Question about breeding birds

[mcdaid36]

Odd question, but.....
If you get a bunch of hens and one rooster from a hatchery, there is a likelihood of your chickens being from the same father at the very least, and possibly of the same mother. So if you go on to breed your flock, are there any problems with breeding a half brother with a half sister? Is there a concern of incest in chicken flocks?

 

[patandchickens]

No, it doesn't matter, not a concern.

You can usually breed totally within the same family for some generations before you get noticeable problems, and they're more likely to be of the 'decrease in fertility' variety than 'three-headed chickens'

There are a couple recent threads about brother-sister matings (use 'search' to find 'em) that go into the issue in much greater detail if you are interested.

Have fun,

Pat

 

[Tailfeathers]

Hi,

Most breeders will tell you to know in-line breed brothers and sisters. Father to daughter or Mother to son is ok but not brother to sister.

Do a little more research. I think you'll find that's true most of the time. I don't ever breed brother to sister.

God Bless,

 

[patandchickens]

The reasons why brother-sister matings are not used very much, whereas parent-offspring matings *are*, are discussed thoroughly in the other recent threads I mentioned.

Partly I think it is just traditional prejudice not founded on good reason, but chiefly it is because you will normally have a much better idea of the parent's genotype (what genes they're carrying), because they are older and also because they are usually already progeny-tested, then you are likely to have about a sibling. Older birds, already-mated, are a MUCH smarter bet because you've been able to cull them down to the best (both in terms of phenotype *and* what traits they pass on) whereas a younger bird -- i.e. the sibling of the one you're wanting to mate -- is much more a box o' unknowns.

It is NOT an inbreeding issue. The degree of inbreeding is identical in both cases.

(e.t.a -- also, if you look around, plenty of people DO get a single cohort of chicks from a hatchery or breeder and then just let 'em breed onwards from that. You don't necessarily get show birds that way -- more because of lack of planned selection than anything else -- but you can go for generations before running into any actual *problems*. So that SHOWS you it is not so bad.)

Pat

 

[Tailfeathers]

I don't have the time nor the desire to get into a long debate and start pasting links from this source or that on whether it is an "inbreeding" issue.

So Mcdaid36, I will just suggest once again to do as much research on your own as you can until you are satisfied with whatever you come up with.

As for me, I've decided to not breed brother to sister.

God Bless,