Questions About Muffs and Beard

[Steve Neumann]

In a given line of birds, will a double dose of Mb always result in a more visually prominent muffs and beard, or can a single copy produce birds with the same quality muffs and beard?  If they can be distinguished, at what developmental stage are they most accurately visually separated?  Also, is Mb affected by fast feathering/slow feathering genes or is it the same for both?

[Tailfeathers]

There is difference between single muff/bearded birds and double.  Personally, this is one of the lowest priorities of mine when considering whether to breed a bird.  In fact, I've got two clean-faced birds I plan to breed this year.  They're that good in all other areas.  My Wheaten cockbird is a double-muff/bearded bird so all her offspring will be single Mb but that's fine with me. 

Sorry, I can't help with the question of slow vs. fast feathering but my guess would be it's unrelated.

[John W Blehm]

Probably regardless of the line there is a dose effect with the muff gene (Mb).  I can see the difference in day-old chicks and I doubt it is due to a slow feathering gene.
My guess is some slow feathering gene(s) may slow the growth of all feathers equally, while some seem to effect the feathers on the backs of cockerels more than other areas of the bird.

[Mike Gilbert]

A number of different slow and delayed feathering gene variations have been identified.   See the following link.   http://sellers.kippenjungle.nl/page3.html

[Steve Neumann]

The reason I was asking is that I still have both fast feathering and slow feathering present in my project birds.  I had previously been selecting chicks with the heaviest beards and muffs to raise out (amongst other things) assuming that homozygous chicks would have the heaviest beards/muffs at hatch, but then I had one batch that I raised out where several chicks had very slight beards and muffs at hatch (not clean faced).  2 went on to develop some of the nicest beards and muffs out of my project birds.  Coincidentally these same two birds also have the cleanest lacing, and I was wondering if maybe if it was possible that homozygous birds for Mb that are slow feathering could be mistaken for heterozygous birds at hatch, or.... if birds with only a single copy can go on to develop nice full beards and muffs.  I'm just trying to make sense of what to cull and when, when it comes to this particular trait.

[Mike Gilbert]

Like Royce, muffs and beard are about the last thing I cull for.   They are one of the easiest things to correct.   The Standard does not call for the heaviest muffs and beards possible.  We are not breeding Faverolles, which are a softer feathered breed.   The feathering on Ameraucanas should be about like Plymouth Rocks.  The length of the beards are to be medium, not pendulous, and medium is the description for just about everything else in Ameraucanas as well.

[Lee G]

Probably regardless of the line there is a dose effect with the muff gene (Mb).  I can see the difference in day-old chicks

This has been my experience as well. if you look closely at the chicks pictured below, you can see the subtle difference between their muffs. It's very slight, but it is there at hatch.
Chick on the left is E/e+ Mb/Mb and the chick on the right is e+/e+ Mb/mb



I also won't kick a clean faced bird out of my breeding pens if they possess other traits I need, or happen to be exceptional. And of course the birds with no muffs or beard always seem to have the best type, at least the ones I've grown out did. Which figures, lol

[John W Blehm]

I agree Lee, but will add to be careful to compare apples with apples as they say.  Some fanciers may not be aware that different varieties/lines naturally have fuller muffs than others, so they should try to compare the muffs of chicks of the same variety if culling for Hetero muffs/beard.

[Lee G]

Good point John. 

[Steve Neumann]

OK, thanks for the feedback.  I will ease up on culling for this at hatch.