Breed & Genetics Question!

[HuffleClaw]

Napoleon looks like a rir. Very cute!

Thanks!

 

[sourland]

Napoleon's mother was probably also a hatchery RIR. The question about the leghorn X has been effectively answered. At one time I had a flock of that cross that were excellent layers.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Napoleon's mother was probably also a hatchery RIR. The question about the leghorn X has been effectively answered. At one time I had a flock of that cross that were excellent layers.

Thank you Sourland!

 

[The Moonshiner]

White Leghorns cannot be used for any color sex linked cross.

White Leghorns are dominant white and cannot be used in any sex Link crosses.

Why not?
Wanted to give some thoughts on this. This idea that white leghorns can't be used for sex links because they're dominate white is so popular that I've even believed it for a minute.
Lets think about and I'll try to show why my opinion is that not only can they be used but the majority of red sex links are based on a dominate white hen such as the Rhode island whites.
Dominate white isn't the issue with white leghorns. The issue is whether they're silver or gold based.
If they are silver based they can be used.
Dominate white has no effect on gold/buff/red. It won't cover it.
Example would be pyle. You can use white leghorns and brown leghorns to make a pyle pattern. With them you can see how the dominate white doesn't effect the red areas. All the black is removed leaving just the gold based red color.
Dominate white does the same with red sex links.
If you cross a RIR rooster over a RIW hen you get the red sex link like a golden comet. The cockerels are mostly white and pullets mostly red.
But have you ever noticed the hens have white tails and some white heckle color instead of the black tails like the RIR. Why? Because the RIW are dominate white and pass that gene to the offspring.
The dominate white changes the black areas from the RIR to white but doesn't effect the red because dominate white doesn't effect red.
That is also what shows the RIW are dominate white. If they would be recessive white the offspring would have black instead of white since recessive white takes two copies to show and they wouldn't get a gene from the RIR side. Again black tail shows RIR do not carry either white.
Hope that gives a little insight into the "white leghorns can't be used" misinformation.

And as a side note of just how awesome leghorns are not only can a white leghorn be used on the hen side of a sex link you can also flip it and use a white leghorn on the rooster side. Breeding a white leghorn rooster which is fast feathering to a slow feathering hen will produce wing feather sex links.

 

[9SpiceyChickens]

Did you feather sex them?

 

[ejtrout31]

Most likely not show quaility birds you have to purpusfull breed for that

 

[HuffleClaw]

2 more like Dynamite just hatched. They turned out to be the SAME exact color!

 

[HuffleClaw]

Napoleon is growing in white feathers with a slight red tinge, so I’m going to assume he’s not a purebred RIR

 

[HuffleClaw]

This is Napoleon, he’s growing in white-ish feathers:

 

[Silkies rule Forever]

Sooooo cute!!