Genetics in the classroom

[Talithahorse]

I teach Middle School Science and we will be studying genetics including punnett squares, dominant and recessive genes, etc. I was thinking that it might be cool to have my kids make some genetic predictions and then hatch out some eggs, collect data, etc. Does anyone have any ideas. Currently I have access to a white silkie Rooster (always throws white), a white silkie (always throws white with the white Rooster), a black silkie (I don't know what she will throw). I also have a Silver pencil Rooster (pure silver Pencil), a partridge hen (full partridge), 1/2 partridge 1/2 pencil (F1 generation of the SP roo and the P hen. I suppose I could look for/ borrow something else if anyone else has great ideas. Additionally I do have some Dorkings and Dorking Maran crosses (all of which have 5 toes). This trait might be an easy one to follow as well. So all you chicken genetics experts, Please help a new Science teacher find a great experiment.

 

[mesafox101]

are you asking which to breed also if your gonna do the expiriment candle the eggs to make sure they are fertilized

 

[Talithahorse]

I have minimal knowledge of chicken genetics so I am asking for a simple genetics experiment using chickens where we look at one specific trait preferably one with a simple dominance system (like WW white, Ww blue, ww black) that the kids can see how the punnett square connects to actually breeding/ genetics of animals. I have two incubators so we can set them up, hatch out a small sample and then take data to hopefully show that the punnett square is roughly accurate but that it is also dependent on random events.

 

[LilJoe]

As a student, that would be amazing. I am going over genetics next year and wish my science teacher could do that!

 

[LilJoe]

Although punnett squares are not always accurate for, as you mentioned, some chickens through different colors.
My silkies:
White Roo: Recessive White
White Hen: ???
Blue Hen: Dominant Blue/Recessive Black
Black Hen: Dominant Partridge
Silver Partridge Roo(offspring of black/white): ???

 

[sylviethecochin]

Pea combs vs straight combs, pea are dominant.
Silkie fluff vs. feathers, feathers are dominant (completely in the case of my eight crossings, though the EE crosses did have very soft and long feathers.)
Black skin (silkies do have black skin) is supposed to be sex-linked, though you'll have to research that as I a.) don't remember how, and b.) have gotten chicks with black legs and wings, but white breasts.

EDT: That sounds like a really cool experiment. Good luck.

 

[sylviethecochin]

http://kippenjungle.nl/Overzicht.htm#kipcalculator

Also, this website is really cool. Just don't depend on it too much--real life crossings seldom follow predictions. They have a new one that takes traits into account as well.

And blue hens, I think, are actually black/splash co-dominant--which could be really cool, if you bred her to the white rooster. If I'm right.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Well, I'm wrong and right:http://www.thecuckoopoultrystudofaustralia.com/the-blue-gene---theory-of-mendels-law.html

Repeating the different mating combinations for the Blue gene

Blue X Blue = 25% Black (without the gene) 50% Blue (with 1 gene) and 25% Splash (with 2 genes).

Black X Blue = 50% Black and 50% Blue.

Black X Splash = 100% Blue.

Blue X Splash = 50% Blue and 50% Splash.

Splash X Splash = 100% Slash. Being in many breeders opinion the true ‘Blue’ as it requires 2 Blue genes to produce it

 

[Talithahorse]

The concept of Punnett square being simply a statistical prediction and not an absolute is one of the concepts that I want to point out. After the hatch we will use dice to create the rest of the data. (I teach math too so anytime we can analyze numbers, I "kill two birds with one stone" or in this case kill two subjects with one experiment. So I guess I need to know if silkie colors are simple co dominance. WW white, Ww blue, ww black .

 

[Talithahorse]

So what is the difference phenotype wise between splash and blue?

OK so I asked first, then read.... ooops. So If I have a black silkie hen and a white silkie roo can I use the punnett square of their offspring to determine their genotype based on their offspring (or vice versa) or is the black, blue, white more complicated than that. I am looking for a simple genetics experiment and little fluffy fuzzbutts are highly engaging.....