Bred to Perfection

One is temporary, the other is long lasting, but which is best?   As a breeder, you have many tools that you can use to create and improve your strain. None are more important, or have the force to move your strain forward than that of Prepotency. The problem is, for many breeders, Hybrid Vigor gets all the credit. The truth of the matter, Prepotency and Hybrid Vigor are both incredible forces of...

The Mechanisms of Evolution, and how it Relates to the Creation of our Strains In celebration of Darwin's Day, we're going to talk about how evolution and selective breeding are very similar, and how we can use the mechanisms of evolution to create and improve our strains. Darwin and his theory of evolution had a huge influence on my thinking, and how I breed my fowl. And, evolution had an enormou...

The Mechanisms of Evolution, and how it Relates to the Creation of our Strains In celebration of Darwin's Day, we're going to talk about how evolution and selective breeding are very similar, and how we can use the mechanisms of evolution to create and improve our strains. Darwin and his theory of evolution had a huge influence on my thinking, and how I breed my fowl. And, evolution had an enormou...

This is Part 3 of a 3-part series on genetics. In this episode we will dive into Advanced Genetics. Breeding and creating a strain is governed by 3 important laws of nature, such as the environment, nutrition, and the traits they inherit. In other words, genetics. However, just the idea of genetics can be intimidating for many new breeders, and some veteran as well. Many even avoid genetics , most...

This is Part 2 of a 3-part series on genetics. In this episode we will dive into the principles of Mendelian Genetics. Breeding and creating a strain is governed by 3 important laws of nature, such as the environment, nutrition, and the traits they inherit. In other words, genetics. However, just the idea of genetics can be intimidating for many new breeders, and some veteran as well. Many even av...

Breeding and creating a strain is governed by 3 important laws of nature, such as the environment, nutrition, and the traits they inherit. In other words, genetics. However, just the idea of genetics can be intimidating for many new breeders, and some veteran as well. Many even avoid genetics, mostly because it can seem confusing and difficult to understand and use. It is my hope that we can show...

In this episode of Bred to Perfection, we are talking with Dr. Rodrigo Gallardo, a Poultry Veterinarian at UC Davis, about HPAI – Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. This disease is spreading rapidly, and has shown up in a dozen or more states. In fact, a number of states are restricting all movement of poultry, and poultry related products to hopefully stop the spread of this lethal disease. Liste...

Join us for a Breeding Questions and Answers segment. These are always a lot of fun.

And the Difference between Hybridization and Mongrelization. Crossbreeding is a very common method of breeding, but many are using it for the wrong reasons. The truth is, there are some unintended consequences from using this method, many of them are long lasting, and could be detrimental to the breed. In this episode we will discuss what's good about crossbreeding, but also what's not so good abo...

In this episode we are talking with Peter Brown about issues that affect all backyard breeders, and what they can do to treat their birds. The information presented here is great for all breeders of chickens and gamefowl, both beginners and veterans. We cover disease and problems, such as: Egg bound - egg binding  Greens Canker Wry Neck  Botulism - limberneck  Mold poisoning  Fungal infection - fu...

Join us for the first show of the year. This will be a laid-back episode with our listeners. We have a lot to tell our listeners about the upcoming year. This was also a good time for a Q&A episode.

Most breeders know that section is important, but some don't know why. The truth is, selection is the difference between success and failure. You cannot create or improve a strain without some knowledge of selection. Join us as we discuss the powers of selection, and the processes that can turn a mongrel flock into a true family and strain. This is an episode that you do not want to miss.

In this episode, we will give you a number of useful tips, that will help get your breeding season started on the right foot. I had a great mentor who believed that preparation was the prerequisite to success. As a breeder, I took that to heart, and it has served me well for years.

It's amazing the conversation that can take place at the dinner table. And, that is exactly what happened here. I was visiting with Frank Bradley and his family in Kentucky. After a great meal (ribeye's) and a couple bottles of beer (Coors Light), Frank asked me some interesting questions on breeding. More specifically on the difference between inbreeding and in-and-in breeding, what's better, the...

In this episode of Bred to Perfection, we are talking with Dr. Gallardo about Salmonella. Most of the diseases we have covered so far, only affect chickens, but salmonella is very different. In fact, it's a serious problem, not only for chickens, but also for those who raise chickens. Even if the chickens look fine, they have the potential to make us very sick. Where you get your chickens and what...

In this episode of the Bred to Perfection Live Show, we're going to talk about Mycoplasma and CRD. Our special guest will be Peter Brown, known as the Chicken Doctor. This is a respiratory disease that is underestimated and misunderstood, and one that exist in many breeders' yards. I know you will enjoy this episode, and learn a lot too. We also took questions from the chat room. This episode is p...

In this episode, I will show you how I learned these 3 very important laws. Selective Breeding and Systematic Breeding Programs Evolutionary Biology And Genetic Inheritance As you will see, there is more to breeding than just putting two birds together. And, there's more to breeding than just breeding "Best to the Best". That's why I created the Breeder's Academy, to show new and established breed...

This is going to be a great episode. Today we are talking with Peter Brown, known as the Chicken Doctor. We are going to discuss the Most Common Diseases most backyard breeders face. There are many pathogens, viral and bacterial that threaten our fowl. I thought it would be a good idea to quickly address as many of them as possible, so that the backyard breeder can recognize them and hopefully pre...

Join us for a very special conversation with Matt Hemmer, who is a breeder of the Erminettes. This is a very unique breed, both in a historical sense and as a genetic phenomenon. In fact, the Erminettes are the only breed of chicken where the color of plumage is based on a co-dominant factor. No other breed of chicken has this trait. Matt is going to discuss the history of the breed, the character...

In this episode, we are talking with Dr. Rodrigo Gallardo from UC Davis. He will talk about their new Gamefowl Wellness Program, which is designed to help backyard breeder, specially, breeders of American Games, to raise and breed heather birds, and to protect their birds from future outbreaks of Newcastle's Disease. There's a lot of good information packed into this episode that I know you will n...

There is a lot of confusion in this area of breeding. So much so, that many breeders are not able to produce high quality strains. They purchase birds from a reputable breeder, and are confused when the fowl they produce are not like the original breeder's fowl. We've all seen it, strains change when they're moved to different locations. The question is, are these changes temporary or permanent? A...

Here's a few tips that will help you to get through the Summer Months in great shape. Join Kenny Troiano and Peter Brown as they discuss ways to beat the heat, and help you and your chickens get through the hot Summer months. As you know, Summer is almost here, and the heat is on the way. This is a challenging time of year for us breeders. We're fighting the heat and humidity, the stress and disea...

Old Wives' Tales and Superstitions that Hold us Back This episode is about "The Misconceptions about Breeding." These are popular misconceptions that tend to hold most breeders back. And can prevent you from creating anything special or superior or great. When I talk with the average breeder, I find that they are very reliant on "Old Wives Tales" and "Superstitions." Nothing is based on empirical...

In this episode, we are celebrating our 100th Episode of Bred to Perfection. When we asked our listeners their thoughts on how to make this episode special, the response we got was they wanted to hear more about us, Kenny and Nancy Troiano. Well, our 3 daughters, Megan, Samantha, and Tawny grabbed the mics and did it for us. They talked about our lives' and what it was like to be our daughters. I...

In this episode of Bred to Perfection, we will talk about the 3 most dangerous breeders. These are breeders who use breeding practices that are detrimental to the breed as a whole. These include those who believe in combining the traits of two separate and distinct "breeds", such as American Games and Aseels, each having contrasting characteristics and traits. Those that think they can mix the tra...