This is SO Odd! Reproduction/Genetics....Explanation?

[the1much]

well i "kinda" know how ya feel,,,,, i think 1 of my brahmas started laying yesterday,,, is hard to tell since my ole brown hen stopped laying 2 weeks ago,,, so i dont know if she restarted,, or my brahma started lol ,,,,, maybe a spy cam will tell me

 

[MissPrissy]

It really doesn't surprise me, Cyn. Being as aware of your flock as you have been I think you have discovered what many people wouldn't have. Not every pairing is a good match and you may have found a genetic 'defect' here and now you know one more detail about your chickens and their capabilities and fertility. I am sure through the years many people have culled hens and never stopped to think her eggs may have been infertile due to not being compatable with the rooster.

 

[speckledhen]

What you said, Angie, about me being aware of my flock individuals, made me think of those unusual people who live with the wolves or the bears....guess I live among the chickens-not quite as dangerous, unless they peck you in the eye like poor rooster-red, LOL.

 

[MissPrissy]

The Wild Chicken Woman of North Georgia

 

[speckledhen]

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Yeppers, that's moi!

 

[Blisschick]

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This is the first thing that crossed my mind, also. Most probably they both have some sort of lethal factor that shuts down and further development shortly after fertilization. I remember seeing something on a website about that not too long ago.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, I guess it wont come into play with Miranda anymore since she is now with the BR rooster rather than Suede. It surprised the heck out of me when BluRoo told me her egg was developing, so at least now, I can include hers in my Forrest Gump hatching egg specials! Yippee!

 

[corancher]

I have seen this type of thing with our hogs and our cattle so I am sure that they just did not click.

I have also seen this with a human friend. She was told with first husband she could never have children because of problem with her. Well, what a surprise when she had two children with second husband.

 

[silkiechicken]

Congrats on the baby to be.

Probably some embryonic lethal genes there. I think embryonic lethal genes are one of the reasons some breeds are "hard" to hatch. For some reason, some strains of seramas and RIW's come to mind. But I could be way off.

 

[crperdue]

This sounds like a recessive gene that when given by both parents proves lethal for the unborn chick but does nothing when just given by one parent.

This is not something unheard of in chickens. The gene that causes the ear muffs on Aruacanas (sp?) is lethal when given by both parents, but its not recessive so it's easy to control. (No muffs=No gene)

One could make the argument that both of these chickens should be retired from contributing to the gene pool. The recessive gene can be passed to offspring (50% chance) and would be undetected by anyone until a chance breeding occurs and the breeder is sharp enough to catch it like happened this time. It sounds like this rooster has already produced a number of chicks.

Of course this is just speculation.