The "Ask Anything" to Nicalandia Thread

[MoaHula]

Do you want to test mate your fibromelanotic birds to see which ones are homozygous for the trait? If so, the reason you would want to use slate or willow legged birds is because they have the wild type leg color that won't interfere with your test matings. Birds with light legs (white or yellow) have a sex linked dominant gene called inhibitor of dermal melanin. This gene blocks dark pigment in the skin and legs to a large extent, especially in young birds. This will make it look like your potentially homozygous fibromelanotic bird isn't passing the gene onto all of his offspring even though he is.

Thank you so much for your explanation. That is very helpful.

 

[MoaHula]

What do you mean by "Fibro 1 or 2"? Did someone suggest that there are two different forms of fibromelanotic?

What I mean by Fibr 1 or 2 is does the bird have a single gene for the Fibro trait or two genes.

 

[I Like Turkeys]

I have a bantam Cochin chick with gray legs. Trying to figure out why- all of my adult cochin bantams have white or yellow legs. I understand the dermis color gene is sex-linked, so males can be Id/id+. I got photos of the father and the chick, the father looks white—legged to me, but does Id/id+ look the same as Id/Id, and could he be carrying the gene for slate legs?
Chick-

Father-

 

[JacinLarkwell]

That double nail and feathering makes me think it's part silkie

 

[NatJ]

I have a bantam Cochin chick with gray legs.

What gender is the chick?

Trying to figure out why- all of my adult cochin bantams have white or yellow legs. I understand the dermis color gene is sex-linked, so males can be Id/id+. I got photos of the father and the chick, the father looks white—legged to me, but does Id/id+ look the same as Id/Id, and could he be carrying the gene for slate legs?

Yes, Id/id+ can look the same as Id/Id

If the rooster carries id+ then I would expect about half his daughters to show dark legs, no matter what color legs their mothers have. If the hens all have light legs, then all sons should also show light legs (although they could also carry id+ if the father has it.)

Have you hatched very many chicks from that rooster?

 

[I Like Turkeys]

What gender is the chick?


Yes, Id/id+ can look the same as Id/Id

If the rooster carries id+ then I would expect about half his daughters to show dark legs, no matter what color legs their mothers have. If the hens all have light legs, then all sons should also show light legs (although they could also carry id+ if the father has it.)

Have you hatched very many chicks from that rooster?

I don't know exactly what gender it is, but I would guess female based off of the genetics, and that some of it's brothers are showing combs now. All of the cockerels I have do have light legs.

I have 9 chicks from that rooster right now, about the same age as the one pictured. It's the only one with dark legs. I think there may be at least 3 other females fathered by the rooster, all having light legs. I'm guessing this is just numbers getting skewed by a low rate of offspring, and if I hatch more I will probably see more dark legs pop up.

Thank you for the information, knowing Id/id+ can look the same as Id/Id helps a lot for future reference.

That double nail and feathering makes me think it's part silkie

The chick I showed is smooth-feathered, just scraggly looking because it's insane.

I haven't seen the double nail yet on any of my adults, but I can double-check later.
I'm assuming you're right on part silkie though, and that's where the dark legs came from. My rooster and one other hen have one or two vaguely silkie-like traits, so I assumed if there was a cross it was a few generations back. Of the things i'm breeding away from, it just slipped my mind that the rooster could've been Id/id+.

 

[Clodill4rel]

What color is this silky he was suppose to be paint and he has this other color coming in ? @nicalandia

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

What color is this silky he was suppose to be paint and he has this other color coming in ? @nicalandia

Paint with red leakage

 

[SourRoses]

What color is this silky he was suppose to be paint and he has this other color coming in ?

He's Paint but he has leakage.

Paint is made with 1 copy of Dominant White. I think of it as Whiteout because it makes sense for me why the black spots are so random.
Leghorns, for instance, have 2 copies of Dominant White. It is able to cover and hide all black (and black based colors like blue, lav, choc).
So, when there's only some Whiteout being applied. black spots are left.

But what it doesn't cover very well is Red. Just like red wine on the carpet, it may be diluted but it will show. If there's any red genes they will leak through, thus it's hard to get rid of.

Only breed him to your whitest or clean black (& derivatives) birds that you know are not hiding red genes.

 

[Clodill4rel]

Well than I need a white silky lol I have him in with two blacks two different blues and a paint.