Chicken colors?

[Ohiostatfan]

So just a sheer curiousity question....can you "predict" chicken colors???

We have horses, and so I know what my "possibilities" are, say when I breed a bay horse to a chestnut, palomino, black, etc....

Not that I "intend" to be breeding, but I dont want to get rid of all my Roos, and they'll be free-ranging when they are big enough....

All the Old English are Black Breasted Red.....but I also have one Splash Andi.... What happens if you cross a splash and a BBR?

~Bridget

 

[Kev]

Yes. Genetic share "rules" all across species, with exceptions here and there. In any case, as to your question yes.. color genetics follow "rules" just like they do in horses although chickens have far more color and pattern mutations than horses.

Did you mean Andi as in Andalusian? Blue and splashes really are just a solid black chicken with one and two blue genes, respectively. Black is also dominant so:

BBR x splash Andalusian 100% blue chickens. A lot of them will eventually show some color on their hackles and saddles as often happens with impurity for the particular black gene. Breeding those offspring to BBRs will get you some Blue tailed Reds.. looks same as yours except with blue tails and breasts on the roosters. And if they breed again you can get splashed BBR, which look like Pyles- mostly white body with red on hackles, saddles on roosters and mostly white with soft red on necks and breasts on hens.(those are Splash versions of BBR)

 

[Ohiostatfan]

Quote:
How interesting! Thank you

Yes, he is a splash Andalusian (rofl, reverting to horse terminology there....Andalusian horses are abbreviated as Andis)

LOL but regardless, I'd be able to tell for sure which babies were the offspring of the Splash roo!!

Thanks!!

~Bridget