Could GMO colorful chickens work?

[EEforMe]

So first off this might not be the right section for this thread but “genetics” so idk. This may seem like a dumb question but it’s also something I’m very curious about. So, are genetically modified colorful chickens possible? My idea is that since there are many birds with colorful feathers, you could use the genes from those species so that chickens’ would create the pigment in their feathers. It wouldn’t work for blues quite like that because the blue comes from the feathers structure which reflects blue light. It may not work but it would also be pretty cool if it did, so, any ideas?

 

[Amer]

I think it is possible but not currently. Some plumage phenomenons are caused by one gene. Others are more complicated, and little research has gone into the genomes of wild bird species and what genes are responsible for their coloring.
But if a scientist really had that as their goal (which they don’t) they could, I believe.

 

[EEforMe]

I think it is possible but not currently. Some plumage phenomenons are caused by one gene. Others are more complicated, and little research has gone into the genomes of wild bird species and what genes are responsible for their coloring.
But if a scientist really had that as their goal (which they don’t) they could, I believe.

Thanks! Yeah that’s pretty much what I thought as well. I tried to do some research but all I found was a website claiming that they were going to GMO all of the chickens on earth to have pink bones so that it would leave a pink line in the earths crust to leave a mark of humanity. Yeah right lol

 

[DarJones]

When we know enough to read and write the genome of entire organisms, then anything is possible. Want a blue iridescent chicken? Easy enough, lift the genes from a blue iridescent bird and you can have it.

I'm not up to date on chicken genome mapping but the best I recall speculation was for about 23,000 genes. Based on findings in other genomes, this is probably low. It should not be too difficult to find the gene(s) for red feathers in summer tanagers and transfer it to other birds. What would you think of a bright red crow flying around in the sky?

 

[3KillerBs]

What would you think of a bright red crow flying around in the sky?

For wild animals it's a bad idea -- they have evolved their colors for a reason that facilitates their survival.

But a bright red chicken, or a bluebird blue one, or a canary yellow one ... that could be cool!

Though probably better not free-ranged.

 

[EEforMe]

For wild animals it's a bad idea -- they have evolved their colors for a reason that facilitates their survival.

But a bright red chicken, or a bluebird blue one, or a canary yellow one ... that could be cool!

Though probably better not free-ranged.

x2
Colored chickens would definitely not make good free rangers lol

 

[Appalachian homestead]

I have thought about this myself. If someone could make a grass green colored chicken, they'd make great free rangers. You could steal the DNA from a parrot

 

[JacinLarkwell]

They would only make good foragers where grass is green, just like where dirt colored chickens do well in brown and yellow areas and white chickens where there's snow

 

[nicalandia]

Green Jungle Fowl are very Colorful already, The Hybrids show that the genetics for their colorful plumage can be successfully introduce to Domestic lines.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Green Jungle Fowl are very Colorful already, The Hybrids show that the genetics for their colorful plumage can be successfully introduce to Domestic lines.

View attachment 3323303

View attachment 3323314

Aren't the hybrids sterile? Or is that a different color?