Buff Brahma genetic inquiry.

[InterestingChickens]

Looks like it is a feather that is off colour. If you were showing him, you could cut the feather out up to the pin section of it. You would need to keep an eye on it and help him lose the feather if needed. Of course, you would want to do this several months before a show to give him a chance to grow it back. Hopefully it would then return to it's normal colour.

 

[CrazyCochin]

Thank you so much. I do not have any plans on showing the father yet. But I was curious as to why he (the son) inherited the white his father had, in almost the exact same spot.

Looks like it is a feather that is off colour. If you were showing him, you could cut the feather out up to the pin section of it. You would need to keep an eye on it and help him lose the feather if needed. Of course, you would want to do this several months before a show to give him a chance to grow it back. Hopefully it would then return to it's normal colour.

 

[NatJ]

I am curious as to why a Buff Brahma would have white amongst their black feathers.

Chickens just do have off-color feathers sometimes. I've seen it in several different colors and patterns-- a feather or two that do not match the rest (white on a black chicken, solid black on a barred chicken, and so forth.)

Since the father and son both have it, there might be some gene affecting it, but it's not one that I have read any information about. The people studying chicken genes usually pay attention to the ones that make obvious changes (like turning black into white, all over the chicken) or the ones that affect production qualities like body size or egg laying. So there are LOTS of genes that have never been studied, just because no-one cared enough.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Our large fowl Buff Brahma rooster is a beautiful specimen, but the one detail I noticed is that he has a couple of black & white tail feathers. And the son of him, (Red Bantam Cochin X LF Buff Brahma) has this as well. So I am curious as to why a Buff Brahma would have white amongst their black feathers.
This is a picture of the offspring’s tail feathers, which are exactly like his father’s: View attachment 2871815
Thank you in advance to all who reply!

I'm not sure what causes this, but I did notice it does pop up in Wheaten, partridge, & Duckwing based birds.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I suck with genetics, but @NatJ, @MysteryChicken, and @JacinLarkwell are great with them...

Honestly I only know the very basics

 

[CrazyCochin]

Chickens just do have off-color feathers sometimes. I've seen it in several different colors and patterns-- a feather or two that do not match the rest (white on a black chicken, solid black on a barred chicken, and so forth.)

Since the father and son both have it, there might be some gene affecting it, but it's not one that I have read any information about. The people studying chicken genes usually pay attention to the ones that make obvious changes (like turning black into white, all over the chicken) or the ones that affect production qualities like body size or egg laying. So there are LOTS of genes that have never been studied, just because no-one cared enough.

This is wonderful information, thank you NatJ!
Okay, good to know. Just like people, or other animals.

Alright. I don’t research so I defiantly would t have know.
I believe that. I think it would be cool to know all the secret ,if I may, genes!

 

[CrazyCochin]

I’m alright with not being able to know “what” causes it, and as I said, I was just wondering if it was a genetic, and I got my answer. Thank you guys.