Understanding the lavender gene

[hinkjc]

My understanding of the gene is that breeding the split lav/black chicks back to lav would produce 50/50: with only half being lav, the other half being split lav/black.

Yup, thanks for clarifying that. I did mean to say some of the offspring would be lav and some split (but all would be carriers of the lav gene.

In this sort of program dealing with recessive genes it is not recommended to do crosses that produce "unknown splits" as in black split to lavender crossed with black split to lavender or straight blacks. It is best to cross every visual black that is known to carry the lavender gene back on a visual lavender bird, thus ensuring all of your stock is either a visual or a carrier. Producing "unknown splits" can produce a lot of birds that will never produce lavender, and will be a gigantic waste of time and money if someone buys them for the purpose of breeding lavenders.

I don't think it is a waste of time when the large fowl breeds are not available. If everyone who created a breed said "nah, that would be a waste", we wouldn't have any new breeds. I guess it is a personal preference and what each individual values.

Great insight..thanks everyone!

Jody​

 

[onthespot]

Quote:
Yup, thanks for clarifying that. I did mean to say some of the offspring would be lav and some split (but all would be carriers of the lav gene.

In this sort of program dealing with recessive genes it is not recommended to do crosses that produce "unknown splits" as in black split to lavender crossed with black split to lavender or straight blacks. It is best to cross every visual black that is known to carry the lavender gene back on a visual lavender bird, thus ensuring all of your stock is either a visual or a carrier. Producing "unknown splits" can produce a lot of birds that will never produce lavender, and will be a gigantic waste of time and money if someone buys them for the purpose of breeding lavenders.

I don't think it is a waste of time when the large fowl breeds are not available. If everyone who created a breed said "nah, that would be a waste", we wouldn't have any new breeds. I guess it is a personal preference and what each individual values.

Great insight..thanks everyone!

Jody​

Sorry, my turn to eat crow. Not all those birds will be a waste of time, only if they are sold as carrying the lavender gene when they do not would they be a waste. I misspoke in my finger flurry of typing. Those unknown splits are at least as valuable as any straight black bird, and with a wild card possibility of throwing lavender, (like 25% i think) they would, as a group, be even more valuable. In large numbers, bred to a visual lavender, they would produce a few visual lavenders, as well as a whole new crop of F1 lavender splits. My bad.
I really like this gene and am very happy that you have it and are breeding it, and raising awareness of it. Some day, SOME day... I'll get me one of those purple birds...

 

[chick4chicks]

Thank you all, I don't understand all of this very well but I am glad you took the time to explain it. Also thank you for taking the time to produce these beautiful birds. Some day I hope to own a lavendar bird. Good luck with your crossing.

e

 

[eggchel]

Is this correct?:

A lavender bird has recessive lavender + recessive lavender genes
A split black bird has recessive lavender + dominant black genes
A non-split black bird has dominant black + dominant black genes


So:
lavender bred to lavender = 100% lavender offspring
lavender bred to split black = 50% lavender and 50% split black offspring
lavender bred to non-split black = 100% split black offspring
split black bred to non-split black = 50% split black and 50% non-split black
non-split black bred to non-split black = 100% non-split black offspring

If not correct, where did I go wrong? LOL


Thanks,

Chel <----(head spinning while trying to understand genetics)
Just bought a lavender pair of birds.

 

[onthespot]

you are 100% correct

 

[hinkjc]

Thanks Chel - you made it sound so much easier your way. That should really help folks understand how it works. Great job putting that together. Have fun with your new lavenders.

Jody

 

[Dustin Biery]

WOW, Think you guys could start clarifying the rest of our recessive genes and patterns any time soon...

 

[onthespot]

all the recessive genes work the same as what was posted above. It's just when you start stacking recessive genes that it gets a lot more complicated.

 

[Dilly's Guy- Dylan]

Hi folks, Interesting discussion on genetics. Here is my two cents.

To make a lavender variety only one color gene is needed. Lavender is an autosomal recessive
gene so it really doesn't matter whether the lavender is male or female.
Cross this with some typey black orps.

Then you need to eliminate the traits introduced from the outcross.
The offspring will all be black.

It is probably not a good idea to use porcelain birds to introduce the lavender gene as they have many genes affecting plumage color which could make the process longer.


My darling wife showed me a discussion in april 2007 where someone hatched out a lavender Orp chick, as of May 07 they had five hatched. Dilly may know otherwise, but this is the earliest I have knowledge of lavender Orpingtons developed here in the US.

Good luck on your birds.

Dylan

 

[sara]

Dilly's Guy- Dylan :

My darling wife showed me a discussion in april 2007 where someone hatched out a lavender Orp chick, as of May they had five hatched. Dilly may know otherwise, but this is the earliest I have knowledge of lavender Orpingtons developed here in the US.

Good luck on your birds.

Dylan

Do you know who this person is, as I'd love to contact them and learn what they have learned so far.​