Barring Gene questions

[BeardedLadyFarm]

Could someone give me a little tutorial on the barring gene?

Am I correct that males can be either homozygous or heterozygous for the gene? Females can only have one copy of the gene, correct?

What is the genetic reason for the difference in appearance in a barred bird and a cuckoo bird?

Can a heterozygous rooster with a barred hen still produce some non-barred offspring?

Are chickens opposite from humans in terms of XX v. XY? If so, then it all makes sense. If not then I REALLY need help.

Any info or links would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Bailey

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:

What is the genetic reason for the difference in appearance in a barred bird and a cuckoo bird?

the fast/slow feathering gene. Barred birds carry slow feathering; cuckoo birds carry fast feathering (or should I say "not-slow feathering"

)

Can a heterozygous rooster with a barred hen still produce some non-barred offspring?

about half his offspring will inherit barring,about half will not; there is no gender-linkage

Are chickens opposite from humans in terms of XX v. XY? If so, then it all makes sense. If not then I REALLY need help.

Sort of yes. Birds do not carry X & Y like humans; they carry W and Z. Hens are ZW; cocks are ZZ. Hens determine gender of offspring. For sex-linked genes, hens provide a copy only to their sons.

Any info or links would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Bailey​

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

Thanks for your help. I'll have to read up on ZW/ZZ. fascinating! I'm going to figure out these birds, one gene at a time!

I was playing around with the chicken calculator regarding my question about the heterzygous barred roo, over the barred hen. It looks like you would expect about half of the pullets to be barred, and half non-barred, while all of the cockerels would inherit the barring from their mother.

Some sort of semi-sex linked cross I guess.

I'm getting my first roo this week, who isn't yet crowing but is mounting his girls. I'm hoping I can get a few babies before I have to find him a new home! He's heterozygous for cuckoo, so I'm just trying to figure out what to expect.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

It is a sex-linked cross. However I was not assuming htat you were breeding to a barred hen. If a het roo is bred to a barred hen, you will not be able to tell the het. sons from the daughters; hom. sons will look different. If a barred hen is bred to a non-barred cock, all sons will be barred; no daughters will be.

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

I plan on crossing him to several different hens, one of them cuckoo herself.

I understand that het. boys and the barred females would look alike. I would assume the homozygous boys would have the typical barred chick sexing clues ( clearer head spot and all?)

Any solid chicks would then necessarily be female.

He's an Olive Egger roo, with 3/4 Marans blood, and a pea comb (so I hope one blue egg gene).

I'm trying to make some really dark Olive Eggers using the hens I already have, and the next generation will be 7/8 Marans, so fingers crossed I'll get at least a couple girls with pea combs.

 

[nzpouter]

Quote:
Half of his female offspring will be non barred.

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

Quote:
Half of his female offspring will be non barred.

Thanks for confirming.

I'm working on dark eggs, and I have a Cuckoo Marans who lays a very deep egg. I'm really more interested in solid or non barred birds (since I already have the cuckoo, some barred rocks, and a blue barred Olive Egger). I'm glad to know that that's a likely possibility even from the cuckoo hen.