Inbreeding?

[Crayonsmom]

So, I know that when breeding rabbits, apparently it's ok to breed the offspring to a parent, but not to breed siblings. How foes it work with ducks? Or are they generally fine just breeding how they please?

 

[La Mike]

Doesnt really make a great deal but you do need to introduce new blood at least every 2 years IMO

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
Yes, it should be fine as long as you don't breed brother to sister.

When to add new blood depends on what kind of a breeding program you use.

Mitch

 

[Crayonsmom]

Good to know. Thanks, both of you!

 

[GotGame]

many people will breed brother to sister without any adverse effects, you just have to be aware that in the next generation or two you will have to bring in a little different blood. Anytime someone is making a new color, the first generation that you actually get the color, you breed brother/sister to lock the color in.....been done a lot

 

[Oldhound]

Inbreeding adds nothing new, it allows the recessive or hidden traits to surface. If there are unwanted traits such as infertility you will find that out. You will also find out what colors are hidden as recessives. Inbreeding in the right hands can be a useful tool but you have to be ready to ruthlessly cull the negatives or even the entire line if the problem it serious enough. A good book on the principles of genetics would be far more informative and helpful than a couple of sentences here. Inbreeding, linebreeding, outcrossing and backcrossing are all well proven methods of producing the desired results. Some breeders have found that all of these methods used in conjunction works for them and yet others have found sucess in only linebreeding or outcrossing. Best Wishes on your venture , it will be a great learning experience.

 

[GotGame]

very well put oldhound...but in the example I was giving, as in making a new color, you will be using birds from two different bloodlines, so making a cross, and then making the F1 to F1 cross of those offspring, that will be inbreeding, but they are also the result of the merging of two different bloodlines. So there shouldnt be any adverse effects as you might see through inbreeding within one family.

 

[Oldhound]

GotGame , I totally agree with you . Crayonsmom should not run into any flaws with the F1 crosses. Nor do I think that anyone should be afraid of "monsters" with close breeding. For many years I bred and exhibited dogs , inbreeding did not produce any worthwhile results with the lines that I was working with however. One of my mentors in the 60s told me that when he outcrossed he would then take a brother and sister from the outcross and breed them together , "to see what was there". Some of the breeders that I aquired my stock from were not open and forthcoming about the flaws (some serious) in their animals. Inbreeding allowed me to see what I was dealing with. Fortunately with poultry we can literally eat our mistakes , with dogs you can't. Some species can take a lot of inbreeding , other species and breeds within cannot take a high degree of inbreeding. I feel that it is up to each breeder of what ever animal to learn about the genetic make up of the animals that they are working with. Some of us take this breeding thing very seriously as did those who created all of the wonderful breeds of animals world wide. I've ranted too long . PS your birds are beautiful GotGame ! Bill

 

[GotGame]

thank you sir, I appreciate that. I too have learned the small amount I know of breeding and genetics through hounds....small world, aint it? Blueticks are the ONLY way to go

 

[PepsNick]

I'm not recalling which breed, but Walt Leonard (dist. 8 director for APA and judge) recommended it. I believe that it is somewhere on the Heritage LF Thread.

I might have copied it down into my heritage documents, I will go check.