So I'm *very* new to genetics and breeding guidelines. My flock now is just some EE mutts and I'm not looking to just jump into guideline breeding or anything, but I did have questions about genetics that maybe can be answered.
Question 1 -
One of my adult females has a crooked back tail. It leans slightly to the left. I thought it was because of a broken tail or something, as she belonged to someone else when I purchased her. She was missing tailfeathers until she molted, revealing her tail is crooked.
I hatched some babies this year and noticed that only ONE of my entire hatch of 12 babies, one hen has crooked tail feathers that lean about the same angle and to the same direction as my adult. I'm definitely under the assumption that she is the mom to this one hen. What could cause a crooked tail? Can a crooked tail really be genetic?
Question 2 -
Someone in a thread suggested that roosters with wide-leg spaces are desirable and that roosters with legs too close together aren't as desirable. What about the leg spacing makes a bird more desirable?
Question 3 -
I've looked up some genetics websites but they're above my knowledge level and I don't really understand it. Is there a place that, essentially, dumbs down the lingo and explains it to a novice really easily?
Question 1 -
One of my adult females has a crooked back tail. It leans slightly to the left. I thought it was because of a broken tail or something, as she belonged to someone else when I purchased her. She was missing tailfeathers until she molted, revealing her tail is crooked.
I hatched some babies this year and noticed that only ONE of my entire hatch of 12 babies, one hen has crooked tail feathers that lean about the same angle and to the same direction as my adult. I'm definitely under the assumption that she is the mom to this one hen. What could cause a crooked tail? Can a crooked tail really be genetic?
Question 2 -
Someone in a thread suggested that roosters with wide-leg spaces are desirable and that roosters with legs too close together aren't as desirable. What about the leg spacing makes a bird more desirable?
Question 3 -
I've looked up some genetics websites but they're above my knowledge level and I don't really understand it. Is there a place that, essentially, dumbs down the lingo and explains it to a novice really easily?