Breeding Crested Ducks

[chickens4me]

I have some crested ducks on order now from Ideal due NEXT WED.

The males & females will all be crested. To have babies ducklings next year with a crest, should I have non-crested & non-crested? Or should I stick with the all crested like I have....I can still call them & change my order quickly, but I better do it soon!

Thanks in advance for everyone's help!

 

[NewHopePoultry]

You need some uncrested ducks.
If you breed two crested ducks together, the ducklings will die in their shells, since its a incompletely dominant gene.
If a crested duck is bred to a uncrested duck, you should get 50% crested and 50% non crested.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Close but not right, the live crested ducks carry one crested gene and the other gene is un crested. If the egg ends up with two crested genes(about 50%) it will die in the shell. some of the eggs from a crestedxcrested will end up with just one crested gene (about 25%) and some (25%) will not have the crested gene. You should be able to figure why crested x non gives you the best yield of live crested ducks.

 

[NewHopePoultry]

Blah, I always get in a hurry and leave out words.
If a duckling recieves two doses of the crested gene, it will die in the shell
If only one parent passes it on, 25% wont hatch,25% wont have a crest & 50% will have a crest
If you breed a crested to a non crested, then you will get 50% crested and 50% non crested.

 

[chickens4me]

Thank you both! I have just changed my order because of your help. Hopefully, I will have some little ducklings now next spring.

 

[Wifezilla]

Cresteds look cool, but I wouldn't want to mess with the whole possible lethal gene. Especially when I saw photos of a double crested that hatched with its brain outside its skull

 

[chickens4me]

Wifezilla: OH. I wish I knew that before I ordered...that would be horrible.

But they are on their way now....I quess I'll see what happens in the spring....

Well, at least maybe I could have some eating eggs for my family?!?

 

[Wifezilla]

Eating eggs are no problem, you just have to be careful if you do any hatching.