Question re: genetics affecting egg production numbers?

[nao57]

So I was curious to ask this to the group...and wonder what you think?

If I have a particular duck breed and then mix it with another one, typically how much does the egg production vary in mixing of 2 breed types? (And is it typically at a certain percentage change for mixes usually?)

Is this a good strategy for bringing up egg production numbers for breeds that would normally be considered the lower egg production numbers? And does it matter when mixing them if the higher egg production genes should come from the drake or the female duck?

And I'm also curious to ask which duck breeds are supposed to have the best mothering traits? (I haven't seen much on this, although I have seen a lot of 'X breed tends to have poor mothering instincts' on several types that I've read about.)

Also, its quite fascinating to discuss agricultural science with you all. Thanks so much.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

In the book Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks by Dave Holderread it says egg-laying ability seems to be a sex-linked trait. The actual quote from the book is on p.108-9 and says, "At a poultry research station in the Caribbean during the 1970s, my students studied many sex-linked crosses as we searched for combinations that might produce useful birds for subsistence farmers is developing countries. We found that any cross using Khaki Campbell drakes out of high-producing strains produced marvelous laying ducks, no matter what breed their mates were (excluding Muscovy)." He goes on to list how many eggs the hens of the different crosses laid. In the discussion of hybrids on p.106 he says, "If you decide to produce hybrid ducks, it is important to understand that cross (AB) can look and perform differently from cross (BA). For example, when Khaki Campbell drakes from a high producing strain are crossed with Black Cayuga ducks, their sons will be black, whereas the daughters will be chocolate and capable of laying approximately 300 eggs per year. In the reciprocal cross of Cayuga drakes x Khaki Campbell ducks, all the offspring are black and the daughters are capable of laying about 250 eggs per year."
So, I would use Khaki drakes. I suspect that the Golden 300 hybrid ducks are a cross of a Khaki drake with a hen who is a cross breed herself (maybe a Welsh or Appleyard x black Swedish??). I only guess that because the 300 seems like it should be a 3 way cross, someone else may know better.

As for the question about mothering. I would think you would not really want mothering skill and great egg-laying in the same duck. I would expect good mothers to go broody more easily. This would be a disadvantage if my goal is to take away her many eggs. Having said that, I have heard that Welsh Harlequins are both good mothers and they are descended from Khaki Campbell's and lay a lot of eggs, so what do I know?

 

[nao57]

In the book Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks by Dave Holderread it says egg-laying ability seems to be a sex-linked trait. The actual quote from the book is on p.108-9 and says, "At a poultry research station in the Caribbean during the 1970s, my students studied many sex-linked crosses as we searched for combinations that might produce useful birds for subsistence farmers is developing countries. We found that any cross using Khaki Campbell drakes out of high-producing strains produced marvelous laying ducks, no matter what breed their mates were (excluding Muscovy)." He goes on to list how many eggs the hens of the different crosses laid. In the discussion of hybrids on p.106 he says, "If you decide to produce hybrid ducks, it is important to understand that cross (AB) can look and perform differently from cross (BA). For example, when Khaki Campbell drakes from a high producing strain are crossed with Black Cayuga ducks, their sons will be black, whereas the daughters will be chocolate and capable of laying approximately 300 eggs per year. In the reciprocal cross of Cayuga drakes x Khaki Campbell ducks, all the offspring are black and the daughters are capable of laying about 250 eggs per year."
So, I would use Khaki drakes. I suspect that the Golden 300 hybrid ducks are a cross of a Khaki drake with a hen who is a cross breed herself (maybe a Welsh or Appleyard x black Swedish??). I only guess that because the 300 seems like it should be a 3 way cross, someone else may know better.

As for the question about mothering. I would think you would not really want mothering skill and great egg-laying in the same duck. I would expect good mothers to go broody more easily. This would be a disadvantage if my goal is to take away her many eggs. Having said that, I have heard that Welsh Harlequins are both good mothers and they are descended from Khaki Campbell's and lay a lot of eggs, so what do I know?

Your answer is really amazing!

Thank you.