Crest?

[GeekiTurtle]

My one chick has this little crest. None of the other chicks from the same brood have a crest. Will the chick keep the crest or will ot flatten when older?

 

[Perris]

It will keep it. Some others may develop one in due course. What are they and how old are they?

 

[GeekiTurtle]

It will keep it. Some others may develop one in due course. What are they and how old are they?

They're about 4 weeks old and they're Boschvelders

 

[Perris]

That breed is a new one to me and apparently a new one per se, bred from 3 African varieties (Ovambo, Venda, and Matabele) which are also all new to me but sound like landraces, so there are probably a wide variety of genes at work in your Boschvelders. The gene for crest is autosomal incomplete dominant, meaning it will show if present, with a dosing element in my experience. Some of my birds have shown they've got the gene from hatch, but others only reveal it when their adult plumage comes in. That's why I said more may develop one in due course.

They are attractive birds. They look like the red version of the Swedish Flower, also a landrace, also sometimes crested, and which form the foundation of my flock.

 

[GeekiTurtle]

In South Africa the Boschvelder is one of the main homesteading chickens due to being very successful free rangers. They are also great brooders and then mothers, which allows continuation of the flock.

The gene for crest is autosomal incomplete dominant, meaning it will show if present, with a dosing element in my experience

That's interesting because from my understanding the breed doesn't come with crests usually and I don't think the parent stock had any crests, so this might be a mutation.