Help with understanding leg color genetics!

[SuperFluffyChickens]

So, I’m awfully confused. I bred some of my birds together for the first time, not trying to start a breeding project or anything, just for fun - breeding my friendliest and healthiest birds, etc. just to keep for myself. So this got me thinking about how I could learn genetics to try to figure out exactly who their parents are and what genes they and their parents have. I’ve always been interested in that sort of thing. Anyway…

I know that the genes for leg color are partially sexlinked, as hens only inherit one copy of the dermal melanin. So, having done a Punnett square, if a rooster with slate legs was bred to a hen with yellow legs, the male offspring would have white (or yellow, if dad is heterozygous) legs and the females would have slate legs (or green, again if dad is heterozygous). Am I right? Are there other factors to consider?

I’m asking because I have a 6-week-old chick from that exact pairing who has dark legs and a suspiciously-large comb. What am I missing? Thanks so much!

 

[Buckeye Amy]

@Amer @NatJ

 

[Amer]

The genetics you mentioned affect dermal melanin, but you also must consider epidermal melanin. Base colors such as Extended Black, or Birchen in this case, will cause the bird to distribute melanin not in the dermis, but in the epidermis. So they legs would still be darker.

 

[SuperFluffyChickens]

The genetics you mentioned affect dermal melanin, but you also must consider epidermal melanin. Base colors such as Extended Black, or Birchen in this case, will cause the bird to distribute melanin not in the dermis, but in the epidermis. So they legs would still be darker.

I see, thanks! I knew there had to be something I was missing.