Question about dark skin genetics

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! I have a pen of birds that are all (several and varied generations back) from Naked Neck (Turken) x Silkie X Ameraucana.
The hens in the pen are some degree of (NN x S) X Ameraucana and *had* a dark skinned parent, but don't *show* dark skin.
The roo had dark skin as a hatchling and youngster, but as he matured is very red (looking at him now, I'd never guess he hatched dark skinned).

I just hatched the first chicks from that pen and surprisingly got 2 chicks with white/yellow skin and a chick with smut-black skin and feather-legs .
I really wasn't expecting to see that.

Not unhappy, just confused.

Lisa

 

[pbjmaker]

I like that darker colored chick - very different kind of head shape going on there. The yellow one is cute in a fluffy kind of way. Sorry I know nothing about skin genetics

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Well..in every genetic situation...there are bound to be variations!

I don't know what to tell you, but that is just very interesting to know! Perhaps dark-skin does not ALWAYS pass down?

Maybe when breeding that one you'll be able to see what skin-colors will come from her!

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! I'm partial to the dark skinned ones too.

I just really wasn't expecting that any of the offspring could have skin darker than either of the parents.

They are 5 days old today and I can see for sure that the blue dark-skin NN is frizzling --- yay! The splash chick is smooth feathered.
There is a feather-neck blue chick from the cross that is frizzling too. It is different with dark shanks/feet and light skin.

Lisa

 

[pbjmaker]

They look very silkie like in coloring and feathering but that head is definately not silkie shaped. His eye though has that deep mesmerizing black that the silkies use to take over our thoughts...

liquid onyx

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi Steph! They have none of those 'dominate the world' qualities --- they're just sweet odd chicks.
I'll get new pics tomorrow. I won't have more haching from this cross til next week.

Lisa