Inbreeding

[muscovygirl]

I have a brother and sister muscovys. The hen just started laying her first eggs. I was wondering if it is okay for brother and sister to breed?

 

[chickkrzi]

Interested in a answer from someone with experience breeding ducks. I have some Welsh harlequins.

 

[Kimarie411]

I'm curious as well

 

[Allisha]

Well, I'm interested to hear the answer as I'm not exactly sure. But my ducks were either half siblingsor full siblings and they produced fertile eggs. I never thought of any consequences so I incubated them. Many of them hatched out(90% hatch rate) and they seemed very healthy. I sold them all before they were a month, so I don't knowhow they are faring now.

 

[Speceider]

Inbreeding isn't necessarily bad. If both parents have any deletarious mutations, they are more likely to be expressed because both parents potentially have the mutation. Continue too long and you lose genetic variation, which usually results in inbreeding depression, usually manifest by poor fertility (too many lethal gene combinations). It is usually better to outbreed, (if they are too different genetically, you an also get outbreeding depression), but for a generation inbreeding isn't the end of the world and you will not end up with 3-eyed ducklings.

Clint

 

[muscovygirl]

Thanks for info. I'm glad I wont be having any three eyed ducklings.