317 episodes
- Today, we're sharing a prerecorded conversation I had with Brian Reeder about Progressive White, a deleterious trait that is affecting many poultry breeds and varieties, particularly American Games.
Unfortunately, many breeders either don't believe Progressive White is a problem or are intentionally breeding to perpetuate the trait within their bloodlines. Even more concerning, there is a movement to have American Games accepted into the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection with Progressive White encouraged within the standard. In our opinion, this would only accelerate the deterioration of the breed rather than preserve it.
Following my discussion with Brian, you'll also hear a conversation I had with Tony Saville. I wanted Tony's reaction to Brian's insights and his perspective on the issue. I believe Tony's experience and opinions provide valuable insight that every serious breeder should consider.
Ever since Brian Reeder and I introduced the concept of Progressive White, it has sparked considerable discussion throughout the poultry and gamefowl communities. The response has been both encouraging and controversial. Many breeders have embraced the information and are working to eliminate Progressive White from their breeding programs, while others continue to deny its existence or defend its presence. Regardless of which side they take, the conversation has certainly created ripples throughout the industry.
My hope is that this episode encourages breeders to take a closer look at Progressive White and reconsider how they select and breed their fowl. This is only the beginning of a much larger educational effort.
I am currently developing an article and educational program devoted entirely to Progressive White. Brian Reeder has been an invaluable resource throughout this process, helping ensure that every conclusion is scientifically sound and accurately presented.
At the same time, I have been carefully studying the opposing viewpoints. I want to understand every argument made in favor of retaining Progressive White or minimizing its impact so I can fairly evaluate those claims against the available scientific evidence. So far, I have yet to encounter an argument that withstands careful scrutiny.
Once I complete the Breeders Academy course on Progressive White, I'll adapt that material into magazine articles, social media content, a Master's Class presentation, and future podcast episodes. My goal is to make this information accessible to breeders at every level.
Ultimately, our mission is simple: to provide breeders with the knowledge and tools they need to eliminate this harmful trait from their breeding programs and help preserve these remarkable breeds for future generations.
Thank you for joining us.
Now, sit back, enjoy the conversation, and judge the evidence for yourself.
#PoultryBreeding #Gamefowl #AmericanGame #SelectiveBreeding #PoultryGenetics #ProgressiveWhite #GamefowlBreeding #BreedersAcademy #ChickenBreeding #PreserveTheBreed #MastersClass #BredToPerfection
Make sure to follow and watch our future shows. We plan to dive deep into the world of breeding and genetics, nutrition and health management, and provide essential tips, so you too can create high quality strains. Whether you're breeding domestic chickens, gamefowl, or various types of livestock, this show is for you.
Watch Bred to Perfection Live - Friday's at 6 PM PST / 9 PM EST on YouTube - Join Kenny Troiano and guests as they explore advanced breeding techniques, poultry nutrition, health management, and genetic sustainability-all with one goal: helping you create high-quality, long-lasting strains.
See ya there!
Kenny Troiano
Founder of "The Breeders Academy"
We specialize in breeding, and breeding related topics. This includes proper selection practices and the use of proven breeding programs. It is our mission to provide our followers and members a greater understanding of poultry breeding, poultry genetics, poultry health care and disease prevention, and how to improve the production and performance ability of your fowl.
If you are interested in creating a strain, or improving your established strain, you are in the right place.
We also want to encourage you to join us at the Breeders Academy, where we will not only help you increase your knowledge of breeding and advance your skills as a breeder, but improve the quality and performance of your fowl.
If you would like to learn more, go to: https://www.breedersacademy.com - Join Kenny Troiano and his co-hosts, Nancy Troiano and Frank Bradley – as they talk about the Art of Selective Breeding, and what it takes to create a strain. We address issues that affect breeders, just like you. In this episode of "Bred to Perfection Live," we are going to discuss questions that I have asked my followers and members on my Facebook Page to contemplate, and today we are here to answer those questions. This is a show you do not want to miss!
We specialize in breeding, and breeding related topics. This includes proper selection practices and the use of proven breeding programs. It is our mission to provide our followers and members a greater understanding of poultry breeding, poultry genetics, poultry health care and disease prevention, and how to improve the production and performance ability of your fowl.
If you are interested in creating a strain, or improving your established strain, you are in the right place.
We also want to encourage you to join us at the Breeders Academy, where we will not only help you increase your knowledge of breeding and advance your skills as a breeder, but improve the quality and performance of your fowl.
If you would like to learn more, go to: https://www.breedersacademy.com Ep297 – Building a True Strain: The Long Game of Creating a Consistent and Lasting Line
2026/07/06 | 58 mins.What does it really take to build a bloodline that lasts generations?
In this episode of Bred to Perfection, Kenny and Nancy Troiano uncover the long-term strategies behind creating a true breeding strain of chickens and gamefowl. If you're tired of unpredictable results and want to establish a flock that breeds uniform, consistent, and reliable offspring, this episode is for you.
You'll learn:
How to select your ideal foundation pair ("Adam & Eve")
What makes a strain "true breeding" and how to know you've achieved it
Why introducing new blood can destroy your progress
The power of inbreeding, line-breeding, and clan mating (when done right)
How the Founder's Program can help you reach your goals faster
And why patience, selection, and biosecurity are non-negotiable
Whether you're just starting your journey or looking to refine your strain, this episode will give you the tools and mindset needed to breed with purpose, and leave a legacy in your poultry yard.
Don't just breed birds. Build a strain.
#BredToPerfection #PoultryBreeding #ChickenBreeding #GamefowlBreeding #TrueBreeding #BloodlineDevelopment #LineBreeding #SelectiveBreeding #BreedingStrains #HeritagePoultry #PoultryGenetics #BreedWithPurpose
Make sure to follow and watch our future shows. We plan to dive deep into the world of breeding and genetics, nutrition and health management, and provide essential tips, so you too can create high quality strains. Whether you're breeding domestic chickens, gamefowl, or various types of livestock, this show is for you.
Watch Bred to Perfection Live - Friday's at 6 PM PST / 9 PM EST on YouTube - Join Kenny Troiano and guests as they explore advanced breeding techniques, poultry nutrition, health management, and genetic sustainability-all with one goal: helping you create high-quality, long-lasting strains.
See ya there!
Kenny Troiano
Founder of "The Breeders Academy"
We specialize in breeding, and breeding related topics. This includes proper selection practices and the use of proven breeding programs. It is our mission to provide our followers and members a greater understanding of poultry breeding, poultry genetics, poultry health care and disease prevention, and how to improve the production and performance ability of your fowl.
If you are interested in creating a strain, or improving your established strain, you are in the right place.
We also want to encourage you to join us at the Breeders Academy, where we will not only help you increase your knowledge of breeding and advance your skills as a breeder, but improve the quality and performance of your fowl.
If you would like to learn more, go to: https://www.breedersacademy.comEp296 - Bloodlines Under Threat: What Every Breeder Needs to Know About Avian Leukosis
2026/06/29 | 58 mins.In this eye-opening episode of Bred to Perfection, hosts Kenny and Nancy Troiano sit down with Dr. Rodrigo Gallardo, veterinary pathologist and avian disease expert, to uncover one of the most dangerous and overlooked threats in poultry breeding: Avian Leukosis Virus (ALV).
Whether you're building a high-performance gamefowl strain, preserving heritage bloodlines, or improving your backyard flock, ALV could be silently sabotaging your work. In this must-listen episode, we dive deep into:
What Avian Leukosis Virus really is - and why it's not "just another disease"
The difference between ALV and Marek's Disease (stop confusing the two!)
How vertical transmission through the egg silently spreads ALV
Why most infected birds look healthy - but can still ruin your strain
The four classes of ALV infection- and which birds are safe to breed
Real-world strategies to test, cull, and breed for resistance
The critical role of biosecurity, quarantine, and record keeping
How top breeders are eliminating ALV and future-proofing their flocks
Dr. Gallardo also shares insights from the Gamefowl Wellness Program in Southern California and explains why targeted health and breeding strategies are more important than ever for today's breeders.
If you care about your birds, your program, and your reputation as a breeder, this episode is essential listening.
Because breeding isn't just about what you can see - it's about eliminating the threats you can't.
Listen now on your favorite podcast platform!
Want to learn more? Join the Breeders Academy for exclusive content, mentorship, and disease-prevention tools.
#GamefowlBreeding #AvianLeukosis #PoultryHealth #BredToPerfection #Biosecurity #SelectiveBreeding #ChickenBreeding
Make sure to follow and watch our future shows. We plan to dive deep into the world of breeding and genetics, nutrition and health management, and provide essential tips, so you too can create high quality strains. Whether you're breeding domestic chickens, gamefowl, or various types of livestock, this show is for you.
Watch Bred to Perfection Live - Friday's at 6 PM PST / 9 PM EST on YouTube - Join Kenny Troiano and guests as they explore advanced breeding techniques, poultry nutrition, health management, and genetic sustainability-all with one goal: helping you create high-quality, long-lasting strains.
See ya there!
Kenny Troiano
Founder of "The Breeders Academy"
We specialize in breeding, and breeding related topics. This includes proper selection practices and the use of proven breeding programs. It is our mission to provide our followers and members a greater understanding of poultry breeding, poultry genetics, poultry health care and disease prevention, and how to improve the production and performance ability of your fowl.
If you are interested in creating a strain, or improving your established strain, you are in the right place.
We also want to encourage you to join us at the Breeders Academy, where we will not only help you increase your knowledge of breeding and advance your skills as a breeder, but improve the quality and performance of your fowl.
If you would like to learn more, go to: https://www.breedersacademy.com- A discussion that addresses the Challenges, Standards, and Solutions
Bred to Perfection: The Progressive White Problem, Standards Debate & Breeding Q&A
In this episode, Kenny Troiano and his wife Nancy return and provide updates and announce that Tony Saville will be back on June 12 for a multi-episode discussion tackling some of the most debated topics in the gamefowl world, including inbreeding and the American Gamefowl standard.
Kenny shares his frustration over a heated Facebook dispute involving a group to push a new American Gamefowl standard into the APA's Standard of Perfection. He breaks down his objections to their proposals, ranging from the light red/yellow leg variety and pea comb inclusion to allowing progressive white and renaming the breed "American Pit Game." Kenny explains why true standards must be built on uniformity, consistency, and repeatability, and why defects like progressive white should be bred out, not accepted.
The conversation expands into the importance of breeder mindset, the difference between "pure families" and performance-based selection, and the long-term consequences of ignoring genetic fundamentals. Kenny also outlines his plan to collaborate with Brian Reeder to produce educational material focused on understanding and eliminating progressive white.
The episode wraps up with a lively Q&A session covering practical breeding challenges, including:
Feather picking in chicks
Managing skittish behavior
When and why to cull birds at any age
Building strains from trios or crosses
Color genetics, including spangled and blue varieties
Packed with strong opinions, real-world experience, and actionable advice, this episode sets the stage for next week's in-depth debates, while delivering valuable insights for breeders at every level.
#PoultryBreeding #Gamefowl #ChickenGenetics #BreedingPrograms #AmericanGamefowl #PoultryStandards #SelectiveBreeding #BackyardPoultry #ChickenBreeders #LivestockGenetics #HomesteadingLife #AvianGenetics
Make sure to follow and watch our future shows. We plan to dive deep into the world of breeding and genetics, nutrition and health management, and provide essential tips, so you too can create high quality strains. Whether you're breeding domestic chickens, gamefowl, or various types of livestock, this show is for you.
Watch Bred to Perfection Live - Mondays and Fridays at 6 PM PST / 9 PM EST on YouTube - Join Kenny Troiano and guests as they explore advanced breeding techniques, poultry nutrition, health management, and genetic sustainability—all with one goal: helping you create high-quality, long-lasting strains.
See ya there!
Kenny Troiano
Founder of "The Breeders Academy"
We specialize in breeding, and breeding related topics. This includes proper selection practices and the use of proven breeding programs. It is our mission to provide our followers and members a greater understanding of poultry breeding, poultry genetics, poultry health care and disease prevention, and how to improve the production and performance ability of your fowl.
If you are interested in creating a strain, or improving your established strain, you are in the right place.
We also want to encourage you to join us at the Breeders Academy, where we will not only help you increase your knowledge of breeding and advance your skills as a breeder, but improve the quality and performance of your fowl.
If you would like to learn more, go to: https://www.breedersacademy.com
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About Bred to Perfection
Bred to Perfection is a podcast that will help you to master the art of selective breeding, and become a master breeder of chickens and gamefowl. The podcast is hosted by Kenny and Nancy Troiano. Kenny Troiano has more than 40 years of experience, and has authored two books on the subject of breeding. If you are interested in creating, maintaining, and improve your strain, this is the place for you.
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