What's wrong with their feathers?

[Happy Chooks]

pips&peeps :

That is very commendable Julie!

I wanted to let you know that I am trying to find a DNA testing facility that we can send either feather samples to or blood to test for the silkie gene or the fray gene. I have talked to another BYC'r that will go in with me to pay for the test.

But locating somewhere to do testing looks like it will be difficult. I think I will now start trying some colleges and universities that have poultry science departments. Maybe we can find one that will be very interested in your birds and do the testing for free.

If these birds have the silkie gene then that is great, and I would promote furthering your breeding plan. But, if it is fray, I personally would not continue. It would be like breeding birds for crossed beak or curled toes.

I'll let you know if I find out anything.

For a newbie to breeding, could you explain why fray is bad? I'm not trying to argue with you, I just want to learn.

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

Quote:
For a newbie to breeding, could you explain why fray is bad? I'm not trying to argue with you, I just want to learn.

Could you also explain what fray is?

 

[pips&peeps]

But, if it is fray, I personally would not continue. It would be like breeding birds for crossed beak or curled toes.

http://chla.library.cornell.edu/cgi...s+of+the+Fowl&frm=frameset&view=image&seq=124​

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks for the information. Very interesting read.

So is fray what occurs when you breed a frizzle to a frizzle? It's the same thing, right?

I'm confused though it says that birds with fray gene, that they are not feathered well and often die at an early age. These birds do seem to be feathered quite well. But I also see your point about the fray gene affecting wing and tail feathers making them flightless.

I hope it's the silkie gene, because that's just a better ending to this story. (can you tell I'm an optimist?)

 

[pips&peeps]

No frizzle is different.

http://chla.library.cornell.edu/cgi...s+of+the+Fowl&frm=frameset&view=image&seq=117

This page starts with the information about the silkie gene. The next page is frizzle and continues for 3-4 pages.

 

[chicmom]

They're very pretty--the feathers really do look like silky feathers, but their combs confuse me a bit.....my Ameraucanas don't have the red clear back around their eyes like those two do.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! Wouldn't a 'test-mating' to a Silkie tell whether it's true silkie feathering or not?

Lisa

 

[pips&peeps]

Yes, that would be the cheapest way to do it. Because if they are silkie, the offspring will be silkie.

The way I read the information on fray, is that it is a simple recessive gene. So you would need two copies of it to manifest. So if it is fray a test breeding to a silkie should produce a regular feathered bird.

Julie, do you have any silkies you can breed your cockerel to?????

 

[Germaine_11.20]

This is fascinating.

 

[Jubaby]

pips&peeps :

Julie, do you have any silkies you can breed your cockerel to?????

No, I don't have any silkies. If there is anyone close to me in Texas with silkies, I would be willing to try it. If I have to raise silkies from eggs, it would be six months before we would know anything.

I wonder if Texas A&M University has a poultry research program. They have lots of agricultural research going on there, and a veterinary school.​