Signs of "Line Breeding"?

[wclawrence]

I love spurred hens


but then again I am breeding for very "masculine" traits.

 

[kkaymci55]

I just hatched out bought eggs. Check out the feet on these 3 chicks. Makes me sick
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu129/kkaymci55/005.jpg

supposed to be BC Marans, Wade Jean

 

[Mahonri]

pips&peeps :

My friend purchased some started chicks last summer/fall and one of them had webbed toes too.

Do they like spending time in the pond with the ducks?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
That is horrible.

 

[L&Schickens]

Quote:
I got some from the same lines and they look like that too. I was disapointed. Not what I expected at all. I will not be breeding the ones with feet like that, but I would not doubt that even the ones with good feet can pass on these horible feet. I guess the next time I order hatching BC marans eggs, I will ask a lot more questions before I pick a breeder.

 

[Solsken Farm]

Gosh, Loren, sounds definitely like you don't want to breed them. I have Jeane lines, and no sign of this. It is so hard to even say a bird is from a particular line if it did not come directly from the breeder. How many breeders are yours away from the original breeder. How many lines are mine away from them?

It seems like folks need to identify an original source of the line, but to all the breeders, any really, it is out of their hands once another gets them.

The issue with my Jeane birds are the combs in the females. I just don't like the look of them. The other issue is a bit too much copper in some on the breast, both females and males. But they are laying very dark eggs, and still are very beautiful. No defects. We'll see what I hatch out here in a month or so.

I am so sorry. That is just terrible to receive stock like that.

 

[Krys109uk]

supposed to be BC Marans, Wade Jean

I don't know where you got the birds......but do tell the vendor about the problem & see what they say.​

 

[tiki244]

Could this possibly be remedied by giving the chicks some vitamins?

 

[Krys109uk]

Could this possibly be remedied by giving the chicks some vitamins?

It is a bit more than curly toe. Some of their toes are joined, by the look of it.​

 

[MikeJanet]

Quote:
I don't know where you got the birds......but do tell the vendor about the problem & see what they say.

I just hatched 4 of 7 black copper marans eggs, breeding stock was Wade Jean/Bev Davis and 2 have the 4 hatched have fused toes.

I hadn't encounter fused toes and was worried we would have to put them down so I sent the seller and email asking if they knew if the toes could be separated or if the chicks would be able to get around well enough without. I wasn't looking to get a refund or express disappointment I was just looking for advice ... here is a portion of the reply...

"Sorry you got some with curled toes. We have seen that occasionally. It may be genetic, it can be environmental."

I found the reply a bit evasive and a little misleading - as the toes are not curled they are fused - also is the seller insinuating that my incubating could be the problem? If so that's odd as I put these eggs under two broody hens who switched nests all the time - and the 6 of the 7 Blue/Black Marans eggs hatched at the same time under the same hens turned out beautiful healthy chicks with no signs of any fused toes.

As it turns out the chicks are getting around very well and unless they turn out to be troublesome boys which will likely be my luck - they will remain in our chicken family.