Chicken Genetics Blog

[MysteryChicken]

Glad to see there is at least one more genetics enthusiast who is passionate about preserving old lines of Gamefowl. We have several lines we have preserved for many many years. The silver duckwing greys I just posted about that are throwing silver gingers are an old line of "Regular Gray" from Robert Harvey. Deadend Greys as he calls them. Your birds are really nice by the way!

Thanks.

 

[KF0002]

Yeah, that would be the way to go.

Thank you for all your help!

 

[KF0002]

Thanks.

Yw. You have nice birds.

 

[ChookaPete]

Is this it? Pardon me for being so needy. lol

(Ignore how many tabs I have open.)

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I tried that website and cannot make head or tail out of it!

How do I use it?

 

[KF0002]

I tried that website and cannot make head or tail out of it!

How do I use it?

Each gene has a button on the right that will show how each gene affects a bird’s phenotype. You have to have a basic understanding of the different genes and color modifiers before you can use the calculator. It seems pretty complicated at first. Amer’s thread on chicken genetics has been very helpful to me and I’m slowly figuring it out.

 

[ChookaPete]

Each gene has a button on the right that will show how each gene affects a bird’s phenotype. You have to have a basic understanding of the different genes and color modifiers before you can use the calculator. It seems pretty complicated at first. Amer’s thread on chicken genetics has been very helpful to me and I’m slowly figuring it out.

Thank you very much! Yes I understand now, as honestly I have no idea about the different genes etc. In fact I only just learned about the sex chromosomes (ZZ for male and ZW for female).

 

[ChookaPete]

Is it possible to work out a chicken's genetics going backwards from their feather colouring etc.?

For instance, my hens are the hybrid breed Hy-Line, but despite being from the same hatched flock (I think), they all have different traits (which I like):

Since I wrote the list, I am wondering if Cumin and Coriander are actually red sex-links. Could they be "orange" sex-links instead? They both do not have that dark reddish hue in their neck of a New Hampshire or Rhode Island Red.

Here's Clover, who does exhibit that reddish appearance. She was broody here, hence the dehydrated floppy single fin comb:

The rest of my chooks are still pullets - three Light Sussex, one Leghorn cross, and two Hy-Line very similar to Coriander. I am waiting to see how they all grow before reviewing their characteristics.

 

[Amer]

The term "red sex link" doesn't really have to do with the specific color of the hen, it means the cross. A red sexlink is produced by crossing a gold based male with a silver based female to produce silver/gold heterozygote sons and gold daughters, regardless of what specific genotype the offspring have outside of gold and silver.

 

[Amer]

It's worth noting chickens with the Mahogany gene (which produces red chickens) can vary from orange to red. This is caused by unknown genes.

 

[KF0002]

It's worth noting chickens with the Mahogany gene (which produces red chickens) can vary from orange to red. This is caused by unknown genes.

While we are on the topic of mahogany, I was told that the mohagany gene can be associated with poor feather quality. That makes so much sense because I've noticed the sickle feathers in both of my Red Leghorns' tails are kinda rough looking and not slick and smooth. How do you remedy this and prevent it in future progeny? I am hesitant to backcross the red x brown pullets to the red sire next year because of the feather quality issue, as well as his squirrel tail. So he may be just a one year and done kinda bird.

On a positive note, I impulse purchased some Buff Leghorn hatching eggs from exhibition stock so hopefully I can use those to improve the Reds? I know I am putting my cart WAY before my horse and you can't breed birds before they hatch, but I'm just excited I guess. lol