# Duck and Chicken inbreeding



## jrw422 (Apr 27, 2005)

Ok I have searched but can't seem to find what I am looking for.

*Question 1* is for Duck folk or anyone who is knowledgeable.

I have 12 Peking ducks that I am using to hatch out ducklings. 8 Females and 3 males. I want to add more females to the flock to get more eggs to hatch more.. OK no problem so far. But here is the kicker. Can I take a few of the females and introduce them into the flock and if the poppa breeds the daughter will the ducklings be deformed or have other problems??? 

I know some will say just get some outside the blood line but I haven't found anyone in my area that has them to trade for new blood and I don't want to spend $$$ to buy them if I don't have too.

And how many males to female ratio would you say for ducks?

*Question 2* would be the same for Chickens except that I have 4 new roosters that are from different blood, but all one breed (R.I.R). I just got the 4 new roos to service the flock as some eggs are not fertile. 1 roo to 30 hens was not working too good. lol 

So I want to add some chicks I hatched back into the flock. Would the poppa of the chicks, if he were to breed them, have deformed offspring?


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2010)

I haven't had any problems breeding fathers to daughters.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Birds that group in flocks, whether wild or domestic, inbreed constantly. Brother to sister; father/daughter; mother/son. One of the reasons they survived for thousands of years is that the genetics is refined down. 

Every once in awhile you do need to bring in new blood. Also, you may well see an odd chick now and then. In nature, the oddballs are killed, or left behind to die. Humans run into problems with breeding chickens when they start to breed for JUST ONE trait. Like...all you look at is the feather coloring. After a couple generations you have the color, but the egglaying has gone wrong, and you probably have odd chicks now and then.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I wouldn't worry about it until you start getting problems (which isn't too likely). If you go a couple of generations without new blood, you may want to get a new drake to toss in the mix if you can. If you want to buy new blood, check out hatcheries and have some shipped to you. Mind you, normally they want to ship 12 or 15 minimum ducklings, so they won't get chilled and die on the way. Those will probably be straight run, so you can butcher any extras you get when they grow up a bit. Every couple of years I buy some ducklings of whatever breed I'm playing with, but mostly for fun.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Most poultry has been so inbred for so long that most of the bad recessives are bred out. All you need to remember to do is to cull hard for any undesirable traits. If you will faithfully cull any weak or unthrifty birds you should not have a problem with the inbreeding.


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## wofarm (Nov 30, 2009)

Pekins are generaly known as poor setters,

Some of the first clues of inbreeding depression is lack of vigor, smaller eggs, fewer eggs, less male fertility, weak hatchlings & less resistance. It is possible to breed a couple inbred lines then cross those lines for vigor; also a cyclic breeding system can be set up to retain all related females in one pen and rotate the males annually. There are several methods used by breeders to prevent inbreeding troubles, selection is very important. large numbers is a good idea for selection.


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## egg head (Nov 11, 2009)

If you go under ten to one on the roosters to hens, your hens will know it and you will to, they will look like they are in molt, Go twelve or fifteen to one and you should have no problems with a 95%+ fertility rate.


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## wofarm (Nov 30, 2009)

That depends on the breed to some extent. it has been proven that some breeds do best in a 4:1 or a 7:1 ratio. Tghere can be many variables but a general recommendation is 10:1 for best fertility and social aspects. A good manager will know when to remove the cocks from the hens. many breeders only release the cock to the hens for a couple days at a time, especially with the more randy breeds.


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## jrw422 (Apr 27, 2005)

Thanks to all that have responded. I kinda figured that was the case with the inbreeding. They are not like us out there in the wild and are just trying to do what GOD put them there to do. But I will still add new blood when I find them. 

I was thinking a 10:1 on the chickens too. I did notice there are a couple that are being bred more as they have worn backs, I suppose I need to take them ones out and give them a rest for a couple weeks.

Again thanks to all.

Jon


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