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I thought the cross was to a very large bird? If so, the large-bird traits did not come through because of either recessive genes or multiple genes (in the large bird, not the small one).
If I had bred him to hatchery Partridge Rocks I'd have expected the same result. While they weigh in almost a duplicate of what my PRs have run from good hatcheries they may show better growth later. I don't expect the first addition of good blood to hatchery birds to "fix it", it's never that simple. If this progeny group show decent growth and better comb and color I may again keep two to see what the 2nd generation shows me - because improving isn't linear. The third may well hold much more closely to what I am looking for as others said.
It's not a matter of recessives. It's a matter of not overcoming all the differences in a first generation.
My PRs had been worked on and culled for size and growth for two generations and to him, since his lines have had serious work, I'm getting TANKS from that cross.
The hatchery Dels don't have that kind of culling and choice behind them, they're bred for color and even poor color at that and egg production, and they even lay a paler egg. Which also sucks. So bred to the lesser birds I'm not surprised to see little improvement first generation. The second should show better, if not then they aren't good enough to continue to work with.
Bred to birds with some work behind them I'm seeing very good results and his first four roo boys are beginning to appear to have good combs
and his size/growth rate. I'll take it.
I'll replace him next year with his best son and the best heritage or show roo I hatch out and keep pushing toward the standard.
