Some Questions About Egg Genetics in Chickens - Questions About Genetics (Ask questions!)

[TRALALARA1]

And how do you get these somewhat white birds from this roo and rir hens? I’ll post a picture.

 

[TRALALARA1]

White pullets from rir hens

 

[TRALALARA1]

Anyone? Is it recessive in rir’s?

 

[The Moonshiner]

It's from them being silver instead of gold like their mothers.
Silver/gold is sex linked genes. The RIR have gold that's why they have gold tone (red).
Looks like your rooster carries one silver gene and one gold gene. With sex linked genes the daughter's don't get a gene from their mothers so they didn't get her gold gene.
They do get a gene from their father and they got silver from him. Silver cancels out gold tones so they are mostly white

 

[TRALALARA1]

I do have one red pullet from this cross. And one red cockerel. It’s a crap shoot with EEs I guess. I know their sire is the ee rooster though because the pullet has green legs and the cockerel has an amazing pea comb.

 

[NatJ]

I do have one red pullet from this cross. And one red cockerel. It’s a crap shoot with EEs I guess.

@The Moonshiner said the father (EE rooster) has 1 silver gene, and 1 gold gene.
That means he can give either one to his chicks, so having some silver (white) and some gold (red) ones is not surprising.

The silver/gold genes are on the Z sex chromosome.
Roosters have ZZ (so two silver, or two gold, or one of each.) They inherit one Z chromosome from each parent, and pass one Z chromosome to every chick they sire.
Hens have ZW (so either silver or gold, never both.) They inherit their Z chromosome from their father and pass it to their sons. The W chromosome is passed from mother to daughter, and does not have any effect on the gold/silver colors.

So the rooster's Z chromosomes (carrying gold or silver) determine that part of his daughters' color. The rooster's and hen's Z chromosomes together determine the color of their sons.

(Yes, chickens and other birds with ZZ males and ZW females are backwards of people and other mammals with XX females and XY males.)

 

[TRALALARA1]

@The Moonshiner said the father (EE rooster) has 1 silver gene, and 1 gold gene.
That means he can give either one to his chicks, so having some silver (white) and some gold (red) ones is not surprising.

The silver/gold genes are on the Z sex chromosome.
Roosters have ZZ (so two silver, or two gold, or one of each.) They inherit one Z chromosome from each parent, and pass one Z chromosome to every chick they sire.
Hens have ZW (so either silver or gold, never both.) They inherit their Z chromosome from their father and pass it to their sons. The W chromosome is passed from mother to daughter, and does not have any effect on the gold/silver colors.

So the rooster's Z chromosomes (carrying gold or silver) determine that part of his daughters' color. The rooster's and hen's Z chromosomes together determine the color of their sons.

(Yes, chickens and other birds with ZZ males and ZW females are backwards of people and other mammals with XX females and XY males.)

Thank you both for your great explanation.

 

[TRALALARA1]

One final question. I have one white with green tail feathers and some reddish and black spots cockerel. He’s huge. Largest of all chicks. He has yellow legs and a large single comb. Is there any chance that he is my barred rock roosters offspring? I’ll post a picture from my phone in a second. Don’t have one here on my iPad.

 

[TRALALARA1]

Here he is. This is when he was a little younger and one recently

 

[TRALALARA1]

He’s getting gold hackles and saddle feathers.