Sex linked traits?

[genesis120]

I have chicks from a white silkie rooster and a white crested blue polish hen. Half are black and white with four toes. Half are more silver and grey with five toes. Can these traits be an indication of sex or are they just a coincidence.

 

[dheltzel]

Just coincidence. There are many autosomal (non-sexlinked) traits that are dominant and one parent is mixed for that trait (showing the dominant trait, but possessing the recessive) and the other has only the recessive version, I would expect about half the chicks to show the dominant trait, and the rest to show only the recessive form.

However, the color of the legs could be an indicator of sex, with the dark legged chicks being female and the lighter colored ones male.

 

[genesis120]

Just coincidence. There are many autosomal (non-sexlinked) traits that are dominant and one parent is mixed for that trait (showing the dominant trait, but possessing the recessive) and the other has only the recessive version, I would expect about half the chicks to show the dominant trait, and the rest to show only the recessive form.

However, the color of the legs could be an indicator of sex, with the dark legged chicks being female and the lighter colored ones male.

Thank you, I thought it was just a coincidence but I don't know a whole lot about genes and traits in chickens. I don't think I'll be able to tell anything from the color of their legs they're all about a slate grey with pink toes.