interesting mutation -- naked chick

[Krys109uk]

I think there are a few other genes which can have similar effects & which are not lethal.

I've had chicks hatch with similar looking rather 'strange' down. It was clearly genetic as these chicks only turned up in one line. The feathers grow apparently normally &, by the time the bird is adult one could not tell it from the 'normal' downed birds. I've looked at various genes described in Poultry Breeding & Genetics but none of the genes described really seem to fit.

The closest description was described as matted down & said to be polygenic. It did not say whether the matted down birds feathered up with 'normal' feathers.

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
Two that David Hancox have suggested are "porcupine" and "stringy". The pic he sent me of porcupine doesn't match my chick -- I haven't seed stringy yet. At hatch, the chick looked like the picture "B" in that first link I posted.

Kev -- I only have two paragraphs about the n mutation, and it doesn't mention the scales. According to what I've got, the mutation affects the feather follicles.

 

[walkswithdog]

Ione only you would hatch a "Rex" chicken... I hope he makes it. I'd like to see what happens with mature feathering.... Here's hoping.

 

[Kev]

I've also hatched chicks with strange short, sparse looking down, probably what is called 'clubbed down'. Says it's an incubator issue however it shows up in hen hatched chicks too. They always feathered out normally.

If it affects follicles how come its wing feathers are feathering out normally? Same size, shape etc as the other normal downed chick?

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
Maybe it'll turn out to be something different, maybe it just doesn't affect the primaries......I dunno!