Black To White Experiment

[MysteryChicken]

Green-blue?!

Light Turqouise with heavy bloom. With her genetics being EE X Barred Rock should've given green.

 

[Rillowen]

We'll find out exactly what's going on when the experiment begins.

I dont know much about chicken specific genetics yet (I'm just getting started there) but I Do have quite a bit of genetic understanding. I believe its possible you may actually BOTH be right. The barring gene is specifically passed down only from the father (and while it is possible for a mutation to move genes to a different chromosome its incredibly rare, and mostly reaults in death of the embyo). BUT other genes on chromosomes passed from mother could be responsible for the difference in appearance, because sometimes (especially with appearance related genes in any animal) genes that are present and dominant can be effectivly "turned off" by specific hormones and receptors that are controlled from genes on completely different chromosomes. Cat and horse coats is a good example of this. Meaning perhaps she DID get the barring from Dad, but also got a gene from mom that "turned off" the barring, which left her with the dominant color of that part of the body, which is what caused mom to have partial barring too. The "turning off" is often related to specific messenger protiens made that have to be present when the feather buds are first formed, so they can be expressed in some parts of the body and not in others.

Another thought, although you probably took care of this, is that are you sure the barred really was dad? The male contribution can live inside the hen for a shockingly long time, perhaps she was bread with a different roo before being out in the pen? (Again, you seem like you know what you are doing, but it was just a thought)

 

[MysteryChicken]

I dont know much about chicken specific genetics yet (I'm just getting started there) but I Do have quite a bit of genetic understanding. I believe its possible you may actually BOTH be right. The barring gene is specifically passed down only from the father (and while it is possible for a mutation to move genes to a different chromosome its incredibly rare, and mostly reaults in death of the embyo). BUT other genes on chromosomes passed from mother could be responsible for the difference in appearance, because sometimes (especially with appearance related genes in any animal) genes that are present and dominant can be effectivly "turned off" by specific hormones and receptors that are controlled from genes on completely different chromosomes. Cat and horse coats is a good example of this. Meaning perhaps she DID get the barring from Dad, but also got a gene from mom that "turned off" the barring, which left her with the dominant color of that part of the body, which is what caused mom to have partial barring too. The "turning off" is often related to specific messenger protiens made that have to be present when the feather buds are first formed, so they can be expressed in some parts of the body and not in others.

Another thought, although you probably took care of this, is that are you sure the barred really was dad? The male contribution can live inside the hen for a shockingly long time, perhaps she was bread with a different roo before being out in the pen? (Again, you seem like you know what you are doing, but it was just a thought)

Sorry, which hen?

If you're referring to Dino the original Rooster, yes he was the only one in the coop to breed the hens.
Old picture, the Welsummer wasn't in the coop at the time the project started. He died about a year before.

 

[Rillowen]

Sorry, which hen?

If you're referring to Dino the original Rooster, yes he was the only one in the coop to breed the hens.
Old picture, the Welsummer wasn't in the coop at the time the project started. He died about a year before.
View attachment 4301040

Yes sorry, I meant the original mamma, who was visibly barred, perhaps had "saved" some contribution from before being put in the breeding pen with domino. Was just a spitball though, you probably knew to wait the time or she wasnt ever around another or something like that.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Yes sorry, I meant the original mamma, who was visibly barred, perhaps had "saved" some contribution from before being put in the breeding pen with domino. Was just a spitball though, you probably knew to wait the time or she wasnt ever around another or something like that.

The Cuckoo Easter. She's the parents of the color changing roosters, & other hen.

This was Dino's mother.

 

[Rillowen]

The Cuckoo Easter. She's the parents of the color changing roosters, & other hen.
View attachment 4301042View attachment 4301043This was Dino's mother.View attachment 4301046

Yes, that one, when the "color changing chicks" were conceived. She was the one with the almost all white feathers on her wings right? So perhaps she has a gene that expresses protiens that are prohibitive to the barred expression.

Or perhaps she was a naughty girl and kept the evidence safe for way longer than should be possible, 10-14 days being common, with some saying up to 32 days after breeding!! (I still find it mind boggling)

 

[MysteryChicken]

Yes, that one, when the "color changing chicks" were conceived. She was the one with the almost all white feathers on her wings right? So perhaps she has a gene that expresses protiens that are prohibitive to the barred expression.

Or perhaps she was a naughty girl and kept the evidence safe for way longer than should be possible, 10-14 days being common, with some saying up to 32 days after breeding!! (I still find it mind boggling)

Interesting theory. Yes, she was.

The Welsummer couldn't breed due to a pelvic injury that left him lopsided. Never seen him attempt it either.

 

[Rillowen]

The barred Easter Eggers look so much like barred rocks (which we have around here in droves) it always throws me off.

 

[MysteryChicken]

The barred Easter Eggers look so much like barred rocks (which we have around here in droves) it always throws me off.

I got mine from a breeder who had no history of birds changing color. I've asked. Nice lady who sells eggs on Ebay.

 

[Rillowen]

Yes, that one, when the "color changing chicks" were conceived. She was the one with the almost all white feathers on her wings right? So perhaps she has a gene that expresses protiens that are prohibitive to the barred expression.

Or perhaps she was a naughty girl and kept the evidence safe for way longer than should be possible, 10-14 days being common, with some saying up to 32 days after breeding!! (I still find it mind boggling)

I got mine from a breeder who had no history of birds changing color. I've asked. Nice lady who sells eggs on Ebay.

Oh I wasnt suggesting that, I was just commenting that it always throws me off!
Sounds like there were no other roos around then. So perhaps the prohibitive protien. The barring gene itself is actually lighter stripes of the dominant color correct? So a dark Grey with barring actually has dark grey/black as the dominant color, with the barring gene overlaid on top, the same with your Domino Roo, his red and black and blue on the wings is overlaid with the barring pattern, so she (you odd all black/blue no barring hen) could have inherited the blue and black parts from them and then a "Stop" Order for the barring, which she would then be a carrier for both the stop order and the barring. I'm not sure how you would go about getting the stop order out of there, although breeding to ones who for sure don't have it (complete barring) should surely only help?