Delaware genetics for dummies?

[math ace]

Quote:
NYREDS said

"Brassiness is a 1/2-2 point cut per section so your bird would start off losing several points before anything else was considered.
There are a variety of possible causes of this brassiness including age of the feather, amount of sun, feed [too much corn] & genetics. Hard to identify the cause for sure.
When I have bred white birds I always culled birds that tended toward brassiness.
Hope this helps. "

Here is a pic of my older roo that he was talking about

I could be wrong, but I think his "BARN" looks pretty good. However, the paint job is gonna need a LOT OF WORK!

 

[bt2000]

Math ace,

That is exactly what my roo looks like. "brassiness" Though mine is only about 9 months old.

What's he weighing in at?

 

[math ace]

Quote:
I just got this boy less than a month ago and he is still in quarantine. I haven't weighed him yet, but will try to do so this weekend. He is somewhere between 6 - 12 months old - - - don't know exactly, but will try to find that out too.

My younger roo at 5 1/2 months is showing some brassiness too. Not as much. . . but still brassy.

These guys had the same daddy, probably not the same mothers. . . .
YES, I do believe it is genetics at work again.

 

[bt2000]

So someone correct me if I"m wrong here.

If green legs is sexlinked. passed on by the roo.

A does that mean I can get another roo that possibly doesn't have this trait?

or does it mean that my hens have it and are passing it on to all the chicks?

right now with that chicks I've hatched I'm about to pull my hair out.

I've got green and yellow legged males and it looks to be all green legged females.

advice?

cull all?

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Could we get a picture of the green legged females and yellow legged males? I just want to see a close up of the legs . .. . before I post a reply

 

[bt2000]

Sure give me a bit and I'll see what I can do.

And they are as green as green can be.

 

[bt2000]

two different color legged males

two week old roo

5 week old female

5 week yellow legged male

father of all

example of mother hens in this hatch

 

[tnchickenut]

I find it odd how you all have green legs showing up and I have never seen green legs on any Del ever. Thanks for the pics on that BTW otherwise I wouldn't know exactly what shade of green you are talking about.

Math Ace, don't take this negatively. That isn't the worst Del roo in the world but I want to just show you what you should be looking for, so I took the liberty of using your photo and drawing on it.

The "Barn" should be more in the front and a better (less of) a angle in the back. The brassiness that dark will lose you some points in show, as mentioned. I have never seen brassiness that dark and especially that young. Usually I don't see brassiness until about a year old and after that you could have shown them once at least.

Here is your photo again with the chest drawn out (I'm not artist) and the tail angle defined. There is NO SUCH THING as a perfect specimen so don't take it as a negative, but as a learning tool to know what you need to look for. Shallow chests are very common in Delawares and the SOP calls for a bowl build.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
I am going to try to explain my understanding of one theory. Then the genetic people can come correct me or offer other suggerstions.

With the leg color - - -

The girls only have one gene and it comes from dad.
The boys get two genes one from dad and one from mom.

So, if you girls are SHOWING green legs - - - it means they got it from dad.
Dad could be carrying one or two bad leg color genes.
The YELLOW is dominant so it can cover or dominate the green. Just because you see YELLOW on the rule does not mean he is not hiding the recessive green.


If the cockerels are showing green legs - - - it means they got it from MOM and DAD
(One gene from each )

WHAT CAN YOU DO - - - DEPENDS on how much time you want to invest.

I would not use any green legged male. He has two sets of the gene and will influence all off spring.

You will need to keep one of those green legged girls. You will need her to test future males.


Use a yellow legged roo and a green legged female as your parents (P1 generation) . . ... . Then proceed as follows

a.) P1 - - -Tainted pullets with roo that phenotype is correct but genotype is probably not pure
Yellow legged roo and a green / dusky yellow legged female/


b.) F1 - - KEEP pullets showing correct phenotype and therefore correct genotype since it is sex link gene
Girls only get one copy of the gene - - - so if it looks good, then it is good!

c.) F2 - - F1 pullets crossed with P1 roo (Use good looking hens from the F1 generation and cross to yellow legged roo)
Second generation of chicks - -- Keep good looking pullets ( Again)
1/2 of the cockerels should be good from this hatching, but you will need to TEST them to FIND them

d.) F3 - - TEST MATE cockerels from F2 to P1 hen . . .
One by one - - -you have to test the yellow legged cockerels produced in the F2 generation.
Mate them to the pure P1 hens.

each mating that produces 100% correct colored chicks ( males and females) means that F2 male is good and carries TWO good genes

each mating that produces ANY green legged chicks means that the F2 male is carring a recessive green gene and SHOULD NOT BE USED in future breedings.
The pullets that LOOK good are good . ... . DO NOT KEEP any male chicks from this F2 male.

I have been TOLD that this should work. . . I will be doing this in my flock very soon. My flock is just getting old enough to lay eggs.

By the way - - - I think the daddy roo looks a little shallow . . . If you have another yellow legged roo that has a wider body, I would use him to start the process off. That way, you will be improving the "Barn" of your future flock WHILE eliminating the green legged issue.

 

[kathyinmo]

I have not hatched any green legged Delawares from my stock. However, I did hatch them from Jesse McDaniel eggs. I just chose not to deal with it, and I sold them all. I did ask a few people their opinions on the matter, genetic knowledgeable people, and they do feel it can be bred out. However, I do have some pale legged females. Claudia told me she had this in her flock, and it does continue with the chicks I have hatched.