Crested gene questions

[redhen]

I'm having someone hatch out a few of my duck eggs..
I have 2 crested drakes...and 4 non crested hens.
So far he's had 5 ducklings hatch..and none are crested.

Why is this?
isnt the crested gene dominant? I dont have any crested hens on purpose because i heard if you breed 2 crested together that it can be fatal... is this true? thanks!

 

[becky3086]

If you breed crested to crested supposedly 25% will die in the shell. However, I just had someone test some of my crested to crested and they hatched all 6 that developed and 4 are crested, so apparently the 25% doesn't happen all the time. I myself have one of these chicks as well and it is crested too.

 

[rainplace]

The hatch is crested to noncrested.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

The crested gene is passed on to 50% of offspring on average, the larger the group of offspring the closer you will come to the 50% average. In a small group the odds could be way off just by chance. Dominant just means it will show if a duckling was one of the 50% that inherited it. That's opposed to recessive which refers to a trait that can be passed along but not show unless it is recieved from both parents.
One thing about the crested trait is that sometimes there are crests that are so small that they are not noticable. But a duck with a crest like that can still pass a visable crest on to it's offspring. That's still not the same as a recessive gene though.
I hope that wasn't too confusing.

 

[becky3086]

Quote:
I understood that. I was answering the third question.

 

[Bleenie]

I had a non-showing crested runner drake that bred to my buff hen(no crested genes) and had the cutest little crested duckling, she was the only one (showing anyway) out of at least 25 eggs I hatched early this year before we lost paco.

i think it's just a game of chance... ya get what ya get.

I am *hoping* to get some cutie pie cresteds' next year from the lady that i rehomed my crested ducks to. but it'll be the opposite of you, smooth drakes over crested hens.

 

[redhen]

Thanks for all the help guys!