4 week Bantam Cochins - still young, but any thoughts on sex/frizzle?

[Chooksaurus]

I know they are awfully young to try sexing, but what do you think? My hunch is 2 cockerels, 4 pullets, but I am pretty new at this. They were all hatched within 24 hours on October 17th-18th.

Also, am I right in thinking that I have 2 regular Cochin and 4 Frizzles?

 

[KellyHM]

I see at least 2 boys and possibly a third. Definitely 4 frizzles and 2 smooth. Just keep in mind when they grow up that you can't breed frizzle to frizzle.

 

[Chooksaurus]

Quote:
Uh-oh...looks like I have some research to do. Is there a short answer to why you can't go frizzle/frizzle? Do they end up frazzled?

Any roosters will most likely be processed or re-homed, but if that little black one ends up male, it will stay. My daughter already named it, so it is permanent.

 

[KellyHM]

Quote:
Uh-oh...looks like I have some research to do. Is there a short answer to why you can't go frizzle/frizzle? Do they end up frazzled?

Any roosters will most likely be processed or re-homed, but if that little black one ends up male, it will stay. My daughter already named it, so it is permanent.

If you breed frizzle to frizzle you do actually get a frazzle!!

The problem is their feathers are very brittle and don't grow well, they're usually sickly, and they die very easily. So it's better not to hatch them.

 

[chickenlittle32]

They will end up frazzled. Which will make the feathers very brittle..and even thin..

 

[Chooksaurus]

Quote:
Uh-oh...looks like I have some research to do. Is there a short answer to why you can't go frizzle/frizzle? Do they end up frazzled?

Any roosters will most likely be processed or re-homed, but if that little black one ends up male, it will stay. My daughter already named it, so it is permanent.

If you breed frizzle to frizzle you do actually get a frazzle!!

The problem is their feathers are very brittle and don't grow well, they're usually sickly, and they die very easily. So it's better not to hatch them.

Wow, that was funny! (Guessing the name without knowing about it, not the condition.)

I'll have to keep that in mind if we end up keeping a rooster and do any hatching. I know I can find it through research, and will do some later, but are frizzles a recessive trait that the double recessive ends up as an issue?

This will make a wonderful Monday morning discussion for my 8th grade science class. We are wrapping up our genetics & evolution unit and I brought in the two chicks in picture #2 as a demonstration of variations in offspring.

 

[KellyHM]

Quote:
If you breed frizzle to frizzle you do actually get a frazzle!!

The problem is their feathers are very brittle and don't grow well, they're usually sickly, and they die very easily. So it's better not to hatch them.

Wow, that was funny! (Guessing the name without knowing about it, not the condition.)

I'll have to keep that in mind if we end up keeping a rooster and do any hatching. I know I can find it through research, and will do some later, but are frizzles a recessive trait that the double recessive ends up as an issue?

This will make a wonderful Monday morning discussion for my 8th grade science class. We are wrapping up our genetics & evolution unit and I brought in the two chicks in picture #2 as a demonstration of variations in offspring.

Frizzle is actually a dominant trait. So if you breed 2 frizzles together (both which are heterozygous) you will get 25% homozygous smooth, 50% heterozygous frizzled, and 25% homozygous frizzled (frazzle). If you breed a frizzle to a smooth you still get 50% frizzled and 50% smooth, with none of the frazzles.

 

[Chooksaurus]

Awesome information! Thanks for the prompt replies, it will be a really nice connection for the kids.

 

[natkev]

i see two possible roosters their and are frizzles