Not quite understanding the blue genetics

[Rusty Hills Farm]

I'm still trying to grasp some basic blue genetics, so please forgive me if this has been asked before.

Using Halo's beautiful Blue Roo as an example, she bred her barred rock girls to him. I understand the males will be barred and the girls blue. I get that part. What I am not getting is what genetics those blue girls are going to carry. Even though they appear blue, are they really, genetically blue, or will they carry some barred genes that will pop out later when they are bred? Or will that barring only pop out if they are bred to someone else who also had a barred parent? What effect would a barred grandparent make?

Likewise, those blue barred roos--what will they throw when they are bred? If they are bred back to a barred hen, will their babies still have some blue genes? Will those genes be hidden for a generation and pop up later?

(And your Mr. B is soooo gorgeous, Halo! I love his color!)

Thanks for any help!

 

[halo]

Thanks, I love him too. Even when he protects his girls from me, I love him.

As I understand it, breeding Mr. B to my barred girls gives me 4 choices, blue and black girls, and blue barred and black barred boys. A barred rock hen only carries one barred gene, and she gives that gene to her sons, not her daughters, so her girl kids don't have any barring gene (Im sure Ive simpliefied that greatly, but I think the end result is the same). They are either solid black or solid blue. I intend to breed those girls back to Mr. B to produce blue/splash/black.

I am growing out one blue that I thought was a boy right from the start, from the white on his head, and it appears I was correct, as he is growing barring on his wings and his comb is larger, so Im assuming he is indeed a he. The barring isnt as bright as it would be on a barred rock roo, since he only carries one gene for the barring, but Im going to grow him out just to see exactly what the coloring will be on him.

 

[Kev]

You got it Halo.

That was not an simplification, that's exactly how it goes.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

Okay, I think I understand about the barring gene. Basically the barred hen does not pass along a barring gene to her blue or black daughters, only to her sons. That should mean that the blue daughters can be bred like any other blue, ie blue to blue will still yield 50% blue and 25% black and 25% splash without any worries about any barring. Have I finally got that straight?

Thanks!

 

[halo]

Thats how I understand it, too, and I hope it does work that way.

 

[Kev]

Yes. Barring is also dominant. Once a dominant gene's gone, it's gone "forever".

 

[lilshadow]

How do you know what breeds have the blue gene? I am trying to understand this also. If I want to get the blue color what do I have to breed to what?

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi!
I understand I'll get blue and black girls and blue and black barred males from Mr B and the BR girls' eggs (Thank you for offering the eggs, Kathy!).
Is there any way to breed out the barring? Is there any way I can get a solid blue Rock roo like Mr B? I've been pondering on it and I don't see how.
Thanks,

Lisa

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

IF I am understanding this correctly now ( and that is a very big IF ), you would need to locate a blue roo because all the roos from this breeding would carry the gene for barring. That's why it is a sex-linked gene, because all the resulting males carry the barring gene and all the resulting females don't. That's IF I am finally understanding this correctly. It is also why Halo can take the resulting hens and breed them back to Mr. B and get more blues, some blacks, and some splashes, but no barred.

Since I don't have access to a blue roo and since what I really want are all blues, I'm gonna have to wait until Halo makes that second generation breeding. It took me awhile to figure out the genetics to understand this. So I'm waiting.

This is the way blue breeding was explained to me (by SpeckledHen, I'm thinking, but not sure!):

Blue x Blue = 25% Black 50% Blue 25% Splash

Black x Blue = 50% Black 50% Blue

Black x Splash =100% Blue

Blue x Splash = 50% Blue 50% Splash

Splash x Splash = 100% Splash

Black x Black = 100% Black


The percentages are per 100 chicks hatched, I believe, so smaller hatches could easily have different percentages and it doesn't matter which is the hen and which is the roo, unlike the sex-linked barring genes.

HTH

 

[jnjross]

here's an post on lavender gene it has alot of good gene splits...etc.. info https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=69653