Brahma Thread

[mama2my4]

Here is a good example of vulture hocks - Notice the feathers hanging down from the back of his "knees."



This is much better - more like pantaloons.

Finally!! I get it!!

Thank you SO much!

 

[big medicine]

Thank you muchly for the photos! So - for those who are diligent and determined breeders of brahmas - do they cull everything that has vulture hocks and keep the ones that do not, for their breeding program? I would think that would be the only way to avoid having them at all in a certain lineage, yes? Ouch that'll be hard.

Vulture hocks is a recessive trait, meaning it requires two copies, one from each parent, for it to be visible in a bird. That bird having two copies will pass a copy to each and every of it's offspring.

A bird with only one copy will appear normal, but will pass a copy on to half of it's offspring. Two normal looking birds each carrying a single copy, if bred together will produce 25 % vulture hocked chicks carrying two copies, 50% normal looking chicks carrying a single copy, and the lucky 25% normal looking chicks with no copies.

Ideally a breeder should keep a pair off vulture hocked birds to test mate the normal looking birds to. If a normal looking bird bred to a VH/two copy bird produces any VH chicks, you know it is carrying a copy, and should be pulled from the gene pool. This is a sure way to determine who may be carrying, but will produce a bunch of chicks that also should not be allowed to breed. So very good marking, and record keeping is vital.

It is not easy, and definitely not for the tender hearted.

 

[CluckyCharms]

Vulture hocks is a recessive trait, meaning it requires two copies, one from each parent, for it to be visible in a bird. That bird having two copies will pass a copy to each and every of it's offspring.

A bird with only one copy will appear normal, but will pass a copy on to half of it's offspring. Two normal looking birds each carrying a single copy, if bred together will produce 25 % vulture hocked chicks carrying two copies, 50% normal looking chicks carrying a single copy, and the lucky 25% normal looking chicks with no copies.

Ideally a breeder should keep a pair off vulture hocked birds to test mate the normal looking birds to. If a normal looking bird bred to a VH/two copy bird produces any VH chicks, you know it is carrying a copy, and should be pulled from the gene pool. This is a sure way to determine who may be carrying, but will produce a bunch of chicks that also should not be allowed to breed. So very good marking, and record keeping is vital.

It is not easy, and definitely not for the tender hearted.

Thank you for taking time to explain it, I greatly appreciate it.

Is there some sort of blood test that could be run via a lab that would say 'yay' or 'nay' in regard to this gene by way of blood composition?

 

[chickee]

Thank-you Tim

They are still young, around 6 months old. Good to know that I am getting an eye for what to look for.

A few of my favorites out of my 8 Neff line bantam buff Brahma chicks. Am I on the right track?

 

[pgpoultry]

There have been some lovely pics. of Brahmas....I don't think any of mine come up to those standards.

However, for sheer size, my Mrs Grey probably takes the prize.....she's a whopper.

Here she is with my adult daughter....a very big and heavy arms full.


Oh...need I say...Large Fowl.

 

[Tim63]

There have been some lovely pics. of Brahmas....I don't think any of mine come up to those standards.

However, for sheer size, my Mrs Grey probably takes the prize.....she's a whopper.

Here she is with my adult daughter....a very big and heavy arms full.


Oh...need I say...Large Fowl.

Very nice. Thats what the large darks here lack....size. The better lights here are gigantic.

Glad you specified large fowl...I thought maybe your daughter was a dwarf holding a bantam!LOL

Tim

 

[CluckyCharms]

That chicken is enormous!! WOW she'd be a nice space heater to cuddle with.

So...how do you breed for size? I would assume you have to breed the largest eggs that hatch out - ? while still keeping tabs on genetic defects, vulture hocks, discoloring, and any other sub-par attributes?

:: wipes forehead :: I'm getting worn out just thinking about it.

 

[notinoz2007]

Quote:
i will make it my goal then to only breed future generations with my clean legged roo, however, i believe they are brothers from the same breeding pen so he could possibly carry vulture hocks as well? i will just be careful. i dont sell birds but i do give them away. whats funny is that i kept him (optimus prime) soley because of his vulture hocks, i thought they were fascinating, lol

 

[big medicine]

There is an old saying among breeders, "You will get what you will tolerate". Which I take to mean, any fault, or weakness, that you tolerate in your breeders will also be present, or possibly magnified in their offspring. So cull, and choose your breeders carefully.

 

[notinoz2007]

i have a few pictures that show vulture hocks pretty well



here you can see a picture of optimus at 5 days old, with vulture hocks shooting straight out, they grew in very fast. so thats what they look like in a chick.
his buddy there is a blrw


here he is fully feathered, around 2 months

he's 8 months now and molting.