Lavender patterned Isabel duckwing barred - lavender brown cuckoo barred - project and genetic dis

[ChicKat]

Early on, I was very careful to keep track of the genetics....so I could have individuals as far apart genetically as possible.

Then when that TX A&M vet said that my flock had MS, I kind of dropped the ball.

Instead of totally 'giving up' I did one more breeding -- because that next generation was the one that would put the project over the finish line to have double-barred males (which gives this bunch their autosexing).

Still as of this point, I have enough stock left that I can definitely keep two different "families" going.

There is also the option of always introducing completely outside blood down the road should it be needed, it would take the project back to nearly the beginning for offspring of those pairings. Putting one of these males with an ordinary Legbar would provide splits that were double-barred for the males and single barred for the females -- and then the generation after that would give this variety again. That makes these males really the 'go to' guys for this variety.

I'm so glad that you brought up this question -- because it articulates the concept that I hadn't focused on. I think Maybe I'll make a trip to the chicken calculator to see if that's it according to Henk's software application.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

What is “MS”?

 

[Kiki]

Hey Kat have any other birds ever come down with MS symptoms yet?

 

[Kiki]

What is “MS”?

Mycoplasma synoviae Infection in Poultry - Merck Veterinary Manual

 

[RiverOtter]

I like him a lot.
At his age, I don't know if I'd get too upset over the comb. It might continue to grow and flop, but - and especially if he showed excellent, early maturing traits, as you've said - it might also be a by-product of his rapid development and firm up with age.

Personally, while breeding to a show standard is certainly a worthy goal, I wouldn't do it at the expense of excellent traits like fast maturity or excellent body width. Or, say, if I had a hen that was perfect show quality, and another not as nice, but molted quickly and laid through most of the winter, I'd take the productive bird and breed up.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I like him a lot.
At his age, I don't know if I'd get too upset over the comb. It might continue to grow and flop, but - and especially if he showed excellent, early maturing traits, as you've said - it might also be a by-product of his rapid development and firm up with age.

Personally, while breeding to a show standard is certainly a worthy goal, I wouldn't do it at the expense of excellent traits like fast maturity or excellent body width. Or, say, if I had a hen that was perfect show quality, and another not as nice, but molted quickly and laid through most of the winter, I'd take the productive bird and breed up.

I agree. He is a handsome boy and don’t ditch him because of one small trait that is outweighed by all of his excellent traits.

 

[ChicKat]

What is “MS”?

Yes KikisGirls put up an answer

Hey Kat have any other birds ever come down with MS symptoms yet?

Nope, no symptoms at all, -- The possible exception may be that some of the chicks in that October/November hatch session last year died as day-olds... Can not recall -- but it was something like -- (I'll have to look at the spreadsheet ) 32 chicks and 2-3 died...and that's something I'd never had before.

 

[ChicKat]

The other three cockerels have much better combs though, I'll try to get some pictures up in the next couple of days.

I agree with your both insights though... I'd pick the better layer too, and I would not ditch him because of one small defect!

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

If I lived closer to you and was able to have cockerels and roosters I’d love to have your culled birds as they’re so pretty. My plan for culled birds from my breeding flocks and any mixed chicks that I’ll hatch out of my layer flock is to try and rehome the cockerels and pullets and anyone who isn’t rehomed (most cockerels) will be raised up for food.

 

[ChicKat]

Originally that would have been a beautiful vision.

A 1928 presidential campaign slogan was 'a chicken in every pot, and a car in every back yard'. So they say, that was a bit before my time. Life was simpler then and that would have been a measure of huge prosperity.

To modernize it - how about ' A lavender patterned Isabel duckwing in every chicken yard'. ---

I wish that I could distribute these out -- but it would take a test to make sure that the MS was nolonger in my flock. Wonder if that is even possible.