Genetic Markers for Broody Line

[centrarchid]

I set out almost a decade ago to develop a line to be used specifically for incubating eggs and rearing chicks in a free-range setting. Getting real close to having final product. It needs to be loaded with genetic markers I can use to distinguish even the hybrid with the other lines this group will help me raise. A secondary benefit is the line will be visually striking so as good for use in demonstrations with the public.

Characters setting them apart from other lines are all dominant. Characters as follows:
Silver allele (sex-linked)
Toppy (autosomal)
Blue-legged
Peacomb
Some sort of extended brown (autosomal)

Male side that is still het for blue-legged, extended brown, and silver allele.

Female side that is het for blue-legged and and the extended brown.

 

[The Moonshiner]

What improvements have you seen from the beginning till now?
Interesting subject. I've been experimenting with different breeds. One of the reasons I tried to look into games. Unfortunately the gamefowl threads don't contain much actual info on them.

 

[ANightPerson]

Beautiful birds! How many lines/breeding pairs do you have? Is this a project that you're hoping to sell and try to eventually make breed status?

 

[centrarchid]

What improvements have you seen from the beginning till now?
Interesting subject. I've been experimenting with different breeds. One of the reasons I tried to look into games. Unfortunately the gamefowl threads don't contain much actual info on them.

I gave up on the game fowl threads.

No real improvements with this effort other than getting closer to fixing genetic markers.

 

[centrarchid]

Beautiful birds! How many lines/breeding pairs do you have? Is this a project that you're hoping to sell and try to eventually make breed status?

I have one strain (been in family for a long time) represented by three line-bred families. Each family is represented by between 6 and 8 adults of each sex. I breed only one family in mass each year where > 50 birds taken up to first adult feather set.

This "broody strain" represents a fourth effort that is not what I would call an outright strain as nothing being done to preserve genetic variation. I can refresh it later. I was not setting out to sell, but easily could. Most extras to date have been eaten or given to 4H youth. Next year I will like produce a good 30 juveniles to get maybe 1/2 dozen keepers. Most of the culls will pass as eye candy and be in very good health.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I've had all the regular known broodies but have found the free range and raising the chicks to be the hurdle.
Oddly enough I've been using some left over BCMs that ended up in my laying flock the last two years.
They have room for improvement but I've actually been impressed. They hatch 2 and sometimes 3 clutches a year and cover 13 or so large eggs.
Ive got about 80% survival rate with 24/7 free range. Not as high as I'd like but leaps and bounds higher then the silkies or cochin ever did.
I'm gonna start selective breeding the few I have with hopes to focus and improve on all the aspects of brooding and rearing come next year.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Looks like your broody line has some cresting in them. Did you cross in Silkies early on?

 

[centrarchid]

I've had all the regular known broodies but have found the free range and raising the chicks to be the hurdle.
Oddly enough I've been using some left over BCMs that ended up in my laying flock the last two years.
They have room for improvement but I've actually been impressed. They hatch 2 and sometimes 3 clutches a year and cover 13 or so large eggs.
Ive got about 80% survival rate with 24/7 free range. Not as high as I'd like but leaps and bounds higher then the silkies or cochin ever did.
I'm gonna start selective breeding the few I have with hopes to focus and improve on all the aspects of brooding and rearing come next year.

I would like to see 80% survival but averaging in the very wet years, average survival barely beats 50%. I want the white hens so I can find them at night when they roost on ground.

 

[centrarchid]

Looks like your broody line has some creating in them. Did you cross in Silkies early on?

They are straight game and not far removed from pit fowl from all parents. They are about 1/4 each of my lines A and B with remaining half coming from a pullet that was a cross between muff and toppy lines. Since that original pullet was homozygous for toppy, I think she was not an F1.

 

[centrarchid]

This guy is close to what I want male side to look like later.
Bullstag breeding plumage.

Start of eclipse molt following summer.