Coturnix recessive feather color

[TGinTX]

Is there a feather color that is more recessive to most of the others? For example, if I hatched only 1 quail with colors I like (from eggs so I don't have knowledge of the parents), is there a particular feather color that will be more likely to be recessive so I can try to cross with and get the color to offspring?

 

[Susan Skylark]

There are recessive genes (blue eggs for example,called celadon) that you need two copies to get expressed. Then there are sex-linked recessive genes (like roux that makes a reddish bird) wherein females have only one copy so will express it but males will need two. Then you have genes that are codominant so are expressed more strongly with two copies. Then you have genes that are considered base colors (wild, fawn, EB) that all birds carry while other genes are modifiers that change the way the base is expressed (silver, blue, roux, fee…). Then there are other patterns/colors that could be a base pattern in themselves (pansy, ginger, black?) rather than modifying the ‘traditional’ base colors. Quail color genetics are multi genetic, many genes interact between colors/patterns, and new ones are always cropping up. Are you asking which is the rarest so you can breed it? Instead I’d find a color you enjoy or maybe one with multiple genes and try breeding for it. I also wouldn’t recommend intentionally heavily inbreeding for a particular color rather get a few birds who carry it and start with a wider genetic pool.

 

[TGinTX]

I was considering breeding with a few other quail of a recessive feather color & either breed offspring back to this particular quail (I don't know if hen or roo yet) or cross the offspring to try to pull the feather color back out on some of the resulting chicks.
I looked up websites for quail genetics & that made my head hurt with terms I don't understand - codominance, etc. I hadn't considered sex-linked traits so this is likely more than I'll ever understand.
I think I'll just cross with whatever is closest to the base color & see what shows up.

 

[Nabiki]

You do want to be careful with some of the recessive feather patterns. For example, if you inbreed silver to silver or Italian to Italian, you may end up with unhealthy chicks.

 

[Susan Skylark]

Can you post a picture of your mystery colored bird, maybe someone could identify it and help you understand how to breed for it?