Developing new varieties

[fivehills]

How do breeders develop a new variety (color)?

 

[Smoky73]

on purpose or by accident LOL. I am working on Wheaten and Silver Wheaten Silkies "by accident" I got them from my black pen.

 

[fivehills]

Thanks for responding. I was just wondering. Poultry color genes are still hard for me to grasp. I understand and have studied the horse color genetics for 10 yrs+ but as much as it is similar, it's totally a different thing in many ways. I get the differences in type as far as breeding for better leg color, conformation etc but the term variety really threw me. I am assuming that means within a breed, the different colors are referred to as different varieties. In equines, spontaneous colors (those that don't fit what is known to be possible with crossing color genes) are usually a result of a different stallion being the sire than what was supposed to be whether it was an accidental breeding or otherwise. Am I right to assume then, that bringing in a bird from a desired color (different but similar body type) is done then the resulting chicks bred to bring their type back up to what it should be and that they will breed true?

I find this fascinating.

 

[cracked_egg]

Hey! You have the "variety" thing down... Just think of it like dogs: there are poodles, but they are divided into "miniature" "standard" and "toy"... They are all poodles, just a different variety of poodle. Same with cocker spaniels... Hth! No matter the "variety" the base animal should look the same... It is just a "variation" in color.

 

[fivehills]

Thank you but that wasn't quite what I was wanting to know. Do breeders use other breeds to bring in color varieties not previously found in the breed ? I mean, if you wanted a barred variety in a breed and there was no barred birds in the breed, they don't just happen right? They would use a bird from another breed to bring in the barring gene then take those chicks and breed the type back in while hopefully keeping the barred gene?

 

[fivehills]

Thank you but that wasn't quite what I was wanting to know. Do breeders use other breeds to bring in color varieties not previously found in the breed ? I mean, if you wanted a barred variety in a breed and there was no barred birds in the breed, they don't just happen right? They would use a bird from another breed to bring in the barring gene then take those chicks and breed the type back in while hopefully keeping the barred gene? I understand there is a lot more than just picking a colorful bird and breeding, there has to be understanding of all the genes involved to keep from also introducing undesirable traits in addition to what is wanted.