feathered legs in wheatens

[Susan Mouw]

Since I've now had this crop up in this year's hatch, I've been doing a little research. Since I have two parents, neither of whom have feathered legs, then this must be the more rare recessive version of a feathered leg gene, Pt3.
And, since it is recessive, it is present in the cock and at least one of the hens in my breeding pen. But, where did this originally come from? The birds I tend to think of as having feathered legs, like the Brahma, have the dominant version, PT 1 or PT 2.

So what bird was used in the development of the wheaten/blue wheaten that introduced this gene?

[Don]

Susan,  You might drop Wayne Meredith a note and ask him what he remembers being used during the construction of the color(s) long ago.  I can not think of what that might have been, but I'm sure that they were creative in those early matings.   

[Susan Mouw]

Wayne wrote me back, but didn't have any suggestions about where this might be coming from. He says he has had a few males from time to time show a few stubs, but nothing like what I'm seeing.

Anyway, I thought I'd share a couple of pictures of this guy. He hatched on 3/9, so he's exactly one month old today. I took these pictures this afternoon.

[Birdcrazy]

Susan, Are you sure those are feathers? Maybe they are leg warmers. I have birds that would die for those in the Nebraska winters here!

[Susan Mouw]

LOL, Gordon!!

You're right!  They're just leg warmers.  This guy doesn't know he's in South Carolina!  Should I ship him up to you, Gordon? 

[Birdcrazy]

He's starting to show good color. Before you posted the pictures I visualized stubs. he has good color down to his toes. I guess that I will pass on the offer of shipping him. I hope he is one of a kind and no more pop up!

[Susan Mouw]

Well, I think his ear lobe color would have been an issue without the leg feathering.

Unfortunately, he's not alone. I have two more in the hatch after him. Definitely something going on here...

After last year's disaster with clean faces and culling nearly everything, I was not real happy to see this issue crop up this year. Unfortunately, my "good" stock has aged out - the cock is shooting blanks and the hens lays every once in a while, but they're not viable.

Time to start with some reliable, reputable, and fresh stock in the wheatens, I think

[Birdcrazy]

Sorry to hear that. Good luck with your replacement stock. Always something to work on.

[Susan Mouw]

I have chicks coming from Paul - next week, I hope!

What would you do, Gordon?  Keep the ones that don't show the feather legs (and otherwise meet SOP) - knowing they could be carrying the recessive gene...or toss 'em all?  lol

[Birdcrazy]

Sorry to say, but if it was me, I would take my losses and start over. I have seen other breeds that chicks would occasionally have stubs. It would not always appear in every hatching, but when it did, it seemed to always place them on your best chicks. That's almost like having a double curse. I think I would definitely get rid of the cock bird. If you have hens that are extra nice and want to take a gamble, I would keep them and their offspring separate and banded. If the problem reoccurs down the road, you would know which ones need to be culled. That way your new stock is not intermixed with them. If you only have 1 new cock bird you may have to rotate him in and out of the different pens. Time should tell.

[Birdcrazy]

Susan, reading your post on Wayne's reply to your questions got me to thinking. About 6-7 years ago I got my start in LF Wheaten and Blue Wheaten chicks from Wayne. I ordered 25 chicks from him and he shipped me 30. Since Blue Wheaten chicks are slow developing their color, I kept all the Blue Wheaten cockerels until they were about 7 months old to pick the best 2-3. I will say this for Wayne's birds. All 7 were marked great with various shades of Blue and edging. As you would guess, the best cockerel had stubs. there was not many, just about 8-10 single feathers on each leg and pretty small. I hated to cull him since he was the best built and best colored bird, but I did. I used these chicks for the base of my breeding stock for about 3 years with no chicks hatched with stubs. Since then I have ordered twice from Paul Smith to mix into my breeding program to develop better combs and egg shape. Yes, I was sad to see that cockerel go at the time. Looking back I guess it was for the best as I have not had a chick that I hatched with stubs. I can understand the tough choice you are going through.

[Susan Mouw]

Well, I am very happy to report that, with about 200 wheaten/blue wheaten chicks hatched so far - 1 had leg stubs!  I knew which hen the egg came from and was able to isolate those eggs.  None of the eggs coming from the other hens have had leg stubs.  Yayy!

BTW, those eggs have made great Sunday omelettes!

[Birdcrazy]

Susan, now that's progress. It sounds like you are getting a handle on those leg warmers!

[Susan Mouw]

I think so.  Now if I can just get a handle on removing the black from the hackles...

[Birdcrazy]

Well, at least you are attacking an area all of us Wheaten/Blue Wheaten breeders have faced at sometime.