Hybrid Vigor

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marksam
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Hybrid Vigor

Post by marksam »

Is it true that the first Belgian racing homers were bred from crossing a Scandaroon father with a Tipper hen?

Hybrid Vigor
Hybrid Vigor
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AdamArcher
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Re: Hybrid Vigor

Post by AdamArcher »

No. You've slightly misunderstood the diagram.

The original Belgian homers/racers were definitely produced by a great number of different hybrids: owl pigeons, Liege pigeons, Flying Antwerps, Dragoons, pouters, tumblers and many more. They would then continue to breed from the fastest and furthest homing birds, which eventually developed into the modern racing pigeon.

I believe this is a Hollander diagram (looks like his handwriting!) and he is saying that the homers came from such hybrids, not this specific hybrid.

It is also worth mentioning that the fancy breeds we have today that bear the same names as the "ingredients" that went into homers are quite a bit different now. They've also had 150-200 years of further development.
marksam
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Re: Hybrid Vigor

Post by marksam »

Adam, yes I got the diagram from a booklet written by Hollander. The booklet is called "Project on Genetics".
What is strange is that Hollander first talks about a term that Charles Darwin coined "Reversion" to the wild type.

So is it correct to say that the original Belgian homers/racers are a form of Reversion?
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