Araucana thread anyone?

[n8ivetxn]

George texted me last night, he'll be sending my chicks on Monday - they'll be here before Thanksgiving

. Can't wait to see what I get, lol, its like an early Christmas

 

[Potoooooooo]

Hello! I have a question for you Araucana breeders. I've heard of the lethal ear tuft gene for these birds. (EtEt) Is it possible to hatch a homozygous ear tufted Araucana? What would I need to do to help it hatch?

 

[n8ivetxn]

I'm new to all this stuff, so I'm not 100% certain this is correct, but to try and answer your question; I think it is possible to hatch a homozygous ear tufted Araucana - However, if I'm right, people have said they tend to be weakly or slow developing..... something to that effect.

IF I'm remembering correctly. Again, I'm really new to this stuff, so I could be thinking of something else.

For the second part of your question; I don't think you can DO anything to help them hatch. Most of them die at day 18 or 19. I haven't found any university studies that demonstrate why this happens, but I do know they are looking at it.

I read somewhere here that breeders should expect to lose (roughly) about 25% of eggs in any given clutch.

Good luck with your birds!

 

[Potoooooooo]

@n8ivetxn
Interesting. I've heard of one that grew up all the way to sexual maturity, and was bred, but was never duplicated. Funny thing is, this specimen led a very short life.

 

[n8ivetxn]

I have more chicks coming!

Mr Lombardi is shipping me 4 that are 8 weeks old, and 2 that are 6 weeks old.... I should be getting them day before Thanksgiving .... He said one of them has doubled tufts

He indicated that his stock came from Nancy Utterback. I'm excited to have them, in case you can't tell

 

[n8ivetxn]

@n8ivetxn
Interesting. I've heard of one that grew up all the way to sexual maturity, and was bred, but was never duplicated. Funny thing is, this specimen led a very short life.

Yeah, it's an interesting phenomena. I don't think I've heard of anything like this in other animals.... However, I'm not really a genetics expert. Right now I'm trying to get a couple of books on the subject.....

 

[bullets]

I have more chicks coming!  Mr Lombardi is shipping me 4 that are 8 weeks old, and 2 that are 6 weeks old.... I should be getting them day before Thanksgiving .... He said one of them has doubled tufts

He indicated that his stock came from Nancy Utterback. I'm excited to have them, in case you can't tell

Woo hoo!

Doing a happy dance for ya!

:]

 

[Akrnaf2]

Hello! I have a question for you Araucana breeders. I've heard of the lethal ear tuft gene for these birds. (EtEt) Is it possible to hatch a homozygous ear tufted Araucana? What would I need to do to help it hatch? 

The lethal gene in araucana kills 100% of the homozygots and almost 20% of the heterozygote this dominant Autosomal gene causes some severe abnormalities in the embryonic development of the head, it couses an incomplete fusion between the hyoid and the mandibular bons, cause a dysfunctional skull and death.

 

[n8ivetxn]

I'm hoping to get some this week I totally agree it's so challenging to hatch them esp shipped if you can get chicks that's the way to go w/ this breed.

Did you get some chicks ordered? - Were you looking at Mr Lombardi's chicks, or another breeder?

 

[n8ivetxn]

The lethal gene in araucana kills 100% of the homozygots and almost 20% of the heterozygote this dominant Autosomal gene causes some severe abnormalities in the embryonic development of the head, it couses an incomplete fusion between the hyoid and the mandibular bons, cause a dysfunctional skull and death.

Yeeess, now I remember - the abnormal skull development.... thank you for clearing that up.


..... How did this bird ever make it this far?!