Side sprigs

[redrooster99]

If I breed a single combed roo with side sprigs
And what would happen if i bred them to a pea combed hen. And what if I bred them to a non sprigs hen.

 

[chicken pickin]

If I breed a single combed roo with side sprigs
And what would happen if i bred them to a pea combed hen. And what if I bred them to a non sprigs hen.

Side sprigs are a DQ(disqualification) most people that are serious breeders cull birds that have side sprigs. The reason is it will pass on to the offspring and the problem will continue as you breed. I have heard too many times that there are too many wonderful good tempered and good quality cock birds out there to use a bad one.

That said if you are just breeding for your own flock and making mixed breeds for egg layers or meat etc then side sprigs are not a major concern for you. A single combed cock bird crossed to a pea combed hen should give you mostly pea combed or modified pea combed offspring, some may get the single comb also. Even breeding a cock bird with side sprigs to a hen without side sprigs, your offspring will potentially have the side sprigs visible on the combs or carry the gene for side sprigs therefore making it harder to remove from your flock since it is unseen and more than one will be showing sprigs or carrying the gene.

This is just my personal thought on this and not something everyone does. I do cull for side sprigs because I am seriously breeding. For mixed breeds though it wouldn't be a major concern for me.

 

[redrooster99]

We'll see I was going to get a swede roo with a side sprig but I decided not. And I am actually going to make like a standardized EE. And am thinking about making some muffed single combed brown egg layers.

 

[One Chick Two]

Side sprigs are a DQ(disqualification) most people that are serious breeders cull birds that have side sprigs. The reason is it will pass on to the offspring and the problem will continue as you breed. I have heard too many times that there are too many wonderful good tempered and good quality cock birds out there to use a bad one.

That said if you are just breeding for your own flock and making mixed breeds for egg layers or meat etc then side sprigs are not a major concern for you. A single combed cock bird crossed to a pea combed hen should give you mostly pea combed or modified pea combed offspring, some may get the single comb also. Even breeding a cock bird with side sprigs to a hen without side sprigs, your offspring will potentially have the side sprigs visible on the combs or carry the gene for side sprigs therefore making it harder to remove from your flock since it is unseen and more than one will be showing sprigs or carrying the gene.

This is just my personal thought on this and not something everyone does. I do cull for side sprigs because I am seriously breeding. For mixed breeds though it wouldn't be a major concern for me.

Good explanation above.

You do not want to breed a single comb with a single comb with sprigs because a single comb is recessive, and if a bird positively showing side sprigs or carnation comb ( comb lumps) as all the young will already all contain both abnormal comb genes expressed needed for those comb issues in the young. If one parent only carries one gene, and the other parent none, there will not be sprigs, the two opposite genes are required for expressing. The two same genes will not express them. However, some of the young will carry on that single gene.

Comb needs to be completely smooth, with zero lumps, even if extremely tiny if breeding. Also, back of the blade should be straight. A top breeder told me points on the back shows propensity to produce comb problems.

Here's a very good article on comb sprigs and carnation comb in Marans, but it is a good article for abnormal combs. http://www.maranschickenclubusa.com/files/Abnormal_Combs_Article.pdf

Since the pea comb is more dominant, theoretically, you should have less problem with abnormal combs, mixed.