color of chicks

[goatsoap]

I am a newly diagnosed Polish chicken addict. I have a white crested blue rooster in with a 2 same colored hens, 1 splash hen and 2 buff laced hens. Out of the 30 hatchlings so far, have 25 white crested blues and 5 splash. So very cute!! Does the rooster determine the color of the chicks? Getting 2-3 eggs a day and all the girls are about 9 months old. Pretty sure they are all laying since the hens (from what I have read) only lay a couple of eggs a week. Any info on the breakdown of who makes what color? I would have thought I would have mixes, or at least some buff laced.

thanks

 

[Illia]

Both mom and dad donate the genes for color, but since the extended black genes that make up the white crested blue, splash, and black are dominant to the genes that make up for buff laced, you won't get any buff laced. You should, however, get white looking chicks (with possible splashy coloration) from your Buff Laced, since the white lacing on them is dominant. (not the lacing, but the white color)

btw -

 

[goatsoap]

Thanks so much. I'm guessing that if I put my silver laced roo in, will still have lighter colored chicks?

 

[Illia]

If you put the Silver Laced roo in, you'll have no splash, less blues, and more colorful, slightly laced offspring.

 

[goatsoap]

Thanks for the info. What a neat site - mountains of information for us newbies.

Now I just need to get the adorable chicks out of the brooder in my living room so I can have more chickens!!!