Basic genetics questions?

[ccmarie]

I'm just trying to understand. I thought that my barred rooster, in with a variety of mix-breed hens, would have sex-linked babies, females barred, males not. We ended up with a barred female (mother unknown), a barred male (mother either white or blue), and a buff female (mother either white or blue). Can anyone explain?

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

My understanding is that it works the other way --- barred females x non-barred males will make sex-linked chicks. The male chicks from the cross will be barred and the females will be non-barred.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I'm just trying to understand. I thought that my barred rooster, in with a variety of mix-breed hens, would have sex-linked babies, females barred, males not. We ended up with a barred female (mother unknown), a barred male (mother either white or blue), and a buff female (mother either white or blue). Can anyone explain?

For a sex-link cross, the mother must be barred and the father not-barred. The sons will be barred, but none of the daughters. The hens only have one copy of the gene; their sons inherit that, their daughters inherit the W chromosome that does not have sex-linked gene loci. Barred males give both sons and daughters the barring gene. If they have two copies, all offspring will receive a copy; if they have only one, about half tehir offspring will receive a copy, but gender makes no difference.

 

[ccmarie]

Oh, I got it backward. Thanks.