If you could start over in breeding *scenerio*

[SRSimpson]

I was hoping this might be fun for you ranchers and breeders and informative for us hoping to get into breeding. So here we go ~

This is a scenerio, pretend you are an experienced chin owner and have done your research. Assume you have all of the knowledge you have now, over however long you have owned chins and bred. You also have invested in cages, runs, food, supplies etc and have everything you need to start breeding. As well as funds set aside for vet bills. Now...

Let's say you have $1000 or just go with what you think is adequate to begin, all of this money is for breeding stock. Your current chins are either solely pets, or likely not of breeding quality. So armed with your current knowledge and this money what do you do? What breeding stock do you get? Standards only? A few mutations?

For example do you go to a show and spend 500$ on one chin, and 500$ on another, top quality and have one pair? Or go for a few first place chins? The idea is to make a smart decision in breeding stock and then as you save more money and get more experience expand.
** Please make up your own estimates of how much the chins would cost, based on experience at shows or those you have bought from other breeders, using costs for present day

 

[aznmexaggie]

I would spend as much needed for the absolute best quality standard male from a National show (I would expect around $500 based on previous purchases) and use the rest of the money for the best females I could find that would compliment him. It's pretty much what I already do every year or so at Nationals - buy the VERY BEST standard male I can get my hands on to improve my herd.

I'm fortunate I had many helpful ranchers here in CA who helped me start out on the right foot. For my first breeding pair, I bought the Grand Show Champion and a complimentary mate. Then at pretty much every show after that, I would pick up the best standard (or beige) available to add to my herd. I bred just standard and beige for the first few years and am glad I didn't go color crazy and buy all sorts of mutations because then I never would have made the progress I have.