muffs/beards showing up out of the blue *pic added*

[georgialee]

I have a rooster that's an ee - no muff or beard. I crossed him with some hens (welsummers, marans, etc. - no bears/muffs) and now a good percentage of my chicks have beards & muffs. I'm happy b/c I love the way it looks but I really don't understand how it's happening. any ideas?

 

[nzpouter]

post pic of the roo...

 

[MrChicken207]

sounds like some double recessive genes or something. It would be pretty neat. I'd also keep all the pullets out of those crosses. Olive eggers.

 

[georgialee]

I'm definitely going to keep the pullets. It seems like it's the year of the rooster though... about 75% of the chicks I'm hatching from my own flock seem to be roos!

 

[georgialee]

Could it be possible that he used to have a muff/beard? I got him when he was already grown and he didn't have a muff/beard then. I can see in the pic that it looks like he has tiny little feathers growing from the skin. Could it be they were all plucked out when he was young by other chooks and never grew back? I'm honestly baffled.

 

[RAREROO]

Thats what I am thinking too, he has not wattles so he looks like he should be a bearded bird and you can see where the beard could fit in there, so I think he previous owner must have plucked his beard for whatever reason.

 

[nzpouter]

he seems bearded... small but bearded..

 

[Kittymomma]

I have a clean faced EE hen that lays olive colored eggs and some of her chicks have had muffs and beards. The roos were a SLW and RIR so I'm sure they got them from her. I bought her from the feed store as a chick and she didn't have a beard or muffs as a youngster either.

 

[HBuehler]

That's not the roo you got from me is it?

 

[HorseFeathers]

Looks like his muffs were pecked out!