What's wrong with their feathers?

[KellyHM]

Just as a side note, even though my adults are F1's and seem healthy, I do keep them on 24% medicated chick starter for the higher protein. I don't ever plan to eat their eggs, so the cocci preventative doesn't concern me, and they seem to do well with that feed.

 

[Chicken Chaperone]

Quote:
Thanks Camille - I'm just sick over this. My guy was big, robust, heavy, crowing, perfectly feathered, etc... There was absolutely NOTHING wrong with him - at least that was visible on the outside, anyway.

But based on other's experiences with these birds, I can't say that this was totally unexpected. I had it in the back of my head when I got into this project, and I was holding my breath and hoping against hope that IF it WAS going to happen, that I could get him together with his new girls for a while first. Jeeeeeezzzzzzzzzz.... We were SOOOOO CLOSE!!!

A million

my friend!! Even if they are robust they can still be so fragile- I just wish we knew why!! Is it a weak heart? Could it be
something else? Some are hanging on so tentatively and others seem fine but the rate that folks are loosing them at makes me wish
so much that chickens could talk and tell us what's wrong!!

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Do you know that medicated feed is a thiamine blocker? They really need thiamine, and I would not use it for that long a period. Just my opinion.

 

[Jubaby]

So sorry to hear of the recent losses. The eggs under my broody did not hatch. But I am not surprised - that hen was very erratic and did not stay on her eggs enough. Many of the eggs were developed, just didn't hatch.

But today I have eggs in the incubator hatching. One F1 is out and fluffy. There are 8 more pips currently. I should have a count sometime tomorrow.

My 13 chicks from three weeks ago are still alive and growing well.

This spring and summer, I would like to primarily help any of you who are already in the breeding project with eggs or chicks. I think it's more important right now to help you increase your flocks rather than sending eggs to new people. So if anyone is interested, please PM me. My 100% splash silkied ameraucana pen is laying currently. I have only 1 blue F1 hen laying and have put Ozzy in with her. So I am about to try and hatch a few of those (F2's) in my next batch, but don't have many of those eggs yet.

I am also going to try and increase my full-blood ameraucana flock, so I am looking for good show quality ameraucana eggs. BBS, Wheaten/Blue Wheaten, Lavender, etc. If you have any eggs and would be interested in trading some, send me a message.

I am shipping a couple of young roosters out next week. I have one more rooster, but his size is smaller than the other two, and I am hesitant to offer him. I believe I may cull him.

 

[KellyHM]

I had 2 more F2 chicks hatch out day before yesterday...1 black, 1 splash. The 1st 3 are all smooth-feathered (darn it), so I'm hoping at least one of these will be fluffy! I have 4 more F2 eggs due 4/20. Tess is also laying again!

Ok, it's been a loooong time since I took genetics, so correct me if I'm wrong.
Original x Original = F1
F1 x F1 = F2
I'm pretty sure that F1 x Original still = F1. Anyone know for sure?

 

[Jubaby]

Quote:
Yes, I need the genetics folks here, too. I assumed that putting the silkied rooster in with the F1's would raise the chances of getting the silkied chicks. I have a F1 rooster almost old enough to breed.

Oh, and as of this morning I have 6 chicks that hatched on their own (4 blue F1's, 2 splash silkied). 7 more that I am starting to help out of the shells. Final count to come later.

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

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Yes, I need the genetics folks here, too. I assumed that putting the silkied rooster in with the F1's would raise the chances of getting the silkied chicks. I have a F1 rooster almost old enough to breed.

Oh, and as of this morning I have 6 chicks that hatched on their own (4 blue F1's, 2 splash silkied). 7 more that I am starting to help out of the shells. Final count to come later.

I think there may be some other terminology besides F2 for crossing an F1 back to it's parent.

Regardless what the official symbol should be for this generation, it is an excellent way to proceed. Half of the offspring should be silkie feather, and half should be smooth feathered, but carrying the silkied gene. I would then take this silkied generation, and outcross it again to pure and unrelated Ameraucanas. After repeating this process a few times we should have vigorous birds that are truly Ameraucanas, other than their feathering.

 

[alicefelldown]

I'm really happy to be stuck at work right now, I have an incubator full of half Fluffy / half F1 birds that are in lockdown!

Felt like I was going to wear a hole in the hallway floor with all the inspection trips I was making last night and this morning.

 

[alicefelldown]

Quote:
When you get two non-sibling birds and breed then together, the offspring are known as F1 (first filial generation).

If you get two birds from that F1 mating and breed them brother to sister, the resulting chicks would be F2.

Likewise, if you get two birds from an F2 mating and breed them brother to sister, the resulting chicks would be F3, and so on.

Backcrosses and outcrosses start the numbering system over again, because the parent birds would not be siblings so offspring would again be F1.

There are also P numbers, which refer to the parents of an F1 generation.

Can't say I like naming conventions of this system, but like PhiladelphiaPhlock said - it's going to be really easy for us, as we only really need to focus on those chicks that hatch with fluffy feathers or are 100% carriers.

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

Julie was sweet enough to send me an extra cockerel this week, after losing my pair this winter. He arrived this morning in good shape.

I put him in the breeding pen with some Wheaten pullets I have been raising for this very purpose. Perhaps this time next year, I'll be hatching some wheaten fuzzies. After I've had my turn with him, I'm hoping to send him down to Turtlefeathers so she can continue with her program too!