Silkie color genetics...probably pretty imple answers....

[ESofVA]

I would like to know some answers to a few (easy I hope...but never is such a thing!!) questions about silkie color inheritance.

Dealing with black, partridge, and white.
Is white recessive to black as is in most cases?
Where does partridge fit in?

Assuming Black is dominant and white recessive, is Bb black in in this cross?
And then in the next generation you get 25% black, 50% heterozygous black and 25% white?

If black is bred to partridge what is produced colorwise by that cross and then the cross of those offspring?

Same for a cross between white and partridge and then between those offspring.

Punnett Squares aren't necessary, if I know how those colors are inherited in Silkies, I can do that myself. I am just wondering what phenotypes I would have.
Thanks for any help!

 

[nicalandia]

I would like to know some answers to a few (easy I hope...but never is such a thing!!) questions about silkie color inheritance.

Dealing with black, partridge, and white.
Is white recessive to black as is in most cases?
Where does partridge fit in?

Assuming Black is dominant and white recessive, is Bb black in in this cross?
And then in the next generation you get 25% black, 50% heterozygous black and 25% white?

If black is bred to partridge what is produced colorwise by that cross and then the cross of those offspring?

Same for a cross between white and partridge and then between those offspring.

Punnett Squares aren't necessary, if I know how those colors are inherited in Silkies, I can do that myself. I am just wondering what phenotypes I would have.
Thanks for any help!

Black(Extended Black) is dominant to almost ALL other genotype, except, blue, dominant white, barred, Dun, chocolate(hemizygous females) sex link Dilute(BSd), recessive white is recessive to ALL other genes(except maybe to Opal) recessive white birds may be partridge base(as most silkies are) so if you cross a recessive white bird to a partridge silkie you will get partridge looking birds, but they will have the recessive white gene hidden in them, if you cross Black to partridge all of you chicks will be Black but have the partridge gene hidden in them, so if you cross the F1s of Black x partridge you will get blacks and partridge

 

[Henk69]

I have a feeling that dumbing down is not necessary here.
With black, partridge and recessive white there are at least 2 genes at play.
The first is the gene for Color expression.
Recessive white, symbol c is one option (called "allele" and in this case a mutation), and the wildtype, not mutated gene, symbol C+ which is necessary for color expression (in black and partridge). the + symbol indicates wildtype.
The second is the Extension locus/gene that affects the amount of black pigment (called eumelanin).
Extended black (E) is the most dominant allele for that gene. Partridge or brown (e^b) is the most recessive allele and resembles the wildtype allele e+ in appearance, except for the lack of the salmon breast in the female.
Extended black in males without any other modifiers (mutated genes) is not full black. They would show gold/red in hackle, saddle and on shoulder.
If you cross a full black (with modifiers) to a partridge you would see that effect again. The most obvious effect of extended black that remains is the black wing triangle (crow wing).

 

[ESofVA]

TY! Genetics was one of my most favorite courses in college and I was very good at it. The main problem for me is that so much has been found in the last 40 yrs!! LOL!!! So at this time, I can figure out most of the basics still, as long as I know what is dominant and how the modifiers fit in.

I have whites, blacks, and partridge.There may be a dark gray. I can only keep so many. I have been trying to figure out which color to keep as my one rooster and what color hens to keep, to produce the greatest # of different colors.

 

[nicalandia]

I have a feeling that dumbing down is not necessary here.

I wasnt even trying to dumb down..

 

[ESofVA]

OK..I have that down, so far simple. What about dark blue? Where does that fit in?
Thanks!!


nicalandia I don't think Henk69 was referring to you but they thought they wouldn't need to
"dumb down" for me.
No harm meant on either side and all help is appreciated.

 

[tadkerson]

OK..I have that down, so far simple. What about dark blue? Where does that fit in?
Thanks!!


nicalandia I don't think Henk69 was referring to you but they thought they wouldn't need to
"dumb down" for me.
No harm meant on either side and all help is appreciated.

There is a recessive gene called lavender that expresses an even colored blue that covers the entire chicken (referred to as self blue). With lavenders, the plumage color does not vary that much. The blue gene on the other hand, does not produce a uniform color over the entire bird. The blue gene does not dilute the black pigment due to a gene called melanotic. Melanotic is commonly found in many black birds or in this case hypostatic black birds. Melanotic causes the male's pyle zone to be black and the head/hackles/back of a female to be black. Some blue birds are darker than other blue birds. It seems as though there are modifiers that effect the ability of the blue gene to dilute the black color or the darker birds may carry additional melanizers that are not affected by the diluting action of the blue allele ( like the melanotic gene). Also with blues they tend to have black edging on their feathers which will darken the appearance of the bird. Andalusian blues should have single lacing but many do not.

The blue allele is effective at diluting black pigment that is due to the E locus allele ( most likely extended black). The blue allele is also incompletely dominant or dose dependent. One dose produces blue and two doses produces splash. Lavender is recessive so ether the bird is lavender (self blue) or it is black.

Tim

 

[ESofVA]

TY so much! Those answers were what I was looking for. I knew there must be someone on here that would know!!