Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Kaylish]

Speaking of contagious broody - 2 more of my girls were camped out in the nesting box's with the broodies this afternoon ...I'm actually hoping they are just messing with me cause I'm not sure how I'd accommodate 5 mamas with chicks.

 

[bumpercarr]

I have one 5 week old mix chick that has half a single comb in the front and the other half is a buttercup comb - just in a small version. I'm assuming that both comb types were dominant.

The single comb is not dominant. The buttercup comb comes from a duplex allele...really complicated for me to explain, but suffice it to say that it is incomplete dominant. This is why when crossed with a recessive single comb you will get a combination of the two. The single comb, rose comb, pea comb and the walnut comb are the only combs that are single allele traits. All other comb combinations come from two or more genes, usually located adjacent to each other and are much less predicable than the single allele traits.

Also, it is unlikely the that comb is fully developed at 5 weeks. You will have a better idea when the chick is about a year old what type of comb it actually has.

 

[ChickenLady2014]

So what happens in the genetics when you've got a pea comb parent (I'm assuming one gene) bred to a single comb parent, and the comb is a really funky pea comb neither single nor pea. I've heard a lot of breeders say that happens....

Curious.
LofMc

The single comb is not dominant.  The buttercup comb comes from a duplex allele...really complicated for me to explain, but suffice it to say that it is incomplete dominant.  This is why when crossed with a recessive single comb you will get a combination of the two.  The single comb, rose comb, pea comb and the walnut comb are the only combs that are single allele traits.  All other comb combinations come from two or more genes, usually located adjacent to each other and are much less predicable than the single allele traits.

Also, it is unlikely the that comb is fully developed at 5 weeks.  You will have a better idea when the chick is about a year old what type of comb it actually has.

Thank you bumpercarr for your speedy response, genetic stuff is so confusing to me.

 

[bumpercarr]

So what happens in the genetics when you've got a pea comb parent (I'm assuming one gene) bred to a single comb parent, and the comb is a really funky pea comb neither single nor pea. I've heard a lot of breeders say that happens....

Curious.
LofMc

I forgot to answer you. The pea comb parent is probably not a true pea comb, but if it was, that funky comb gene was in there somewhere. All my birds are supposed to be pea combs, but I certainly have my share of funky looking ones! LOL. And I'm breeding my own, so in theory I know their genetics. My littlest sister has stark white hair, no one else in the family (cousins....nowhere does it show up) has that color of hair. Where did it come from? Probably some ancestor 10 generations back. I wouldn't want to call her an anomaly, she'd probably beat me up, but she got that gene from somewhere. Same with the comb problem, it could be a modifier gene next to the pea comb gene or even another type of comb that had morphed into looking like a pea comb that wasn't truly a pea comb as it was bred with other comb types.

 

[StarMeKritten]

I put a bunch of ceramic eggs in one of the least used nest boxes the other day. I hoped it might tempt one of the hens to go broody. One of the girls has been parked on them all morning. She's acting rather ferocious and seems about twice her normal size. Her mom is an excellent broody so I have high hopes for her. We'll give it a few days and see if she sticks with it before I give her some real eggs.

 

[StarMeKritten]

I forgot to answer you.  The pea comb parent is probably not a true pea comb,  but if it was, that funky comb gene was in there somewhere.  All my birds are supposed to be pea combs, but I certainly have my share of funky looking ones!  LOL.  And I'm breeding my own, so in theory I know their genetics.  My littlest sister has stark white hair, no one else in the family (cousins....nowhere does it show up) has that color of hair.  Where did it come from?  Probably some ancestor 10 generations back.  I wouldn't want to call her an anomaly, she'd probably beat me up, but she got that gene from somewhere.  Same with the comb problem, it could be a modifier gene next to the pea comb gene or even another type of comb that had morphed into looking like a pea comb that wasn't truly a pea comb as it was bred with other comb types.

Every time I have crossed a pea combed chicken with a single combed one, we end up with the modified pea comb. It looks like a pea comb with single comb spikes along the ridges.

 

[Kaylish]

This is what 5 broodies look like...

 

[Kaylish]

Quick question - what do ya'll think would be the minimum time a 2nd time broody would need to sign before hatching eggs or being given chicks?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Quick question - what do ya'll think would be the minimum time a 2nd time broody would need to sign before hatching eggs or being given chicks?

If she was faithful, settled quickly, I only wait a couple of days watching if she is set like glue, then set eggs.

You get to where you can see the early "gathering" stage where they are on again, off again, but definitely getting ready to brood...then they set...stuck to the spot as if embedded in it...that only takes a day or two for me with an experienced broody to set eggs.

LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

This is what 5 broodies look like...

I love it..."So Ethel, how many have you got under you?...."What you got hatchin' Myrtel?" "I'm shootin' for day 20 ladies!"

LofMc