Celadon Genetics

[hpiechow]

Hey all,

Quail question! I am hatching a few coturnix with the celadon (ce) gene currently. They are all hatching out of blue CE eggs. I am aware that not all quail that hatch from a blue egg will lay blue. I know the bird has to have two copies (one from mom and one from dad?) of the CE gene to lay blue, if I understand correctly. That being said, I have some other coturnix that lay a normal looking quail egg, but, when cracked open, the eggs are blue on the inside. I've read those hens will carry the CE gene and you can integrate them into your CE program to produce more CE offspring. Also, if I have roosters who hatch out of a blue CE egg, if they breed with a blue egg laying hen, am I guaranteed a clutch of CE babies?

Can someone explain the genetics of this to me?

 

[CoturnixComplex]

Simple recessive. All birds that hatch out of a blue egg will carry at least 1 copy, but sometimes two depending on their parents. Only the females that carry two will lay blue eggs, so wait until they're mature and pick them. Cross them back onto a male that hatched out a blue egg and you will get approx 50% celadon layers (of course, only half of those will be female).

If you use a female out of a blue egg that doesn't lay blue, you can still cross her onto a brother and get 25% celadon layers.

The blue on the inside is normal, but it doesn't mean they carry celadon or anything. The gene itself just extends that blue color to the outside.

 

[hpiechow]

Simple recessive. All birds that hatch out of a blue egg will carry at least 1 copy, but sometimes two depending on their parents. Only the females that carry two will lay blue eggs, so wait until they're mature and pick them. Cross them back onto a male that hatched out a blue egg and you will get approx 50% celadon layers (of course, only half of those will be female).

If you use a female out of a blue egg that doesn't lay blue, you can still cross her onto a brother and get 25% celadon layers.

The blue on the inside is normal, but it doesn't mean they carry celadon or anything. The gene itself just extends that blue color to the outside.

Thank you! So, I have my original birds that are hatching as we speak. I will cull the non ce hens, and put a rooster from that hatch over them. I should get 50% ce out of that crossing. from that hatch, can I breed my CE females back to my original male? I'm assuming there is a way to boost my percentage by backcrossing, or discovering and using a ce dominant male?

In summary, its easy to find your ce dominant hens bc they lay a blue egg, but I'm thinking it will be more difficult to find a ce dominant male?

 

[CoturnixComplex]

You are correct! You will need to keep a few males and rotate blue laying hens between them, keeping track of what pairings result in 100% blue-laying female offspring vs 50%. It will take much space and time. There is a reason homozygous lines are hard to find.

 

[hpiechow]

Great, thank you!!