The difference between Cuckoo and Barred is?

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi!
Is Cuckoo just poor barring or is there something else going on?
Thanks,
Lisa
edited for content

 

[Kanchii]

Cuckoo is pretty much messy barring. It's more a a V than a straight line. Here's pics:

Cuckoo:

Barred:

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

When using them for sexlinks they are the same but pattern wise the way I learned was that barring goes black-white-black-white. Cuckoo is black-gray-white-gray-black-gray-white.
Also dominiques are more of a cuckoo pattern while barred rocks have better barring.

 

[priszilla]

but genetically-are they the same?

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Quote:
I was thinking it was the exact opposite... That Dominiques had the better barring.

Hmm...

 

[seriousbill]

Quote:
Well, yes and no. There are two main genes for barring, autosomal and sex-linked. Barring in Barred Rocks and Dominiques and (I think) Marans, is sex-linked. So, it's the same gene, basically, whether you call it "cuckoo" or not. But, there are many modifying factors that are also genetic, such as the gene for slow feathering, and those will affect the quality of the barring and how it looks on the bird. So "cuckoo" is a description of how the bird looks, but "sex-linked barring" is a description of the main underlying gene. Anyway, that's my understanding. Maybe someone with more genetics knowledge will chime in.

 

[Blisschick]

Funny that this question should be asked...I was just thinking the same thing about 10 minutes ago, and then find this here! Now I understand why my Silkie is called cuckoo. I guess it would also apply to my EE as well, since his barring is not really neat although it is nearly all black. He has an underlying golden duckwing pattern which makes him look really unique.

 

[silkieluvr]

A big difference to notice is that the cuckoo birds generally are more "smutty" looking than barred chickens

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! Thanks for the replies.
Define 'smutty', please.

Lisa

 

[silkieluvr]

By smutty I mean the bars at some points seem to sort of bleed and blend into one another. Therefore creating smudged edges on the lines whereas the lines of a barred rock for instance should be very clean and no color should leak into that of another line. Hope this makes sense lol, I can picture what I'm trying to say just can't get it out quit right