Genetic advantage of single over pea comb

[Red Mangrove]

Are there any genetic advantages to having a single comb over a pea comb?

Single gets complaints of frostbite in the far north, yet pea seems to be universally fine from Alaska, to Brazil to the Philippines

Single combs are also removed by cockfighters because they present a physical liability during combat

Are pea combs simply genetically superior?

 

[user651618]

Bumping for interest.

 

[Tahai]

I'm in the north and if I had time and money, I'd work on creating more pea and rose comb breeds. I'd love a non-flighty pea/rose combed white egg layer!

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Since chickens lose heat from their comb, a single comb, which is generally larger than a pea comb, is better for living in warm climates. Also, I’ve heard that hens are attracted to roosters with bigger, redder combs. I don’t know how much truth is in that statement, not being a hen. Curious to see what other people think!

 

[Red Mangrove]

Since chickens lose heat from their comb, a single comb, which is generally larger than a pea comb, is better for living in warm climates. Also, I’ve heard that hens are attracted to roosters with bigger, redder combs. I don’t know how much truth is in that statement, not being a hen. Curious to see what other people think!

Pea combed breeds live perfectly in many different places though, including many very hot places. Clearly heat alone is irrelevant. Perhaps humidity is the missing factor here

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Pea combed breeds live perfectly in many different places though, including many very hot places. Clearly heat alone is irrelevant. Perhaps humidity is the missing factor here

In general, though of course not always, single combs go along with lighter body types, which do better in the heat. I have noticed that my single comb birds do much better in the triple digits than the ones with either pea or rose combs. My Wyandottes don’t do well at all, and the Easter Eggers aren’t much better. @fluffycrow how do your Brahmas do in your heat versus any single combed breeds you have?

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

My question would be why don’t pea combs express themselves in nature like single combs do with the junglefowl?

…Unless pea combs are in fact natural in an unknown ancestral junglefowl, as was often thought to be the origin of the oriental gamefowl in times past.

 

[fluffycrow]

In general, though of course not always, single combs go along with lighter body types, which do better in the heat. I have noticed that my single comb birds do much better in the triple digits than the ones with either pea or rose combs. My Wyandottes don’t do well at all, and the Easter Eggers aren’t much better. @fluffycrow how do your Brahmas do in your heat versus any single combed breeds you have?

My brahmas don't do well in the heat at all. Even my modified pea comb male does slightly better, but there is a clear difference between them and some of my straight combed birds. The temperatures we had two, almost three weeks ago ranged from 42°C-46°C. The pea comb pen had to be hosed down each day, even though it was in the shade, and they had plenty of cool water. They still flattened out like pancakes for most of the day. On the other hand, this male

did nothing more than slightly opened his wings to allow air flow to pas through. No "panting" no nothing. There is just not enough surface area on that comb to help them with this kind of heat. And if it means anything to anyone, egg production didn't drop in any single comb pen

 

[Red Mangrove]

My question would be why don’t pea combs express themselves in nature like single combs do with the junglefowl?

…Unless pea combs are in fact natural in an unknown ancestral junglefowl, as was often thought to be the origin of the oriental gamefowl in times past.

There's nothing in nature that occurs as an accident. The pea comb came from somewhere and it served a specific genetic purpose wherever it originated

Your theory about an unknown junglefowl ancestor (in southeast Asia?) is probably correct

My brahmas don't do well in the heat at all. Even my modified pea comb male does slightly better, but there is a clear difference between them and some of my straight combed birds. The temperatures we had two, almost three weeks ago ranged from 42°C-46°C. The pea comb pen had to be hosed down each day, even though it was in the shade, and they had plenty of cool water. They still flattened out like pancakes for most of the day. On the other hand, this maleView attachment 3601873 did nothing more than slightly opened his wings to allow air flow to pas through. No "panting" no nothing. There is just not enough surface area on that comb to help them with this kind of heat. And if it means anything to anyone, egg production didn't drop in any single comb pen

I have some very fat Brahma X Orpington here and I've never noticed their behavior in regards to temperature being any different from my single combs. My flock all engages in nearly identical behavior regardless of their comb. Perhaps it's because they have cold water outside here, or maybe it's a coop specific issue

 

[JacinLarkwell]

There's nothing in nature that occurs as an accident

Plenty of mutations were the result of accidents that were then brednby people because they liked the look