Please explain the Birchen Gene

[kristeninprogress]

I'm having a hard time understanding the Birchen gene, but I have a dozen Birchen/ Splash/ Blue Marans in my incubator.

I tried checking the different genetic combinations on the genetic calculator, but it's just raising more questions. Is Birchen a dominant or recessive pattern? Is there a gold Birchen? Does anyone have an example of a splash Birchen? And how do I identify color/ pattern as chicks?

Also, what happens if you cross a Birchen with a FBCM?

 

[The Moonshiner]

Birchen is one of the E locus. Those are the primary patterns which everything is built one.
Extended black is dominate over Birchen. Birchen is dominate over the others.
Yes birchen usually refers to the silver version when talking patterns but there is a gold version also.
Birchen chicks are mostly black as chicks with a little white on their bellies and sometimes a white wing tip.
At hatch a silver Birchen and a gold Birchen look the same. With your hatch blues will be blue and splash will be yellowish with blue tint.
A FBCM is a gold Birchen with mahogany.
Silver and gold is sex linked so depends which way you do the cross.
The pullets will be like the rooster. If the rooster is silver Birchen the pullets will be also. If the rooster is gold Birchen then pullets will be also.
Either way you do the cross the cockerels will get one silver gene and one gold gene. Silver is dominate over gold so the chicks will look silver but the gold gene will effect it so instead of white/silver with age it will be a dingy yellow.
The FBCM will throw in a mahogany gene so that will come into play. I'd expect it to darken the yellow on the cockerels and maybe add red to the shoulders.
Not positive because I haven't done that cross.

 

[Chooks man]

He was hatched by a broody hen, 4 of them. Daddy is barred rock, mama could be light brahma, brown leghorn, or americauna. Unfortunately the barred rock and americauna could be mixed too. All the roos (9) from the hatch were sexlinked with a white dot in their head, even the barred ones.

your barred rock rooster is not pure ,must be dark barred rock because his son is not barred .
he is Silver and gold ,one copy of each .his mama must be golden based Brown leghorn or americauna .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

Since the father was mixed, he could have a gold gene which he could pass to his sons, meaning the mother wouldn’t have to be gold.

yes it is a possibility too .
when crossing 2 crosses a lot thing get mixed up .
chooks man

 

[kristeninprogress]

Birchen is one of the E locus. Those are the primary patterns which everything is built one.
Extended black is dominate over Birchen. Birchen is dominate over the others.
Yes birchen usually refers to the silver version when talking patterns but there is a gold version also.
Birchen chicks are mostly black as chicks with a little white on their bellies and sometimes a white wing tip.
At hatch a silver Birchen and a gold Birchen look the same. With your hatch blues will be blue and splash will be yellowish with blue tint.
A FBCM is a gold Birchen with mahogany.
Silver and gold is sex linked so depends which way you do the cross.
The pullets will be like the rooster. If the rooster is silver Birchen the pullets will be also. If the rooster is gold Birchen then pullets will be also.
Either way you do the cross the cockerels will get one silver gene and one gold gene. Silver is dominate over gold so the chicks will look silver but the gold gene will effect it so instead of white/silver with age it will be a dingy yellow.
The FBCM will throw in a mahogany gene so that will come into play. I'd expect it to darken the yellow on the cockerels and maybe add red to the shoulders.
Not positive because I haven't done that cross.

Thank you so much! That helps tremendously.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Can't say for sure it's pure Birchen but it does appear Birchen.
Looks like it carries one silver and one gold gene.

 

[Mistarzanasa]

Where did you get him? Certain color crosses can mimic birchen, such as columbian x black.

He was hatched by a broody hen, 4 of them. Daddy is barred rock, mama could be light brahma, brown leghorn, or americauna. Unfortunately the barred rock and americauna could be mixed too. All the roos (9) from the hatch were sexlinked with a white dot in their head, even the barred ones.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

your barred rock rooster is not pure ,must be dark barred rock because his son is not barred .
he is Silver and gold ,one copy of each .his mama must be golden based Brown leghorn or americauna .
chooks man

Since the father was mixed, he could have a gold gene which he could pass to his sons, meaning the mother wouldn’t have to be gold.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I dont, are there different types of spots?

On chick down, a white spot on top of the head is supposed to mean barring. Though I can see a chick having a false headspot if it is a mixed color like your’s.
Here’s some examples of different chick down (not my pictures):
Black barred

Black

Birchen

Silver columbian (color of a light Brahma)

I’m guessing your chicks’ colorations were somewhere between silver columbian and black.

 

[Mistarzanasa]

On chick down, a white spot on top of the head is supposed to mean barring. Though I can see a chick having a false headspot if it is a mixed color like your’s.
Here’s some examples of different chick down (not my pictures):
Black barredView attachment 2741374View attachment 2741375

Black View attachment 2741377View attachment 2741379

BirchenView attachment 2741380View attachment 2741397

Silver columbian (color of a light Brahma)View attachment 2741381View attachment 2741382


I’m guessing your chicks’ colorations were somewhere between silver columbian and black.

Some had a whitish chest, found some pics but they're not great