Sex- linked Information

[Arielle]

 

[bluesGuy]

thank you, byc-ers do an great job at making newcomers feel welcome

 

[Arielle]

Will this combination work to make black sexlinks?

Speckled Sussex rooster x Production BLacks hens = sexlinks?

The production blacks are a barred bird that breeds true; one of Ideal's own creations. ANd does anyone know what the egg shell color is when a white egg and brown egger are crossed???

 

[farmerChef]

I'm not sure on the sexinked part, but the egg color will be off white or tan depending on how dark the brown egg color is. I have a game/Leghorn pullet and she lays off-white or cream colored eggs.

 

[Arielle]

THe SS I currently have lay a very lt tan. So it looks like this color would be lightened. Love it! THanks farmer Chef.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Will this combination work to make black sexlinks?

Speckled Sussex rooster x Production BLacks

The production blacks are a barred bird that breeds true; one of their own creations. ANd does anyone know what the egg shell color is when a white egg and brown egger are crossed???

I'm not sure what a "production black" is, but if they are barred and do breed true, then yes, a Speckled Sussex rooster over a Production Black hen will produce a black sex link. You can look at Tadkerson's first post in this thread to read about that. All it takes to make a black sex link is a barred hen, a non-barred rooster, and the color of down in the chick to be able to see the spot.

There are a lot of different genes that influence egg color, but most of those influence final shade. A simple way to look at it is that all eggs have a base of either blue or white. There is one pair of genes that control that. Blue is dominant, so if even one of the pair is the blue gene, the base color will be blue. But if both genes in that pair are white, the base shell color is white. You can open an egg and look at the inside of the shell to see the base color. Just peel off that membrane. So that is simple. Kind of look at it like painting. The primer color is either blue or white. There are genes that influence the actual tint of that white or blue, but the base is either white or blue.

But then you get the topcoat. There are a bunch of different genes that influence what, if any, brown topcoat goes on that base blue or white. How those several different genes interact determines what actual shade of blue, white, brown, or green the egg is. Roosters and hens both contribute these genes. Think of it this way.

Blue + no brown = blue
Blue + light brown = light green
Blue + dark brown = olive green

White + no brown = white
White + light brown = light brown
White + dark brown = dark brown

So both the brown and white egg layer will provide genes for the base white shell. The white egg layer will not produce any brown overcoat, but the brown egg layer will. It depends on what brown genes the brown egg layer contributes, but the odds are really high the egg will be brown, not white, and it will probably be a lighter brown than the parent brown egg layer would produce.

 

[stephanie1992]

Will this combination work to make black sexlinks?

Speckled Sussex rooster x Production BLacks hens = sexlinks?

The production blacks are a barred bird that breeds true; one of Ideal's own creations. ANd does anyone know what the egg shell color is when a white egg and brown egger are crossed???

A production black is also known as a california grey

i breed a partridge roo to a california grey and got black sex links

i crossed a brown egg layer to the white egg layer

they havent layed yet but are coming close to it

i can let u know when they do.

 

[Arielle]

Thanks Ridge RUnner for reconfirming T's information; I had started to feel shaky about the SS genes being good enough to make a distinct sexlink as they have other colors in the feather pattern. ANd egg shell color is still a bit of a mystery so I appreciate the extensive lesson. I see greens and some blues among my hatchery EE but think I might try crossing the Production blacks ( white eggs) with Americanas for blue eggs; and to cross with a red rooster for sexlinks.

Yes, Stephanie, your are right the production blacks are also called California Greys. Ideal won't commit to the breeds behind these birds but the California grey appears in one of their leghorn hybrids; but they use the name Production Blacks among the non-leghorn white egg layers. I figure these must be a leghorn type.

Can anyone suggest a dual purpose type rooster that is red but a small comb. ALl my boys with single combs and the comb on the Hamburg have a bit of frostbite and would like to avoid roosters with combs prone to frost bite. THank you.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Thanks Ridge RUnner for reconfirming T's information; I had started to feel shaky about the SS genes being good enough to make a distinct sexlink as they have other colors in the feather pattern. ANd egg shell color is still a bit of a mystery so I appreciate the extensive lesson. I see greens and some blues among my hatchery EE but think I might try crossing the Production blacks ( white eggs) with Americanas for blue eggs; and to cross with a red rooster for sexlinks.

Yes, Stephanie, your are right the production blacks are also called California Greys. Ideal won't commit to the breeds behind these birds but the California grey appears in one of their leghorn hybrids; but they use the name Production Blacks among the non-leghorn white egg layers. I figure these must be a leghorn type.

Can anyone suggest a dual purpose type rooster that is red but a small comb. ALl my boys with single combs and the comb on the Hamburg have a bit of frostbite and would like to avoid roosters with combs prone to frost bite. THank you.

Buckeyes are a good small combed, red, dual purpose bird.

Jeff

 

[Arielle]

Great! THanks. A friend who raises Buckeyes wasn't sure. So thanks for that info!