Question about breeding light brahma rooster to multiple different breeds.

[cutiekk17]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this question but I have a light brahma rooster and 27 assorted breed hens including buff orpingtons, blue cochins, gold laced Wyandotte, black astralorp, brown leghorn, easter eggers, partridge rock, cuckoo marans, salmon favarelle and a few mixed breed hens.

I have already hatched 4 chicks from the light brahma rooster and a buff orpington mix hen and they all ended up with feathered legs which I though was interesting.

I was wondering if there would be any interesting combinations or anything like that. I know pretty much nothing about genetics and I would love to learn but it can be pretty overwhelming.

I know you can breed sex links but I don't know if that's possible with the rooster I have.

Any advice or help would be much appreciated, I plan on letting my broody hatch some eggs for me starting this weekend.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You cannot make a red sex link with a Light Brahma rooster. I think there is a really good chance you can make a black sex link with the Cuckoo Marans. The barring is right and I think you will be able to see the spot on the head. That's the only chance I see for a sex link.

The feathered legs is supposed to be a dominant gene. So if that rooster is pure for that gene (has two feathered copies at that gene pair) all his kids should have feathered legs.

 

[Sneebsey]

All true. Silver is also dominant, so all his female chicks will have a Silver base, males may be Silver or Silver/Gold split depending on mum's genes.

 

[cutiekk17]

This is really interesting, thank you both for your input. It makes me really want to learn more about how chicken genetics work.

The feathered legs is supposed to be a dominant gene. So if that rooster is pure for that gene (has two feathered copies at that gene pair) all his kids should have feathered legs.

[/QUOTE]
Just out of couriousty since you said the the feathered legs are dominant. Would you know how my light brahma and salmon faverolle feet would look like? Would the chicks end up with an extra toe like the faverolle or would they just have feathered feet, or both?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know how dominance works with the number of toes. Maybe someone else does.

If the parents are pure for feathered legs the offspring should be also.

 

[Sneebsey]

Yes, with his feet alone you should see feathered legs, however with those impure for the gene the featheriness may vary a good deal.

I've seen variation in toes. You may get five or even four and a half, but I should doubt you'd get only four.

Another point is that his Colombian restrictor should carry, with all offspring getting at least one copy, so you should see the black pigment being pushed to the neck and tail, with some on the back in those impure for the gene.