Funny feathers!

debbieo4914 · **Posted:** Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:32 pm

Hi everyone,

I've just posted a photo of one of our Belgian chicks on the photo gallery, I guess it will be up soon.

The chick is one of four mille fleur belgian d'uccles bantams that we bought, and has feathers almost like a frizzle - some growing at right angles from his/her back. The other three chicks have smooth, normal-looking feathers.

One of our pekin chicks also has some wing feathers that seem to be a bit untidier than the other chicks - almost like it is having a "bad feather day" :-D

because it slept with them up against something. This is a separate issue to the Belgian, I think, as most of the pekin's feathers look normal, just slightly messy on the wings. Is this common, and are they likely to moult out or straighten up (I don't think that the Belgian will straighten up, somehow, but maybe the pekin will?)??? :-?

The chicks are fed chicken starter, with occasional hard-boiled egg and milk powder sprinkled on their food, and aren't overcrowded, so I'm not sure what's going on. The other eight chicks in the brooder look normal.

Thanks.
Deb

Grahame · **Posted:** Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:13 pm

Gday Deb,I hatched 2 belgains that look the same so next season I will put them with a frizzel to see.GRAHAME

debbieo4914 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 07, 2007 6:15 am

Thanks Grahame. That does sound interesting. Are yours purebreds? I was wondering if perhaps mine was crossed with something else, although as I said all the others look normal.

What colour are yours?

Deb :-D

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Hi Deb, from the photo it certainly looks like a Frizzle of sorts, the most likely scenario is one of the Parents is a carrier of genotype (FF- Heterozygous Frizzle) but is Phenotype (ff - Straight Frizzle) This would mean at some stage cross breeding was involved but it could be generations back. If it is first generation then the “somal gene” (F) is an incomplete dominant and is unlikely to breed true.This would also mean a low percentage of Phenotype (FF)

It's possible that one Parent is a by-product of a breeder/s experiments in breed development (Frizzle Belgains)

How many chicks did you hatch?

Thanks
P.A :lol:

debbieo4914 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 07, 2007 3:54 pm

Hi PA,

We bought the Belgian chicks (5 of them) and this is the only one with this feather type. I did see the parents, and they both looked normal (to me, anyway!!) but I have no idea of their breeding. Boy, do I have to do some reading on genetics!! :-D

Along with purchasing these 5, we hatched 12 pekin chicks - 3 from eggs bought from breeders, and 9 from our own birds. So, our flock has increased from 10 before breeding season to 27 now! :-D

Deb

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Hi Deb, the family grows FAST :shock:

, it's the way everyone starts. It the best satisfaction to hatch you own!

Thanks
P.A :lol:

Jeff Trescott · **Posted:** Wed Nov 07, 2007 5:08 pm

What a great looking chook :!:

looks like a Chrysanthemum Budgie, sort of.

Jeff

debbieo4914 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 11, 2007 7:45 am

I contacted the breeder, and she said that it looks like her frizzle rooster paid the mille fleur hen a visit before he got eaten by a fox!

So this little one is half frizzle - mystery solved! :-D

All sorts of breeding fun to be had here!!! :-D

Jeff Trescott · **Posted:** Sun Nov 11, 2007 11:39 am

That makes sense, maybe you could continue to breed them as frizzle begains :?:

Jeff

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Hi debbieo4914, as suspected, their was a cross in there somewhere and the first cross was the most likely culprit.

Thanks
P.A :lol:

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