaining the best the flock has to offer. For example, when selecting breeders, we normally choose the cocks and hens with the best conformation of body and color. This generally consists of not more than the top twenty-five to thirty percent of the flock, a small number for carrying forward the strain.

On the other hand, culling refers to the removal of the least desirable part of the flock. It is aimed at prevention rather than making progress. When culling, we will most likely choose the cocks and hens with the worst conformation of body and color.

Keep It Manageable: If a breeder wants to ensure that he�s on the right track in his breeding program, and the selection of his gamefowl, it is absolutely essential that he raises only what�s necessary. There is no room for experimental flocks. Different families have different traits. You cannot start with fifteen different breeds and have any chance of knowing what to look for in each family. Get yourself two or three families at the most, hopefully a family of birds that look, act and perform pure as well as crossed.

Be Very Selective in Your Choice of Broodfowl: Since culling works in tandem with selection, and it is the best tool we have for narrowing down the gene pool, good cullers are usually good selectors. To make sure that your breeding program is successful, you�ll need to be very selective in your choice of broodfowl.

The amount of culling necessary will all depend on the quality of the offspring that you have produced. It is in your best interest to cull individual birds that are in bad health and are below your ideal quality line.

A Method for Selection: The great breeders of the past and present vary in their methods of selection. However, most of them select their foundation stock in a manner such as this:
�	For proper conformation of body that is consistent for the family
�	For good color of plumage that best represents the breed, variety, and strain characteristics
�	For good hatchability and constitutional vigor
�	For good performance characteristics of their broodfowl, and bloodlines of past generations
�	For good temperament and personality characteristics, not to mention gameness
�	They select on a pedigree basis in the hopes that �like will beget like�
�	And at all times, they always test the progeny to evaluate the quality of the breeders and to identify future breeders.

So you can see how important the culling of inferior stock actually is, and how culling works hand and hand with selection. You can�t do one without the other!

By culling out those that are inferior, and breeding only to those that show superiority in every way, in the long run, will only make the flocks average higher not lower. It makes no sense to me to let second rate chickens take up room that is better needed for your finest fowl. They just clutter up your yard. The fewer chickens you have on the farm the better they do. When I raise only fifty stags I get better individuals than when I try to raise a hundred. And if your space is limited, there is much more of a necessity for keeping as few as possible.

Sincerely, Kenny Troiano
Fellow gamefowl and poultry enthusiast