In this episode of ‘Bred to Perfection’, Kenny Troiano, founder of the Breeders Academy, his wife Nancy, and co-host Frank Bradley discuss various aspects and challenges of breeding chickens and gamefowl. They explore topics, such as the importance of selecting for health and vigor, evaluating birds for defects, and strategies for selecting the best birds for breeding. The episode also touches on the difficulties that arise from defects like right tail and the importance of test matings in identifying hidden genetic issues. With some lighthearted banter and technical glitches, the hosts provide valuable insights for breeders looking to improve and create robust bloodlines and strains.
Ep291 – Define Your Selection Points: The Blueprint for Building a True Strain
In this episode of ‘Bred to Perfection,’ host Kenny Troiano, founder of the Breeder’s Academy, alongside his wife Nancy and co-host Frank Bradley, talk about the complexities of breeding chickens and gamefowl to create enduring bloodlines and strains. They discuss the importance of proper selection, the role of inbreeding and line-breeding, and the debates within the breeding community. The conversation includes insights on handling challenges, such as genetic resistance, disease prevention, and the viability of birds recovering from health issues for breeding purposes. Additional topics include the benefits of using an incubator versus natural hatching and the contributions of both the cock and hen to the breeding process. Listeners will gain valuable knowledge on maintaining genetic uniformity, selecting for desirable traits, and the nuanced process of developing a robust breeding program.
Ep290 – The Power of Selection – Transforming Mongrels into Masterpieces
In this episode of Bred to Perfection, host Kenny Troiano, along with his wife Nancy and co-host Frank Bradley, discuss the complexities of breeding, and creating bloodlines that endure for future generations. They discuss essential topics, like the principles of genetics, conformation, and performance, the order of selection, the importance of health and vigor, and the significance of type and conformation. The episode also touches on their experiences and valuable lessons learned from mentors, the impact of natural versus artificial selection, and practical tips for selecting and maintaining a successful strain. Perfect for breeders looking to deepen their understanding of creating high-quality fowl.
Ep289 – Evolutionary Factors that can Change the Direction of Your Strain – Part 2
In this episode of Bred to Perfection, hosted by Kenny Troiano along with his wife Nancy and co-host Frank Bradley, the team continues their discussion on selection factors in breeding chickens and gamefowl. They talk about monogenic, polygenic, phenotype, genotype, epigenetic, and mitochondrial DNA factors from the previous episode, and introduce the evolutionary factor. The episode covers natural versus artificial selection, genetic drift, gene flow mutation, environmental influence, meiosis, and variation. The team emphasizes the importance of selective breeding, avoiding defects, and the role of hybrid vigor. They also touch upon the significance of understanding and applying epigenetic principles to improve and maintain breed quality over generations.
Ep288 – What Can Go Wrong, Does Go Wrong
Kenny Troiano and his wife Nancy host a chaotic Friday night episode after audio/tech problems, shifting to a Q&A and announcements. Kenny previews upcoming guests: Mike Sayers (M&M Exhibition Poultry Podcast and President of the American Bantam Association) on industry standards and getting American Games into the APA Standard, plus Tony Saville, Kenny’s mentor, joining live to debate topics like breed standards, inbreeding, and white in wings/tails; other planned guests include Douglas Bruce, Jeff Duguay, and Jane Cowan (The Chuck Journal Podcast). Kenny notes he’s writing for the new magazine “Gamefowl Times.” In Q&A he argues nutrition supports health, but doesn’t change genetics, warns against unnecessary supplements and layer feeds, recommends Nutrena All Flock, discusses sex-linked traits generally, explains inheritance of leg color, factors affecting broodiness, and details concerns about recessive/progressive white causing weakness and reproduction issues, along with challenges preserving true Silver Duckwing color through correct hen selection.