Breeding Same Family......

[chicken-keeper]

I am thinking of breeding with 12 golden comets...... i will get a cockeral (ideally a golden comet too) and fertilise the eggs..... TRY ! and hatch them..... then when the chick's mature enough..... say if i get 2 cockerals and 2 hens can i breed the 2 cockerals and the 2 hens to have more chicks?? Could i even breed the cockerals with my original group of 12 golden comets

Thanks

 

[Mahonri]

Sure, you can do that.

... but they won't all be sex linked.

 

[StrawberryHouseMouse]

yeah. chickens arent like dogs and cats. it will take a LOT of inbreeding to get issues.

 

[chicken-keeper]

Quote:
dose this only mean you cant tell the difference at birth.... ie cockerals are yellowish and the hens a brownish..... or dose this mean more.......

Quote:
Oh good ..... as i thought id read somewhere you cant breed with the same "family" of hens.,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Its called 'line breeding' and their is ample information on the subject contained both in BYC and through google.

 

[chicken-keeper]

Quote:
thank you..... will do some "googleing" now

 

[Crest Acres Girl]

There is a difference between line breeding and in-breeding. From what I have learned, line breeding- In some cases is breeding mother to son, father to daughter, and in most cases breeding grandfather to grand daughter etc. In-breeding= close relatives are bred such as sister and brothers. I have learned from my own experience to never breed sisters and brothers together since that is where all the problems comes from.

"There is no better way to improve your flock than with Line-breeding, BUT there is also no better way to ruin a flock."

 

[speckledhen]

I've bred brothers and sisters as well as half brothers and sisters with no terrible consequences. The only real issue is when both have the same genetics and then, bred to each other, you intensify the traits. If they are both shining examples, you can certainly breed them to each other.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

I've known breeders who both line bred and in bred for YEARS and YEARS without problems. Its all in the planning...

 

[chicken-keeper]

OK so if i get cockerels when i hatch some eggs later on this year..... how long after they are hatched can they start reproducing what is the recommended age? And how do i tell if they can fertilize the eggs properly........ So its best of with the cockerels to let them breed with there mums rather than there sisters?

Thanks