Larkwell Valley (2023)

[Canadian Wind]

So you think it's pure Mallard derived?

I do. You wouldn't happen to know how long it incubated for would you?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I do. You wouldn't happen to know how long it incubated for would you?

I have absolutely no idea. Definitely at least 5 weeks, but eggs were being snuck in a lot so it very well could be a newer egg than what she started with

 

[Canadian Wind]

I have absolutely no idea. Definitely at least 5 weeks, but eggs were being snuck in a lot so it very well could be a newer egg than what she started with

Yeah, I had a few like that too. I need to have some isolation nests so that doesn't happen in the future!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Yeah, I had a few like that too. I need to have some isolation nests so that doesn't happen in the future!

I have to fix the wire in the pen wall where she was nesting. It gave way at the bottom so the birds can go in and out through the hole from the main aisle

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Had a Hawk slice open one of my Littles. Looking at her, you wouldn't think anything was wrong, but she had a pretty deep gash on her chest to right by her crop. Think it's starting to heal now, I'm honestly amazed her crop and everything looks intact. Only a tiny bit of blood too, I honestly just thought she had been pooped on the first few days before I noticed that there was a... hole in her fluff when she turned her head away

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@NatJ , @Amer and any other genetics people,

If I have some pullets, who is less likely to cause genetic issues as a male for chicks: Their possible father or known half brother (who's dad is a completely unrelated male)

 

[NatJ]

@NatJ , @Amer and any other genetics people,

If I have some pullets, who is less likely to cause genetic issues as a male for chicks: Their possible father or known half brother (who's dad is a completely unrelated male)

Short answer: I don't know. I've never been good at figuring rates of inbreeding, even if I'm pretty good at figuring individual genes.


Stream-of-consciousness rambling as I tried to think it out:

In this case, with no other information, I would probably call it a toss-up. Breeding back to the father will increase his genes in the chicks, breeding to the half-brother will increase the genes from the mother that he & the pullets share. If one parent of the pullets is giving a particular gene you don't want, then of course you want to avoid increasing genes from that parent. But if you do not know which parent might have genes that cause trouble, you don't know which to choose.

I suppose breeding back to the father will mean chicks have 1/2 to 3/4 of their genes from him (depending on which genes the pullets give), with the other 1/4 to 1/2 of genes tracing back to the pullets' mother. Breeding to a brother would mean chicks have anywhere from none to all of their genes from the shared mother (depending on which genes the pullets give the chicks, and which ones the cockerel gives the chicks), with the other genes tracing back to two different roosters (one on the pullets' side, one on their brothers' side). So that might make the brother a better choice? Then again, you know he is the brother, but you are unsure if the "father" really is their father, so maybe go with him?

You could hatch some chicks each way and decide which set are better (either divide the pullets between two breeding pens, or breed them all to one rooster and later the other.) If you are trying to reduce how many roosters you have, or how many chicks you hatch, of course that is not a helpful idea

As a practical answer, maybe pick the male that has more traits you want in the chicks, and hope for the best.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Short answer: I don't know. I've never been good at figuring rates of inbreeding, even if I'm pretty good at figuring individual genes.


Stream-of-consciousness rambling as I tried to think it out:

In this case, with no other information, I would probably call it a toss-up. Breeding back to the father will increase his genes in the chicks, breeding to the half-brother will increase the genes from the mother that he & the pullets share. If one parent of the pullets is giving a particular gene you don't want, then of course you want to avoid increasing genes from that parent. But if you do not know which parent might have genes that cause trouble, you don't know which to choose.

I suppose breeding back to the father will mean chicks have 1/2 to 3/4 of their genes from him (depending on which genes the pullets give), with the other 1/4 to 1/2 of genes tracing back to the pullets' mother. Breeding to a brother would mean chicks have anywhere from none to all of their genes from the shared mother (depending on which genes the pullets give the chicks, and which ones the cockerel gives the chicks), with the other genes tracing back to two different roosters (one on the pullets' side, one on their brothers' side). So that might make the brother a better choice? Then again, you know he is the brother, but you are unsure if the "father" really is their father, so maybe go with him?

You could hatch some chicks each way and decide which set are better (either divide the pullets between two breeding pens, or breed them all to one rooster and later the other.) If you are trying to reduce how many roosters you have, or how many chicks you hatch, of course that is not a helpful idea

As a practical answer, maybe pick the male that has more traits you want in the chicks, and hope for the best.

Okay, that makes sense, thanks. I have two pullets with polydactyl, and their brother doesn't, so I know he's from a different male. I want to try and keep the polydactyl trait, but the father of those two pullets is absolutely not staying

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Little grey call drake has a pair of nippers! Penned him up with the other two and he pinched me pretty good. Left a bruise immediately. At least its a tiny one, but wow I wasn't expecting that

 

[Canadian Wind]

Okay, that makes sense, thanks. I have two pullets with polydactyl, and their brother doesn't, so I know he's from a different male. I want to try and keep the polydactyl trait, but the father of those two pullets is absolutely not staying

I bred a pure Silkie roo to a few hens in the spring, and not all the offspring had the polydatylly, and not all of them have the feathered legs.