Anyone good with Embden genetics?

[shelleyd2008]

I hatched (and kept) 3 goslings from my geese so far. I kept these three because, judging by their down color, they were 2 females and 1 male. Up until a few days ago I had 1 toulouse gander, 4 embden ganders, and 1 embden goose. The toulouse has since been rehomed.

My 2 'embden girls' have started getting their feathers. Several of the feathers have a grey tint to them, so I'm thinking the toulouse is their daddy. The other embden (boy) is definitely a pure embden and judging from behavior is also definitely a boy.

What I was wondering is that the 2 'girls' both have blue eyes? If they were mixed with toulouse wouldn't they have different eye color? Or is the blue dominant? Thanks

 

[pete55]

Hi Shelley

I think you can rest assured that your females are Embdens. Had your Toulouse Gander mated your Embden goose then I think the result would have been 50% Dilute Grey Males and 50% Grey Females. The white colour of the Embdens in due to 2 sex linked recessive genes, the pied gene (Saddlebacks) and the dilute gene. It is the dilute gene that gives the white body colour and blue eyes.

It is also these sex linked colour genes that allow you to 'auto sex' the goslings, males usually having the paler down colour. This also sometimes shows again in juvenile plumage and the females often have a few grey fethers towards the back. These are usually replaced with white feathers at the next moult.

So it does look like you have bred Embdens. Hope that helps.

Pete

 

[shelleyd2008]

Woohoo! I was hoping it was normal but these are my first babies and I did have the 1 toulouse. But I was almost certain that they would not have blue eyes if they were mixed, I just needed to double check. Thanks Pete

Can you tell I've not had many female goslings?

 

[pete55]

You're welcome

Yes it shows you cant believe your luck that you have the girls, well done

We're in a similar position but praying for boys from our Buff females

Pete

 

[shelleyd2008]

I bought 5 embden geese last year, it was supposedly 2 'mated' pairs and 1 goose. I have 1 goose and 4 ganders

Next year I'll have at least 5 geese and 5 ganders, I bought one youngster at auction that I vent sexed as a female but who knows if I did it right. So it might be 5 geese and 6 ganders or it could be 6 geese and 5 ganders...plus there's the 7 eggs Mama Goose is on, I doubt I'll be able to steal any of those away

Barring any tragedies, I think I'll be good for next year

And I can't believe I'm typing this, but here's hoping you get some boys!