Quote:
Leg color is due to two main things- skin color and various genes that affect their "expression" on the legs. There are two skin colors in chickens- white and yellow.
Yellow skin is recessive to white skin. it's contributed from both parents "equally".
Other genes affecting leg color: main/common one is Id, which represses pigments in a specific layer of skin. It's also sex linked. Id plus yellow skin= clear yellow legs. Id plus white skin= clear white legs.
If the bird does not have Id, then a yellow skinned bird will have willow/green legs. No Id plus white skin= slate/blue legs.
Various other genes have an effect too. Barring also dilutes the mentioned pigment layer in skin. Barred rocks have yellow legs because of barring. Same for white legs on Marans. If they did not have barring, their legs would be black, with yellow and white soles, respectively. (my way of saying if L'K has white legs, it's very likely due to him being a white skin with barring.. it's the barring making his legs white. The NN hen's legs are black because she does not have barring)
Legs of black chickens is a little more complex, simplest answer is they almost always have black legs no matter their skin color.. can check for skin color by looking at soles.
a cross of (pure)white skinned with a yellow skinned bird will give white skinned offspring- expect slate legs from this. (or black legs with white soles if the chickens are black)
If the white skinned parents are not pure for white skin then yellow skin can pop up. If both parents are white skinned, 25% will have yellow skin.
Not pure white skin bred to a yellow skin= 1/2 white skin, 1/2 yellow skin (all white skin from this cross will be yellow skin carriers)
Yellow skin bred with yellow skin= 100% yellow skin offspring. Legs being yellow/green/black depends on other factors, but they will all be yellow skinned.
If your EE hen has green legs, mark her as yellow skinned. If her legs are slate/blue, it means she is white skinned but a carrier for yellow skin. My lavender stock has yellow skin gene sprinkled through them.. L'K and is proven yellow skin carrier by his yellow legged chicks. That goes for the NN hen too, if her soles are white.
NTF- hope the little chick recovers!