Cockerel line verses pullet line

County Lodge · **Posted:** Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:15 am

I have heard and read a lot of breeders refer to pullet line or cockerel line in the same breed of chook. Quote 'that cockerel is from a pullet line which is why he has the problem of...........' or 'that pullet is from a cockerel line which is why she......'

Can someone explain the difference between pullet lines and cockerel line and who it fits in to breeding chooks such as light sussex, wyandottes, brahmas etc. :?:

pjh · **Posted:** Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:20 am

unfortunately with some breeds the standards are such that you can not breed show quality cockerals and pullets from the same mating

so the trend has resulted that you breed show quality hens with a rooster with a particular fault as that will give you show quality hens from that mating----this is a pullet breeding line

and of course to breed show quality males the same but the genders are reversed, a cockeral breeding line

unfortunately this has been carried on to such an extent in some breeds( gold and silver laced wyandottes for eg) that if you breed show quality males and females together you will not get show quality young of either sex

most people opt for pullet breeding lines----you then only need the one non show roo, but get many females to show

so there are very few show quality males in some breeds and very few cockeral breeding lines being kept

you can still show males from pullet breeding lines, but you should shw them as a breeding pair

the sussex have not gone down the same path as the wyandottes but it is heading there, breeders say to breed good coloured females pick a roo with---- etc----if it carries on cockeral and pullet breeding lines will eventuate

lengthy reply but hope it is clear enough without going into breed specifics, cheers pam

horses7 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:28 am

Hi Pam

Could you expand some on the breed specifics for Light Sussex

regards H7

greenaus · **Posted:** Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:31 am

pjh wrote:

lengthy reply but hope it is clear enough without going into breed specifics, cheers pam

I read all of it and I'm not even particularly interested in breeding for show.

Go on Pam, keep the info coming. If people aren't interested, they can scroll down or use their back button. :-D

pjh · **Posted:** Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:52 pm

First let me just say----I breed japanese bantams----and colour is not as important as in some breeds-----so what I know about sussex is from reading and what I have heard at poultry clubs and shows------I am no expert :lol:

As far as Light Sussex goes------apparently the size comes from the females, so you should use large females in the breeding pen-----some females do not show their true size until they mature but it is generally accepted that any female under2.5 kg at5 months is not going to be big enough.

continued mating of exhibition stock leads to a loss of black colour giving a washed out appearance or "pencilly" neck hackles.

colour is mostly determined by the male----so it has become common to use a male with some "smuttiness" over exhibition females to maintain good colour----these birds have a certain"colour reserve" another indication of "colour reserve" in males is the presence of ticking in the saddle hackles, but this should not appear on the exhibition male,only in the breeding pen

also along these lines avoid using a male with unsound tail colour----particularly white in the tail and to a lesser extent browniish grey or grey hue in the black parts

and if you have a male with black that joins in the front of the neck that is supposed to be good , have not seen one that actually joins, there always seems to be a small gap---so I guess the aim is the smaller the gap the better

Reference( for some comments)----exhibition poultry breeders handbook, rick kemp

It is a good book, would recommend it to anyone just starting out in exhibition poultry------------cheers pam

horses7 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:04 pm

Thanks Pam, that has helped heaps and will try and get a copy of the book

County Lodge · **Posted:** Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:07 pm

It is interesting.

When I bought my first light sussex trio (Larry and 2 girls 77& (neurotic78)). I was told he was from a cockerel line and the girls were from the pullet breeding lines. I hadn't thought much about it as none of it made sense to me at the time. I just wanted three really nice looking light sussex to start my first breeding program.

Since the purchase of these first birds I hvae breed quite a few light sussex. Most of the pullets have been very nice and I kept the best two but the boys have left a lot to be desired and all boys have been sold on. Do you think this is because the pullet line breeding had been established in my lot as I definately have better pullets than cockerals so far.

The cockerels have too much colour.

Kylie · **Posted:** Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:09 pm

Good information Pam, its very interesting information to use beginers who aren't so sure where or how to begin breeding especially how to attain good quality birds from our matings ect :-D

pjh · **Posted:** Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:22 am

County Lodge wrote:

It is interesting.

Since the purchase of these first birds I hvae breed quite a few light sussex. Most of the pullets have been very nice and I kept the best two but the boys have left a lot to be desired and all boys have been sold on. Do you think this is because the pullet line breeding had been established in my lot as I definately have better pullets than cockerals so far.

The cockerels have too much colour.

sounds like you have yourself a pullet breeding line

cheers pam

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