Color genetics thread.

[jessicaagross]

Okay I did ask for that.... lol

Simple answer:

Dominant white x black= white, some with a few random black feathers.

Recessive white x black, could be either solid black, black with leakage... or barred... barring is often used in whites to help clear the legs to solid yellow or white.

This is also a good example of don't be fooled into thinking one color= one gene especially in chickens.

Other headache inducing examples:

Barred rocks are solid black chickens with the barring gene added.

Blue is a solid black chicken with the blue gene added.

Lavender is " " " "

The only difference between buff and light brahmas are gold and silver, respectively.

Solid black, solid blue, solid lavenders are all either gold or silver. You just can't tell unless they leak or if you cross them to something that will let the color show in the offspring.

A common issue you will encounter in the poultry hobby is the really bad habit of giving the same name to completely different genetics... OR giving the same genetics totally different names.

Wow. Yep, I'm going to need to read up on all of this, because I'm feeling intimidated. Really interesting stuff though. Thank you!!

 

[Kev]

Wow. Yep, I'm going to need to read up on all of this, because I'm feeling intimidated. Really interesting stuff though. Thank you!!

Haha I was having a little bit of fun tossing all that out but in all seriousness, many of us would be happy to give answers to any questions.

Do you have a project or ?? in mind?

 

[CanuckBock]

Wow. Yep, I'm going to need to read up on all of this, because I'm feeling intimidated. Really interesting stuff though. Thank you!!

I teach seven year old kids how to do the Punnett Square matrixes to understand the inheritance of blue dilution...

​

This is where I start up doing demos with plastic chooks and PS...lots of genetics before that but mixed in with general farm life on the ranch.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ns-rat-ranch-conservation-farm-in-alberta/690

From basics of red or black (white no pigment), e-series (soup based natch), gender linked, stuff like gold or Silver, Fm, Id to recessive white, dom white, barring/cuckoo, etc. It helps that what I demo about, I usually have live in the flesh birds to post photos of. First hatch last year produced a Booted MDF with shanks/toes that are dark on one extremity and light on the other which we have concluded is due to mottling.

Some find my methods of using Lego (nfi) blocks to plushy ducks helpful. It is not intimidating; mostly amusing.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[rainbowrooster]

Genetics wise, you have a black chicken EE and mix it with a red chicken RR. I'm not sore how to do the square or when I do it I don't know what the results mean. Two dominant are crazy.

You would have black chickens with some red bleeding in the males. There are only 2 pigments (black & red) in chicken feathers and with the exclusion of other genes black is dominate to red.

 

[rainbowrooster]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this... but I have two red orpington pullets. What color chicks would I get if I crossed them to my black orpington roo? Or my jubilee roo? Which roo would be best for them?

Depends on what you want to have more of in the future. Do you want more blacks, reds, and/or jubilees?

 

[rainbowchick]

Question...
I read somewhere that Black Copper Marans were ER based. I've got a hen paired with a lavender Ameraucana for a test mating (and of course, olive Eggers). I want to see if the lavender carries ER in order to see if it will help along my isabel lacing project... Anyway, here's the actual question: Ameraucana ER birds (brown reds) have a VERY different chick phenotype than the Black Copper Marans. So which phenotype should I be looking for? Any thoughts on this cross and it's viability as a test mating?
I haven't started collecting eggs yet (the hen didn't like me switching up roosters on her and went on strike), so I've got some time to figure this out...

 

[Kev]

How to visually determine between E and ER will never be crystal clear. They both are commonly said to have distinct chick and adult patterns but there is overlap.

It also doesn't help it's not uncommon at all for both to be found in the very same line.

The BCM I had seemed a lot more like E to me than ER... their chicks were like the "typical" E chicks, and many hens were solid black, with copper being only on the cocks. That's the same pattern I saw when outcrossing supposedly to be guaranteed E birds(other breeds) to e+, eb,eWh birds. So I'm guessing you're noticing the same thing I did in regards to BCM? Addendum- I noticed it was very easy to get solid hens out of a line descended from a BCM cross, even if they were not out of a breeding to E or ER rooster. Another thing to suspect E really is involved.

However, I also got either all black or very minimal leaking on hens from birchen modern game crosses......

Birchen old english game outcrosses did seem to be truly ER- very leaky birds, chicks were "typical" ER

But then I wonder if I am being tricked by unknown to me modifiers in any of these, making me go back to square one.

I never tried to make ER style lacing on either of these and no longer have them so will never know for sure what they really were. You're trying for tail lacing, right? The reason for wanting ER?

I have no idea what lav amers are supposed to be on but would like to know if someone tells you. Likewise if someone tells you a surefire way to tell the difference between E and ER.

 

[CanuckBock]

How to visually determine between E and ER will never be crystal clear. They both are commonly said to have distinct chick and adult patterns but there is overlap.

...

I have no idea what lav amers are supposed to be on but would like to know if someone tells you. Likewise if someone tells you a surefire way to tell the difference between E and ER.

Sigrid says adult ER has breast lacing. E chick is black on top whereas ER chicks may have a brown head &/or white spot on chin. Some ER have purplish down.

I don't have either e-series base in my possession, so cannot assist you with any personal observations.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[redrooster99]

What will a white created polish x silver laced polish look like?

 

[Kev]

Sigrid says adult ER has breast lacing. E chick is black on top whereas ER chicks may have a brown head &/or white spot on chin. Some ER have purplish down.

I don't have either e-series base in my possession, so cannot assist you with any personal observations.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

Thanks! That's to my understanding as well. So it was a little confusing to get typical E pattern out of crosses with something like birchen modern games.. I am not confident enough to decide if they really were E.. or E/ER.... ER with modifiers..?

Also the other thing I wonder about, why do some ER have less or so much breast lacing- a few have it over almost their entire body, rather beautiful.

To go back to answering rainbowchick- I personally would go with chicks and adults that show the typical description of ER(as in CanuckBock's post), especially if tail lacing is desired. Just to be on the safe side.