I crossed an EE with a Lavender Marans and got the mailman’s child.

[SanitySilkies]

Tell me how this baby is Red with white feet. Both parents have black or slate legs and all of his siblings were the typical black, French Maran coloring-markings.

(s)He is cute though!

Mamma,

The Daddies

The baby!
He’s the only redhead in every photo.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I would assume the answer is the EEs background.

 

[SanitySilkies]

I would assume the answer is the EEs background.

Yeah like some hidden genes, but the white feet really threw me…as far as I know all EEs should have slate/green legs…but who knows really with EEs.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Yeah like some hidden genes, but the white feet really threw me…as far as I know all EEs should have slate/green legs…but who knows really with EEs.

I don't know enough about genetics to say. It is fascinating stuff though! Hope someone who knows more than me chimes in

 

[ShrekDawg]

Well it looks like the roosters definitely carry red since they have red markings so that part isn’t really all that weird to me. But the white feet could be. Are you sure the hens feet aren’t just a little dirty or something? Could she carry white feet ?

 

[nuthatched]

Marans are supposed to have white feet

 

[SanitySilkies]

Well it looks like the roosters definitely carry red since they have red markings so that part isn’t really all that weird to me. But the white feet could be. Are you sure the hens feet aren’t just a little dirty or something? Could she carry white feet ?

I assume dirty is jargon for impure genetics?
Yeah they could be… but not likely. They’re French Marans with two lavender genes and the breeder is pretty adamant about that…I guess I should research skin color genetics again…but I thought it was pretty straightforward…unlike the comb scenario.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I assume dirty is jargon for impure genetics?
Yeah they could be… but not likely. They’re French Marans with two lavender genes and the breeder is pretty adamant about that…I guess I should research skin color genetics again…but I thought it was pretty straightforward…unlike the comb scenario.

Yeah that’s very strange!

 

[Frizzle and Friends]

I'm thinking that the Marans hen is carrying wheaten. This is not the first time that I've heard of Wheaten popping up in a line of Marans. Crossed with your roosters, that would give a small chance for a light colored chick to hatch. The gold coloring from the chick is because the roosters carry both gold and silver and I believe you hen is gold based. It looks like she has some gold around her neck, I might be wrong though, so please correct me if I am. I wish I could help with the leg color, but I have no clue how leg color genetics work.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I agree, the chick appears to be wheaten based and inherited gold from one or both parents, giving it the reddish color. This may also be why its legs are pale. Look up pictures of Wheaten Ameraucana chicks and you'll notice they have light legs as well, even though the adults have slate legs. Chick leg coloring can be very deceiving, sometimes it can even take months before their legs are the color they will be in adulthood.