Bourbon Red

[ChickChic00]

I bought two more turkey poults today and the person I get them from have heritage bourbon red. Well this time one of the poults I picked out has a very brown head and super light body color. Any idea why?

 

[R2elk]

I bought two more turkey poults today and the person I get them from have heritage bourbon red. Well this time one of the poults I picked out has a very brown head and super light body color. Any idea why?

Probably because it isn't a pure Bourbon Red. This can happen from hidden recessive genes, a breeding from an unintended mate or even a possible mutation.

 

[ChickChic00]

Probably because it isn't a pure Bourbon Red. This can happen from hidden recessive genes, a breeding from an unintended mate or even a possible mutation.

All her turkeys are pure bourbon red though. So I don't see how it could not be a pure bourbon red. I could see it being a mutation possibly.

 

[R2elk]

All her turkeys are pure bourbon red though. So I don't see how it could not be a pure bourbon red. I could see it being a mutation possibly.

It is entirely possible that her turkeys are not pure Bourbon Red. You cannot necessarily look at a Bourbon Red and declare it to be pure. There are hidden recessive genes that are not necessarily showing. One of the most common hidden genes that still allows a Bourbon Red to be called a Bourbon Red is the black winged bronze gene. In the males, they can also be carrying a hidden Narragansett gene and still be called a Bourbon Red.

In the females a single Narragansett gene wlil display its effects since hens can only have one Narragansett.

(bb1 Nn rr) is a male and is called a Bourbon Red split : Black Winged Bronze and Narragansett. (bb1 n- rr) is a female and is called a Lavender Edged Bourbon Red Split: Black Winged Bronze.

 

[austria89]

It is entirely possible that her turkeys are not pure Bourbon Red. You cannot necessarily look at a Bourbon Red and declare it to be pure. There are hidden recessive genes that are not necessarily showing. One of the most common hidden genes that still allows a Bourbon Red to be called a Bourbon Red is the black winged bronze gene. In the males, they can also be carrying a hidden Narragansett gene and still be called a Bourbon Red.

In the females a single Narragansett gene wlil display its effects since hens can only have one Narragansett.

(bb1 Nn rr) is a male and is called a Bourbon Red split : Black Winged Bronze and Narragansett. (bb1 n- rr) is a female and is called a Lavender Edged Bourbon Red Split: Black Winged Bronze.

The BWB gene is often not completely recessive. You can see slight changes in the wing and tail pattern. One friend of mine is currently using this combination to produce a color called "Chestnut Red", which has quite an unusual dark coloration.

bb1 n- rr would be considered Bourbon Buff (split BWB). Lavender Edged is used for dom. slate (D) versions.

The narragansett (n) and gray (cg) gene can hide pretty well in bronze-based varieties.
This can cause some paler looking poults.