When do sebs start to get curls?

[mberry222]

I have a pair of 2 1/2 month old sebs and the gander is beginning to get some nice curls, but the goose does not have any. Is it too early to assume she will be smooth?
Thanks

Here is the girl...

 

[Cottage Rose]

Looks like you are going to have very smooth Seb.
Even when their feathers first come in they are somewhat fluffy and raised (not laying flat) and the tail feathers stick up and fan out, not flat and folded together like yours.
Sorry to say I doubt that goose will ever have any or very few long or curly feathers.

 

[mberry222]

Thanks Cottage Rose. What would you expect the offspring of a smooth and curly (not sure on the breast yet) to be? 50/50 maybe?

 

[Cottage Rose]

yup

 

[banter]

She prob will only be a bit fluffy at best. Were her parents curly? Are the two you have closely related?

 

[mberry222]

Quote:
I'm not sure if both parents were curly. They both came from the same hatch. I bought them from a breeder on BYC that has quite a few sebs so I'm not sure on the relationship either.

 

[banter]

My Zeena is white (as yours'), and is what would be called "smooth", but is very "fluffy". Paired with an unrelated gray smooth breasted gander, they've produced almost every color and feather type, from extremely curly to almost smooth, and every color variation imaginable! The smooth Sebs have their own standard in Europe, and are often paired with curly s' to keep genetic flaws from surfacing in the offspring. It's up to you if you want to let her breed, but if you do, I would match her to a gander who's not a sibling and has some curls-my opinion. Color is to your preference. For the Zeena and Zander pairing I have no clue to the color of their parents. All of the other geese I own now, I do.