Gene gurus - What might I end up with if I . . .

[scoopy82]

I want to breed black sexlink chicks using a French Wheatan Marans Rooster with Dark Barred Plymouth Rock hens.
My alternative is using a Buff Orpington Rooster over the DB Plymouth Rock hens.
Going on those gene combinations can anyone fathom a guess as to what the offspring might look like colour and marking wise?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm not real familair with the Wheaton Maran as far as the final adult appearance of the offspring of that cross, but with both roosters you should get black sex links. The down should be black with the males having a white patch on their head.

In theory, the adult hens should be solid black and the roosters should be black barred, but it is possible for you to get leakage. That's where some red or gold leaks through. How much and where, I don't know.

As an example of leakage, this is the result of a Speckled Sussex rooster over a Black Australorp hen. There is no barring involved, but you can clearly see where the gold leaked through. On some of the roosters, this leakage was mahogony red, not gold. None of the pullets from this cross had any leakage at all. But sometimes they do with other crosses.

I'd pretty much expect you to get results similar to mine (except with barring) with the Buff Orp, some leakage on the rooster but probably none on the hens. I could be wrong. It's the leakage with the Wheaton Maran father I'm less sure of.

 

[tadkerson]

Quote:
I agree with ridge runner with the marans. The buff orpington contain a gene that will restrict black to the posterior end of the bird. The adult hens could just have buff heads, hackles and some buff on the breast or they could have the front half of their body buff and the back part black and black mixed with buff. The amount of buff showing depends on the genetics of the barred bird. If the barred birds carry columbian more buff will show on the bird and the buff color will be a bit more red in color.

Tim

 

[RAREROO]

I have pics of BO X BR sexlinks here https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=375015

I would expect the WM X BR cross to look about the same as commercial/hatchery type BSLs.

 

[scoopy82]

Quote:
Thanks everyone

very glad to hear that either combination should work.

Ridgerunner I love your 'In Theory' as we all know that sometimes chickens just dont want to go with the theory! I have a few cross bred hens where there has been leakage, the hens have been all black but their wing feathers are tipped with brown speckles. And some hens that are SLW x OEG and they are really pretty, have some lacing and little smears of brown through their feathers.

Rareroo the BO x BR hens look very pretty! The roos look rather unique too. As I plan to sell them as pets I think if they look a little unusual they might be more appealing.