Fryemare,
Ameraucanas are suppose to have both genes for muffs and beards and when they only have one they will still be expressed visually. The single gene in Ameraucanas or other birds with muffs and beards can happen to anyone's line. It is a recessive gene. If it pops up you will need to test your birds especially the males and depending on how many hens you have with another bird that has no muffs and beards. I use Orpingtons to test my birds that way I test for muffs and beards and single combs also because they are all recessive genes, they are hidden and not visuable to the eye. If you test your birds and they are all single gene(by having offsprings without any muffs and beards) then you can either cull them all and start over or you can breed them together, cull them after you have young and then when the young are old enough test them all. You will get 25% double genes but you will have to test all the birds to screen them. This is time consuming but this way you know exactly what you are now working with. You will need to test every bird and hatch at least 10 chicks from each bird to give you birds possibly not hiding the recessive traits. This still don;t guarantee you 100% that you got rid of the problem but your chances are slim and if you get a bird without muffs and beards you have to do it all over again. Remember it takes the rooster and hen to make the bird without muffs and beards.
Reyvaughn,
Sorry that you feel you have been duped by someone. It happens a lot to beginners and hope you don;t get discouraged. Think positive you are getting birds from Paul just remember I tell everyone that you only get 1 out 10 chicks that are super. You will get some that are breeder quality. That does not guarantee you will not see the same defect or others. You will just have to progress to eliminate these defects. There are over 12,000 genes in a chicken with 39 pairs of chromosones so one needs to line them up the best one can. I have only sold one bird in 3 years and have culled a large amount. The culls never left my premises other than I gave 50+ birds away either to someone I was positive would not breed them, one person who will knows what she is doing and can pull some very nice birds, and a neighbor who I can monitor. Use to take them to several local auctions but they have plague me by showing up on the internet and selling eggs to the unsuspecting newbie. This is a great hobby and if you need any help feel free to PM. I really don;t like discussing breeding technics unless one is a member of one the clubs I belong to. You can also ask Pips&Peeps she has Wheatens I do not have them and not really got into their color genetics. I try to keep things simple with blacks, whites and Lavenders.
Ameraucanas are suppose to have both genes for muffs and beards and when they only have one they will still be expressed visually. The single gene in Ameraucanas or other birds with muffs and beards can happen to anyone's line. It is a recessive gene. If it pops up you will need to test your birds especially the males and depending on how many hens you have with another bird that has no muffs and beards. I use Orpingtons to test my birds that way I test for muffs and beards and single combs also because they are all recessive genes, they are hidden and not visuable to the eye. If you test your birds and they are all single gene(by having offsprings without any muffs and beards) then you can either cull them all and start over or you can breed them together, cull them after you have young and then when the young are old enough test them all. You will get 25% double genes but you will have to test all the birds to screen them. This is time consuming but this way you know exactly what you are now working with. You will need to test every bird and hatch at least 10 chicks from each bird to give you birds possibly not hiding the recessive traits. This still don;t guarantee you 100% that you got rid of the problem but your chances are slim and if you get a bird without muffs and beards you have to do it all over again. Remember it takes the rooster and hen to make the bird without muffs and beards.
Reyvaughn,
Sorry that you feel you have been duped by someone. It happens a lot to beginners and hope you don;t get discouraged. Think positive you are getting birds from Paul just remember I tell everyone that you only get 1 out 10 chicks that are super. You will get some that are breeder quality. That does not guarantee you will not see the same defect or others. You will just have to progress to eliminate these defects. There are over 12,000 genes in a chicken with 39 pairs of chromosones so one needs to line them up the best one can. I have only sold one bird in 3 years and have culled a large amount. The culls never left my premises other than I gave 50+ birds away either to someone I was positive would not breed them, one person who will knows what she is doing and can pull some very nice birds, and a neighbor who I can monitor. Use to take them to several local auctions but they have plague me by showing up on the internet and selling eggs to the unsuspecting newbie. This is a great hobby and if you need any help feel free to PM. I really don;t like discussing breeding technics unless one is a member of one the clubs I belong to. You can also ask Pips&Peeps she has Wheatens I do not have them and not really got into their color genetics. I try to keep things simple with blacks, whites and Lavenders.
