Genetics of crossing Silver Penciled and Partridge Plymouth Rocks

[Turkeytom25]

What would happen if you cross two birds with on copy of the MH? I guess what you are saying is that even if I got eggs from you, I would still need a good quality partridge with both copies of MH to cross the first generation back too. If that is the case, I would rather just get some good partridge in the first place and use this method only if needed.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

You'd get half with one copy. Breeding those you get 1/4 with none, half with one, 1/4 with two. It doesn't express in the Silver. Just talking about the Partridge offspring. Those without it will be gold not red.

That's what I was saying. You are so much further ahead of the game if you start with the right stock. Also crossing lines or varieties can lead to headaches. It should be reserved for situations where a line needs help in some attribute and you won't get it any other way.

 

[Turkeytom25]

So if I got eggs from you, I could still manage to pull some partridge out just by crossing two birds with one copy and then recrossing the offspring that have one copy, at which point I would get a quarter of the offspring being good partridge with two copies of MH, right?
What stock are your Silver Penciled ones from? I have been looking at some of your pictures and they seem good.
Is there some kind of procedure that I could follow if I got eggs from you? It sounds like most of the offfspring from the pen that you described earlier would be silver and of the partridge or gold based ones that would come out, only half would carry the MH gene.

If we arranged a dozen eggs to be shipped how likely is it that I would get any partridge with the MH gene?

 

[Turkeytom25]

I have failed in my search for any other person with good Partridge, so it looks like it is narrowed down to you or Norman Ennis.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

PM me. I'll give you Norms # for you to reach out and see what he can do for you. The Northeast Congress poultry show is in January in Springfield MA that he attends with birds for sale.

My Rocks are a mixed bag at this point. I did things that in hindsight I'd certainly do differently and may in the future. All lines have different things needing work. Robert Murphy in Maine has the best Silver Penciled I've seen. I had stock from him. The flaw with them is size. My original Horstman's birds had issue with tail set, cushion and autosomal red. But I hatched out one nice and huge cockerel. In wanting size put him over Murphy's hens and in two generations got rid of autosomal red. That cross is where the comb sprigs started. Genreations since size went down some due to lack of selection for breeding good combs. Then by fluke I connected with Norm before he showed again after over a decade hiatus. I made mistake of waiting for doors to open for show and the other showman had bought up all the cockerels by then. Managed two fair pullets from him. Great tails, big birds. Was forced to cross again. Lost the original dams to mink before I could backcross. Last year had to breed the F1's due to loss of dams weeks before setting up the pen.

Pen that I'm starting to collect from today actually is F1 split cock over f1 hen, two f2 pullets and f2 partridge pullet that is dark.

The cock controls color in pullet offspring. HIm being split means 50% silver and 50% partridge pullets of which about half will be dark, carrying copy of MH.

There, clear as mud....lol

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Until I get a breeding pair from Norm I'm working what I have. In the future before these breeders pass on I will certainly try again on legitimate cross to improve the Silver. Will obtain best I can breeding pair from Murphy to preserve and maintain that line. Same with Norm's partridge. I'd cross these two lines, side project not all in, in attempt to improve size of Silver again. If issues ensue first year would only give it another year to see what panned out if continue or scrap it.

 

[Turkeytom25]

Thanks, but I already have Norm's number, so I can contact him. I will hopefully find a breeding pair at some point perhaps at the Ohio National if he attends.