SLW chick comb question.

[Traffie Chickens]

I’ve never had chickens with rose combs before, so I don’t know anything about them. But we have 4 SLW chicks and they all have recognizable rose combs except for one. Does it look like a single comb or a pea comb? I know that SLW are supposed to have rose combs so that’s why I’m wondering. Thanks!

(Below is what my chicks with recognizable rose combs look like)

(Below is the one I’m wondering about.)

 

[SilverBirds]

She has a single comb. I don't know exactly how all the genetics behind it works, but sometimes Wyandottes, especially hatchery quality ones, will throw a single combed chick here and there. Doesn't mean she's not pure, just wouldn't be good for breeding purposes.

 

[rural mouse]

There was a link (at least in wyandottes) between pure rose comb (RRpp) and decreased fertility. At some point straight combs (rrpp) were introduced to try to improve fertility rates. Being as rose combs are dominant over straight combs, many wyandottes are actually Rrpp instead of RRpp. When both parents are Rrpp, they can throw straight combs.

An easy way to test a rose comb roo: put him in with several straight comb ladies, do a hatch. If all the babies are rose comb, the roo is pure RR. However, all those babies will be Rr.

Testing a hen will require similar reversal (preferably in a flock that doesn't lay eggs the same color so is easy to pick out her eggs). Hens can hold sperm for a while so a clean out time is necessary when swapping roos for breeding purposes.

Will all your ladies coming from the same place, it's very likely that the rose comb ladies are Rr, but RR is also possible.

 

[Traffie Chickens]

She has a single comb. I don't know exactly how all the genetics behind it works, but sometimes Wyandottes, especially hatchery quality ones, will throw a single combed chick here and there. Doesn't mean she's not pure, just wouldn't be good for breeding purposes.

Thanks! But may I ask why she wouldn’t be good for breeding purposes if she’s pure?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Thanks! But may I ask why she wouldn’t be good for breeding purposes if she’s pure?

What is your purpose in breeding them? If it has nothing to do with comb type, then there should not be an issue. But comb type is a breed requirement so I'm not sure I'd call her "pure". But if you are looking for eggs, meat, or a pet I don't see a conflict.

If you are planning of showing her offspring and mate her to a rooster with a rose comb, you may get chicks that do not have the rose comb. You could not show those chicks as a Wyandotte. You could show the rose combed chicks though as the judge would not be able to tell the difference by looking at the chicken.

if you are selling hatching eggs or baby chicks as pure Wyandottes, well since rose comb is a breed requirement they would not really be pure Wyandotte.

It boils down to why you would be breeding.

 

[Traffie Chickens]

What is your purpose in breeding them? If it has nothing to do with comb type, then there should not be an issue. But comb type is a breed requirement so I'm not sure I'd call her "pure". But if you are looking for eggs, meat, or a pet I don't see a conflict.

If you are planning of showing her offspring and mate her to a rooster with a rose comb, you may get chicks that do not have the rose comb. You could not show those chicks as a Wyandotte. You could show the rose combed chicks though as the judge would not be able to tell the difference by looking at the chicken.

if you are selling hatching eggs or baby chicks as pure Wyandottes, well since rose comb is a breed requirement they would not really be pure Wyandotte.

It boils down to why you would be breeding.

Ok thanks! I wouldn’t be breeding for any very important reasons, mainly just to hatch chicks for ourselves, friends, and family.