Inbreeding issues

[K0k0shka]

I sent you a message with a pic of my newest lady, Felicity, I hatched, it may give you a new avenue and new hope!

Ooooh! Gonna go check it out now.

 

[NatJ]

I've always wondered, if supposedly in-breeding isn't such a big deal in chickens, then why do purebred chickens (especially the ones coming from small hobby breeders) have so many issues. I have all but given up on my favorite breed and color variety, because they've had SO many health problems - from poor hatch rates, to early deaths, heart problems, physical deformities, etc.... and they all came from a small hobby breeder with small gene pools.

It sounds like yours do have a problem.

This is one of those "it depends" situations. Some levels of inbreeding are fine. Some higher levels of inbreeding are fine in some cases but not in others.

I can't remember where, but I once saw a statement that inbreeding concentrates all the traits of the animals or plants involved: the good traits and the bad ones. So whether it causes problems at all, and how soon the problems show up, will have a lot to do with what traits are being concentrated.