Talk to me about leg color genetics

[Trish1974]

I just spent an hour trying to get basic genetics info about leg color and not getting very far. My main question is about yellow legs. Are they dominant or recessive? Is yellow dominant or recessive to willow? Sex linked or not?

Here's my situation. I am starting a white line of Araucanas. Two years ago I hatched a random recessive white cockerel from a BBR hen and ER/e cockbird. Last year I bred the recessive white cockerel back to his mother and hatched about 50% whites from them. Last fall another Araucana breeder and I traded birds, and I got a lovely dominant white pullet from her. I've been breeding this pullet to my best white cockerel from last year. My cockerel has a mix of willow and yellow legs. I know, weird, but its as if they are mostly yellow with a willow overwash in spots. (You may have to zoom in on the pics to see). The pullet has lovely yellow legs. I'm on my second hatch from the pair and it seems I'm getting more willow legs than yellow. The total I've hatched is only 10, so I can't really go by the percentage of willow vs. yellow on which is dominant.

So which shank color is dominant? Is yellow sex linked? Thank you in advance.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

@Amer

 

[The Kooky Kiwi]

I'm very keen to join this discussion - I have many of the same questions!

I'm working with Black/Blue/Splash NZ Araucana and am taking my time to compile real life examples to match the theoretical info. Information I've gathered includes the following: (Please let me know if there are any errors in these! It's possible!)

*Edited 19.05.21 to provide updates & corrections from other members*

There are two "layers" that influence shank colour
Dermis is the underlying skin structure & tissue
Epidermis is the skin that covers over the Dermis

The Dermis Layer has the following colour options


The EpiDermis Layer has the following colour options


The combined Dermis and EpiDermis colour options


Factors That Enhance Black Dermis Colour
E/E (Extended Black)
ER/ER (Birchen) (Enhances to a lesser degree than E/E)

Factors That Dilute Black Dermis Colour
Bl/bl (Blue)
Bl/Bl (Splash)
c/c (Recessive White)
mo/mo (Mottling)
I/I (Dominant White)
Di/Di (Gold Dilute)
B/B (Barring)

Examples of Enhanced & Diluted - "Borrowed" from https://fionnaschooks.webs.com/araucanagenetics.htm

 

[The Kooky Kiwi]

Also - Araucana shank colours change with maturity. My black chicks often display patchy black/white shanks & feet as babies but mature to have fully black shanks & feet.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Also - Araucana shank colours change with maturity. My black chicks often display patchy black/white shanks & feet as babies but mature to have fully black shanks & feet.

I’ve noticed this with a lot of breeds. OEGBs, for example, have orangish/yellowish legs as chicks, then grow up to have white legs. Breeds with slate legs will often have green/willow legs as chicks.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I'm very keen to join this discussion - I have many of the same questions!

I'm working with Black/Blue/Splash NZ Araucana and am taking my time to compile real life examples to match the theoretical info. Information I've gathered includes the following: (Please let me know if there are any errors in these! It's possible!)

There are two "layers" that influence shank colour
Dermis is the underlying skin structure & tissue
Epidermis is the skin that covers over the Dermis

The Dermis Layer has the following colour options
View attachment 2675257

The EpiDermis Layer has the following colour options
View attachment 2675260

The combined Dermis and EpiDermis colour options
View attachment 2675268

Factors That Enhance Black Dermis Colour
E/E (Extended Black)
ER/ER (Birchen) (Enhances to a lesser degree than E/E)

Factors That Dilute Black Dermis Colour
Bl/bl (Blue)
Bl/Bl (Splash)
c/c (Recessive White)
mo/mo (Mottling)
I/I (Dominant White)
Di/Di (Gold Dilute)
B/B (Barring)

Examples of Enhanced & Diluted - "Borrowed" from https://fionnaschooks.webs.com/araucanagenetics.htm

View attachment 2675131

W/w would be white, since it’s completely dominant and totally covers the recessive yellow.

 

[The Kooky Kiwi]

W/w would be white, since it’s completely dominant and totally covers the recessive yellow.

Have edited/updated my original post to include this - thanks!