Ayam Cemani Test Breeding

[nicalandia]

I was in the process of separating the first roo and upon closer inspection his fibro expression is only about 80% (guess) so my expectations for the first hatches would appear at this point to be subpar, nothing like the majority of his offspring. My assumption at this point is he is the culprit of leakage in a few of the offspring; roughly 1:14 ratio. So my question for now is; all of my breeder hens show excellent fibro expression. Can their offspring deliver the Fm-2 even though the roo could be an Fm-1?

Hens are easier to melanized and Fm is only one of the genes responsible for the full phenotype. I suspect mulberry Face and other enhancers are at play

 

[nicalandia]

Sebright and Sumatras breed for mulberry Face but I suspect Cemani Also carry the mutation too

 

[Blue Eager]

Thank you nicalandia. It's certainly a relief to know there are several factors at play and that there is still hope for a successful outcome.

 

[Blue Eager]

The last of the 14 eggs for this first trial have been placed into the incubator. It is a bittersweet day and one I will not soon forget because unfortunately roo #1 will be culled. On the bright side, he in tandem with my new hens have produced excellent offspring. His contribution first and foremost has been helping to eliminate "floppy combs". This was one of the major issues with local stock. I have high hopes for his sons. They have all the characteristics at this stage I have been hoping for since this venture began.

 

[Blue Eager]

Update; 10 of the 14 eggs candled positive.

 

[Blue Eager]

I have approximately 20 AC hens that qualify for this trial. Can anyone offer suggestions as to how to keep track of each one without having to stand guard the entire time? For example; does each egg have a footprint, similar to a fingerprint?

Just thinking ahead...

 

[NatJ]

Can anyone offer suggestions as to how to keep track of each one without having to stand guard the entire time? For example; does each egg have a footprint, similar to a fingerprint?

Sometimes you can tell which egg came from a certain hen because she lays longer ones, or rounder ones, or speckled ones, or ones of a different color. But if they're all the same breed, they're likely to be pretty similar.

I assume you've got leg bands or some way to identify each hen?

I can't think of any really good methods, but here are the less-than-perfect things I thought of. Maybe one of them will suggest a better idea for you.

Individual cages are one option--either all 20 at once, or just a few at a time, and then a different few the next week (takes less cages, but more time from beginning to end.)

If you put them in cages, you have the option of letting each hen out after she lays her daily egg, then putting her back before the next morning (maybe after dark, because it's easier to grab them off the roost.) That way they don't have to spend all their time in cages.

If you have other chickens, you could put one Ayam Cemani hen in a pen with Easter Eggers, one in a pen with Marans, and so forth (any pens of chickens that lay different-looking eggs, and that don't have a rooster in the pen.) Of course, being put in a pen with others is stressful for the hens, so that may not work too well.

I've read of trap nests--hen goes in, lays egg, cannot get back out. Then you go out every hour or so to collect the eggs and release the hens (being sure to note which egg came from which hen). That might be a little easier than standing there watching all day, but probably not much easier.

 

[Blue Eager]

Thank you NatJ. All good suggestions. It appears most online information on the topic leads to a trap nest. My three hen houses all have trap doors. Perhaps once the egg cubicles are occupied I can close the door and photograph each hen and band accordingly. Just seems a bit overwhelming at this stage. 20 hens totals 200 eggs.

Here's a couple of photos of one of those trap doors...

 

[NatJ]

It appears most online information on the topic leads to a trap nest. My three hen houses all have trap doors. Perhaps once the egg cubicles are occupied I can close the door and photograph each hen and band accordingly.

Putting leg bands on the hens is a one-time thing--just catch them sometime and put the bands on (grabbing them off the roosts at night is one option, trapping them in the coop for easy catching is another option, but no need to wait for them to be on the nests at the time.)

Trap nests have a door on each individual nest, to trap each hen, every time she lays an egg. Then you take out the egg, take out the hen, look at her leg band, and write that on the egg. (She might be #16, or she might have the red band, or whatever system you come up with.)

With trap nests, the hen is stuck inside the particular nest until you let her out (no food, no water, not much space to move). Which is why they have to be checked every hour or so, to avoid having a hen in there too long.

Trap nests are different than having a trap door on the coop.

Just seems a bit overwhelming at this stage. 20 hens totals 200 eggs.

Yes, that is a lot!

I don't know if it would be easier to do a few at a time, or do them all at once and be done!

 

[Blue Eager]

Banding isn't an issue. They all come to me when I'm near them. They have all been given quite a bit of attention since birth. All of the grow-outs currently have bands identifying pullets and roos and to distinguish between visual levels of fibro.

I think I will look into the trap nests in more detail to see which seem best and most economical. I'm the type individual that's hard to convince making purchases for a one time event. However, I can see additional uses over an extended period of time.

BTW; each of the nesting boxes are seperated. So there's no confusing which hen lays which egg...

Thanks.