Unexpected Color on Cross

[twsfarm]

I have a blue copper marans over what I think is a red sexlink hen. 2 of her eggs hatched and both chicks are white with some faint black spots and some copper leakage on the head. I wasn't expecting the white coloring though. They are a week old a feathering in white on their wings. I'm 90% sure on the hen.

(Ignore buff orpington)

Parents

Anyone have this color combination or know why they are white?

 

[chooks4life]

If she's a red sexlink hen then aren't the males supposed to be white? Theoretically this doesn't work so well when you outcross but if any of the family tree of the father includes white birds, I'd bet that's a possibility.

I've crossed Isabrowns and other birds including purebreds and mongrels, and found white very dominant on average.

Best wishes.

 

[luvfluffyfeet]

It is my understanding that sex link characteristics aren't reliable in next generation breedings.

 

[dheltzel]

It is my understanding that sex link characteristics aren't reliable in next generation breedings.

That is true. A red sex link hen will contribute gold (the red color) to her male progeny only, but since it's recessive to silver (white), there is no male for that cross that can make the chicks sex-linked.

To the original question, I can't see how a red hen and BCM roo could produce white, most likely you have a dominant white parent of that chick.

 

[twsfarm]

Yeah I know that the sex link characteristic wouldn't work for 2nd generation. Do you think that the white would show from the RSL hen?

Here are the hens I have:
RSL (very probable)
GLW
SLW
Dominique
NHR (hatchery, so probably production red)
Cuckoo Marans (wrong egg color)
Blue CM (wrong egg color)
Splash Jersey Giant
Australorp
Buff Orpington

The only "white" chicken I have is the splash JG, but I wouldn't expect the yellow legs in the chicks?

 

[dheltzel]

Blue CM's are extended black, but heterozygous for the blue diluter, and that black is dominant over everything except dominant white (even then some black often leaks through to a heterozygous chick. Your splash is also extended black, just homozygous for the "blue" diluter of black. A cross of the Blue CM and a splash bird of any type would yield 50% blue and 50% splash. I think the chick is that splash. The Blue CM is another possibility (25% splash from blue x blue), but you ruled that out on egg color.

I don't know the dominance with leg colors as well as feathering and down colors, but I bet yellow legs are fairly dominant because that is the most common.

 

[twsfarm]

I wonder if JG or BCM carry yellow leg genes? Both the rooster and the JG are from a local breeder that I trust wouldn't cross like hatcheries. What about the SLW? I would expect pattern and a darker color (not white) from this cross though.

 

[dheltzel]

SLW and GLW, in fact all but the splash/blue hens, would produce a chick with black down. You'd have to research leg color genetics to clear that up. but down color makes me pretty certain that is a splash chick.

 

[chooks4life]

It is my understanding that sex link characteristics aren't reliable in next generation breedings.

I'd heard that too, but in one thread on breeding the general consensus is that with some sex links it's common enough for it to be passed on... Not that I'd call that 'reliable'.

 

[twsfarm]

Well the 2 white chicks both look to be boys. I know they aren't sex linked in the 2nd generation but I still think the 1st generation sex link is the mother. They don't have the grayish hue my 2 splash Orpingtons have.