Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[NatJ]

I haven't a clue how the white ring around their necks and tail fan will present in the offspring.

Comets have Dominant White (turns all black to white.) But because they are a hybrid, there is a very good chance that they only have one copy of the Dominant White gene. So half their chicks would get it, but the other half of their chicks would have black markings like you want.

Most of the red sexlinks (like your Comets) have a Rhode Island Red father, so that's one half of what they'll be adding to your chicks.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Comets have Dominant White (turns all black to white.) But because they are a hybrid, there is a very good chance that they only have one copy of the Dominant White gene. So half their chicks would get it, but the other half of their chicks would have black markings like you want.

Most of the red sexlinks (like your Comets) have a Rhode Island Red father, so that's one half of what they'll be adding to your chicks.

I suspect there's a lot of RIR in Hoover's "Rainbows" as well, which are also part of the breed stock.

That said, if I do set just Comets, we can certainly test some theories here, the Dom white birds will be easy to cull out, and worse to worst, it only sets me back a few weeks.

I think you've convinced me.

and half the flock are looking really ragged right now - all my original breeders are at either 13 months or 14, and didn't molt this winter, so I'm expecting a lot of ugly birds, very soon. Their combs are getting pale, and legs in many cases are almost white, and of course the beaks are bleaching out as well.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

So... was expecting to make this update tomorrow, but when did Chicks ever stick to a calendar???

Phase 2, Hatching 01 ("Pretty Boy" aka Sneezy over...) had 9 fertile eggs of 12 set. Most of the fertile eggs are beige/cream (meaning I can't ID the mamas), but I do have one of the darker brown shell I know to be a Comet mama. Several have externally pipped today, and i expect photos of at least a few in the next 8 hours or so.

That means P01-04, Spot, Stripe, Splotch, and Sprawl will be moving to the grow-out pen and "see and be seen" run attached to the barn, starting today. Pictures in the comments above from a couple days ago, I'll get weights as I move them out.

Because I have so many cream colored eggs, and because Sleepy of P01-02 (the green-tinged black pullet of Sneezy's hatching) isn't laying as of last check at 22 weeks, a few days back, I'm strongly considering setting nothing but Pretty Boy over Comet eggs this time around, which will take a few days to gather - I've set two aside already, still warm, from my girls this AM, but only get 7-8 every three days between the three remaining Comets, so it will take five days to fill the incubator, most likely.

On the plus side, I'll be crossing with a known very early maturity breed with a good sized egg, and good red in the feathering. Single comb, clean legs, good skin pigmentation. On the down size, I'll be crossing back with the darkest egg shell, my smallest birds, and I haven't a clue how the white ring around their necks and tail fan will present in the offspring. Nor do they have any barring, penciling, or lacing. I feel like I'd be taking a big step backwards, but my Comets are hitting 14 months of age, I expect to cull them soon.

Open to the collective wisdom of the community here...

As @NatJ said, comets (aka red sex links) have a single copy of the dominant white gene. I’m expecting your hatch to give you whites with red leakage (like a white version of your rooster), blacks with red leakage, red columbians (like the comets but without the white), and dom white red columbians (like the comets). Of course, you’re breeding some pretty mixed birds, so you’ll likely get unexpected results as well.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

First. Almost solid black, tiny bit of white at the wingtips.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

As @NatJ said, comets (aka red sex links) have a single copy of the dominant white gene. I’m expecting your hatch to give you whites with red leakage (like a white version of your rooster), blacks with red leakage, red columbians (like the comets but without the white), and dom white red columbians (like the comets). Of course, you’re breeding some pretty mixed birds, so you’ll likely get unexpected results as well.

Liking the black with red leaks, the red columbians, and the wtf??? possibilities. Im convinced, i'll use all Comet eggs this time if i can sort them. Wouldn't mind the Rainbows, but can't id their eggs...

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Liking the black with red leaks, the red columbians, and the wtf??? possibilities. Im convinced, i'll use all Comet eggs this time if i can sort them. Wouldn't mind the Rainbows, but can't id their eggs...

Have you considered using food dye?

 

[NatJ]

i'll use all Comet eggs this time if i can sort them. Wouldn't mind the Rainbows, but can't id their eggs...

Do you have the option of penning them separately for a few days so you can collect their eggs? Once you've got enough to fill the incubator, you could let them mingle with the others again.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

P2-01 #2

"Blue", not black. More underbelly color, which is more yellowish than white. Same white tips on the wings. And it has little yellow "eyebrow lines", under and slightly forward the eyes. Eggshell was ever so slightly lighter in color creamy-beige instead of beigey-cream.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Do you have the option of penning them separately for a few days so you can collect their eggs? Once you've got enough to fill the incubator, you could let them mingle with the others again.

Because I free range them, and because my fences are only 4' tall, no. Not unless I lock them in the original hen house. Which I could do, actually. There's more than 100 sq ft under it they could use, plus the 80 sq ft of house... My six Rainbows could tolerate that for a couple days.

So, yes. Hatching after next hatching. We'll do all Rainbows, instead of all Comets.

 

[black_cat]

I may begin following along on this, but I just had to pop in and say that every. single. time that I see the title, I get very excited to read about actual lemonade making, and then I remember that this is a breeding thread lol