Not too big. I have 7 hens and 1 rooster, and I likely won't use all the hens for breeding, especially not the one with the swept-back crest. There are 2 that have no crests and 1 with no beard that I might test breed to see what comes out as I've heard that crests and beards should be dominant, and the rooster has both. There are 3 hens that I definitely plan to use for breeding, that have both fairly nice crests and beards. All of them could use work on their spangling though.
This guy traveled 1877 miles and looks tired but he is an absolutely amazing specimen of the Appenzeller Spitzhauben......Thank you so much Carla Allen!.......you have worked the Spitzhaubens to show quality!...........................................chrisf
Not too big. I have 7 hens and 1 rooster, and I likely won't use all the hens for breeding, especially not the one with the swept-back crest. There are 2 that have no crests and 1 with no beard that I might test breed to see what comes out as I've heard that crests and beards should be dominant, and the rooster has both. There are 3 hens that I definitely plan to use for breeding, that have both fairly nice crests and beards. All of them could use work on their spangling though.
I've read that beards are incomplete dominance. If you cross a beardless hen with a bearded rooster you will get small beards, and they will pass on the recessive beardless gene.
Quote:
Not too big. I have 7 hens and 1 rooster, and I likely won't use all the hens for breeding, especially not the one with the swept-back crest. There are 2 that have no crests and 1 with no beard that I might test breed to see what comes out as I've heard that crests and beards should be dominant, and the rooster has both. There are 3 hens that I definitely plan to use for breeding, that have both fairly nice crests and beards. All of them could use work on their spangling though.
I've read that beards are incomplete dominance. If you cross a beardless hen with a bearded rooster you will get small beards, and they will pass on the recessive beardless gene.
It APPEARS that crests work the same way.
However, eventually, that recessive gene should show up almost nill.
It's been a week now for these guys at their new home....it's taking them a while to acclimate to the NY climate from Texas, but today was nice and warm in the 50s so they were out sunning and eating grass, and yes Carla, that is snow on the wood pile in the background!...........................................................chrisf