Need Advise on Genetics! Please.

[draye]

I have a, what I think is a hen about 20 weeks old. (S)he sings like a hen, but looks like she has saddle feathers. Do hens get them sometimes?

Would you ( if you had her) use her for breeding. Reason I'm asking is that she is a very beautiful tricolored. Dark red, either black or a very dark blue with white mottling. She came from two Naked Neck parents but obviously they both carry only one naked neck gene because she turned out fully feathered. I would like to try to create this color of Naked Neck.

Any advise would be very much appreciated.

 

[Wisher1000]

If you are creating a new color, use her. You can use what ever you need to use in project birds. Good Luck!

 

[draye]

Just wondering if I would be passing along bad genes.

 

[enola]

A picture would help us help you decide if he/she is breeding material.

 

[draye]

Right now there is what I have I'll try to get something better late tomorrow. I'll be busy the first part of the day.



As you can see the comb looks about right for a hen.
I'll see if I can get some of the tail and saddle feathers.

 

[Wisher1000]

I've never seen a naked neck like that before........

 

[draye]

That happens when both parents carry only one Naked Neck gene. Also the mottled doesn't happen unless each parent carries the mottling gene. The father was salmon colored and the mother was a mottled partridge.

 

[draye]

Okay here are a few more pictures I just took.

Right side saddle feathers. Left side Saddle feathers

A little bit better head shot to show the comb and waddles.


So what to you think a hen or cockerel? Has not tried crowing and still squawks and sings like a hen.

 

[keesmom]

Interesting bird. While there are late blooming cockerels I don't think this one fits the bill. And hens never have saddle feathers. I wonder if this one has sex organs of both genders, albeit underdeveloped, but enough for both genders to show.

 

[draye]

Interesting bird. While there are late blooming cockerels I don't think this one fits the bill. And hens never have saddle feathers. I wonder if this one has sex organs of both genders, albeit underdeveloped, but enough for both genders to show. 

This was kind of my thoughts on it. Wondering if it is a she woukd she actually lay eggs. I just don't know if I should even try to keep it.