Occasionally, you will have to bring a bird in to cross with your own family because you have to be on your guard for any deterioration in your own birds. This is usually to be found in a little loss of the original size, often noticeable first in the cocks head starting to look a little on the henny side.
When you think such a cross has become necessary, look for a bird from a similar sort of family that has been created on the same lines as your own, and the owner will probably be only too pleased to exchange a pair of young birds from his best with you. Give these a try and pair them to your own birds, but don't get too involved until you see they are performing alright, then, in any case, breed them out again. They will have done their job and renewed the vigour in your loft.
By R Adair of Adair & Sons
Winners Derwent Valley Federation
Combined Average Trophy 1976, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982
As reported in Squills 1984
