Fertile eggs?

[NatJ]

Whats the chance of beardless and muffless chicks from him? He seamed to have 2 of the gene, so im guessing really low, so how do you tell if the chicks are low bearded and muffed vs non.?

If the father has 2 copies of the muff/beard gene, he must pass it to every chick he sires.
Do you know if both his parents have muffs & beard?

Chicks with a muff & beard often have a puffy face when they are very young, and of course they grow feathers there as they grow up, but I've had some go through an in-between stage when it was hard to tell.

 

[Cool_Catrules456]

If the father has 2 copies of the muff/beard gene, he must pass it to every chick he sires.
Do you know if both his parents have muffs & beard?

Chicks with a muff & beard often have a puffy face when they are very young, and of course they grow feathers there as they grow up, but I've had some go through an in-between stage when it was hard to tell.

I do not know if his parents did, but I assume so. Judging by how large it was. Some of the chicks look to be clean faced. Only 3 have noticeable beards and muffs. All though the chicks could just have smaller beards and muffs It is hard to tell though.

 

[NatJ]

I do not know if his parents did, but I assume so. Judging by how large it was. Some of the chicks look to be clean faced. Only 3 have noticeable beards and muffs. All though the chicks could just have smaller beards and muffs It is hard to tell though.

Muff/beard is a dominant gene, and I'm not sure whether two copies makes any difference to how big it is. I think it more likely that some other gene controls the actual size of it.

If he has only one copy of the gene, and the hens are clean faced, I would expect half the chicks to be clean faced too.

I remember you had some clean-faced hens, but I don't remember if you also had some with muff/beard. Of course a chick can also inherit muff/beard from any mother that has it.

 

[Cool_Catrules456]

Muff/beard is a dominant gene, and I'm not sure whether two copies makes any difference to how big it is. I think it more likely that some other gene controls the actual size of it.

If he has only one copy of the gene, and the hens are clean faced, I would expect half the chicks to be clean faced too.

I remember you had some clean-faced hens, but I don't remember if you also had some with muff/beard. Of course a chick can also inherit muff/beard from any mother that has it.

No, at the moment I have a muffless and beardless easter egger (who has yet to lay). And the size of it should be controlled by how many copies of the gene they have, or at lest thats what some people say in other threads about breeding them. I guess I will just breed his bearded and muffed daughter’s back to him. That should give some of the chicks two copies, or at least I think so.

 

[NatJ]

No, at the moment I have a muffless and beardless easter egger (who has yet to lay).

In that case, you should be able to tell his genes fairly easily by looking at his chicks: if half the chicks have clean faces, you know he's only got one copy of the gene. But if all chicks have muff/beard, after you've got a certain number of chicks, you can be pretty sure he has two copies of the gene.

And the size of it should be controlled by how many copies of the gene they have, or at lest thats what some people say in other threads about breeding them.

I'm not an expert on that particular gene, so I can't tell whether that is right or wrong.
But you might be able to check it by seeing what your chickens produce.

I guess I will just breed his bearded and muffed daughter’s back to him. That should give some of the chicks two copies, or at least I think so.

Yes, some chicks from that mating should have two copies of the muff/beard gene.

 

[Cool_Catrules456]

In that case, you should be able to tell his genes fairly easily by looking at his chicks: if half the chicks have clean faces, you know he's only got one copy of the gene. But if all chicks have muff/beard, after you've got a certain number of chicks, you can be pretty sure he has two copies of the gene.


I'm not an expert on that particular gene, so I can't tell whether that is right or wrong.
But you might be able to check it by seeing what your chickens produce.


Yes, some chicks from that mating should have two copies of the muff/beard gene.

I will wait until all the chicks are fully feathered before guess anymore on their beards and muffs. I have 7 from him now, is that enough to tell? Cause I have a hard time telling small beards and muffs from clean faced chickens at the age they are now. Im better at it when they are 9 weeks -11 weeks. Like the SLW one has a really clear beard and muffs. So does the buff chick and one of the white babies. The rest I can’t tell.

 

[Cool_Catrules456]

Also the SLW is definitely a pullet, she is allmost 8 weeks old, no signs of any male traits, and comb is a nice pink, no red, just pink.

 

[NatJ]

I will wait until all the chicks are fully feathered before guess anymore on their beards and muffs. I have 7 from him now, is that enough to tell?

If you get any with clean faces, you will know for sure the father carries the gene for clean face.

If every one of those 7 has muffs & beard, there is a very good chance the father is pure for the muff/beard gene.

How the math works:
With clean faced mothers, if the father has one gene each way, the chance of getting NO clean faced chicks is:
1 chick, 1 in 2
2 chicks, 1 in 4
3 chicks, 1 in 8
4 chicks, 1 in 16
5 chicks, 1 in 32
6 chicks, 1 in 64
7 chicks, 1 in 128

It's the same as the chances of having them all be males, or all be females. It's not impossible to hatch 7 chicks and have them all be one gender, but it's pretty unlikely. And it's pretty unlikely that all 7 chicks will have muffs & beard if your cockerel is carrying the gene for clean face.

 

[Cool_Catrules456]

Here, I will take pictures of all his chicks ans lets play bearded or clean faced.

Assisted white chick

healthy white chick

older white chick.

silver orpington.

Buff orpington.

GLW male.

and lastly our SLW female.

 

[Cool_Catrules456]

All the chicks are bearded and muffed but the white leghorns(s?), does that mean anything? Or did I just get very lucky with the beards and muffs? (I cant tell if the smaller baby is bearded)