What is a "sport"?

[The Monkey Mama]

I have seen this term "sport" to describe chickens - but I have no idea what that means. Anybody know and care to explain it and help me with my ignorance?

Kelly

 

[OPIE]

Well, as soon as you know than I will know also.

I have also seen this term and not known. ( I guess we are both ingnorant Lets keep that between us tho.

)

 

[mikarod]

A sport is describing a "jet off" of the original color.

Like... a White Jersey Giant is a sport of off the Black Jersey Giant. It's used to describe what the original color was and how that color was obtained in some circumstances.

 

[digitS']

Kelley, this freedictionary definition may answer your question:

sport n. . . . 7. Biology An organism that shows a marked change from the normal type or parent stock, typically as a result of mutation.

I hope that helps

.

Steve

 

[FrChuckW]

Quote:
Kelly,

The term refers to an unexpected genetic mutation occuring in an otherwise stable genetic population.

An example would be a pair of birds that come from the same line and are typical examples of the breed, or a pair of birds that are of the same breed but different lines and have produced normal offspring that resemble the parents. Suddenly in one of the broods an offspring appears that is a totally different color pattern than it's parents. So if you have two black chickens, that have normally produced black chicks, and then all of a sudden they have a white chick in one of the broods, that white chick would be the sport.

To propagate the sport, you would then breed it back to the parent of the opposite sex. From that you would take the chicks resulting from that breeding and breed back to both the parents and grandparents as well as sibling breeding. This will establish three lines for you to work with, paternal, maternal and sibling.

 

[seriousbill]

You've gotten some great answers. Allow me to just add one more example. The Delaware breed was begun from a few rare white sports that appeared when a breeder in the 1940's bred Barred Rocks to New Hampshire Reds. This breeding usually produces barred birds or black birds with red in the hackle, but these chicks were drastically different. Now, on several different occasions I've heard people ask why breeders don't just make Delawares from scratch by doing this breeding--the answer is you can't, because the Delaware was started from sports.

 

[The Monkey Mama]

Thanks everyone! That was VERY interesting. Now I won't have to wonder!

Kelly