I would like to start a thread on chook genetics

County Lodge · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2008 3:43 pm

I have been sourcing out information re chook genetics which I am finding to be a fascinating subject. We have touched on it slightly in another thread talking about sex linking traits.

Now I understand recessive gene and dominant gene (to a degree) when looking at breeding lavender pekins. I would like to look at this in more detail but not just to do with breeding lavenders.

I know that Cuckoo is a dominant gene. But black is also dominant. Is cuckoo more dominant than black :?:

Breeding a cuckoo rooster over a black hen, will that give me 50% cuckoo and 50% black. There is also a sex link in there as well with this cross isn't there :?:

If I were to breed a lavender rooster over a cuckoo hen this would give me all cuckoo or black babies carrying the lavender gene. Then I could breed a cuckoo female from this back to the lavender cockerel to hopefully get a lavender cuckoo :?:

In silkie's which is the dominant colour gene. Is it the same as other chooks :?:

Is white or black the dominant gene :?:

I know I can probably look all this up on my own and spend many hours researching but I thought it would be good to get some discussion going on chooks genetics to help us newbies along a bit.

Pam has been wonderful and referred some really good sites which maybe she can give to get a sticky going on poultry genetics for all of us to view when ever we want. :-D

pjh · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:17 pm

County Lodge wrote:

I know that Cuckoo is a dominant gene. But black is also dominant. Is cuckoo more dominant than black :?:

Breeding a cuckoo rooster over a black hen, will that give me 50% cuckoo and 50% black. There is also a sex link in there as well with this cross isn't there :?:

from what i understand, it should be a 1 cuckoo to 3 black ratio in offspring--

you might find this link helpful

http://www.pekinbantams.com/cuckoo.asp

also the australian pekin club people have done heaps of work on colour genetics, if you can get a hold of their handbook it is helpful----not only for pekins but the colour genetics work for all chooks pretty much the same---it is available on cd rom and I think it costs $25 dollars-- google it---or if u have trouble pm me and I can give u details--- they also have a really good article on breeding cuckoos I am sure u will find helpful-----, cheers pam

County Lodge · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2008 5:15 pm

HI Pam,

I have been to pekinbantams.com site. Very good and I have all that info. I am going to join the pekin club this July and get the cd rom then otherwise it costs me too much money for only a couple of months. The inof David Plant has sent me is invaluable. Therfore I am looking forward to becoming a member of the pekin club.

I think it will be good for every newbie to have an understanding of poultry genetics and you are a very good source, I have found. I feel we should tap into your knowledge on a permanent basis and put it up for all to see. :-D

pjh · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:01 pm

just learning myself :oops:

and give people direction to sites and info I have found helpful, there are people with more knowledge in their little fingers than I have so far managed to gain--and so much is way above my head-----but am always willing to help where ever I can------sometimes people just need pointing in the right direction, and I am good at that, cheers pam

Kylie · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:45 pm

You seem like your on the right track Pam, its good advice you give to all of us beginers

Deans' Poultry · **Posted:** Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:48 pm

Us just above beginner level appreciate your help too Pam :-D

debbieo4914 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 13, 2008 1:50 pm

Hey CL, I can highly recommend the Australian National Pekin Club as I've had bucketloads of help from these guys.

I have been wondering about the cuckoo gene also. I bred my Lavender rooster to my black hen and my cuckoo hen last season and ended up with a couple of black pullets (one with weird birchen-type markings) and a lovely little cuckoo cockerel.

My plan is to breed the cuckoo cockerel (with lavender gene) to my lavender hen and hopefully get some lavender and cuckoo lavender babies - 50% should be lavender, and of those, 50% should (statistically, anyway) be cuckoo lavenders - so 1 in 4 cuckoo lavender babies!

Now my genetics question is: When you breed two different-coloured birds which both have recessive colour genes - eg. a lavender and a millefleur - what colour do the offspring end up? I am guessing neither lavender nor millefleur, as they don't have two parents which both carry the same colour gene to make it "come out". I have just tried this experiment and my chicks look suspiciously black!!

I further guess that if I breed two of these chicks together, I may get a percentage of both millefleur and lavender................????? :-?

(and probably more black).

County Lodge · **Posted:** Thu Mar 13, 2008 2:59 pm

Don't have any idea about lavender and millefleur but would love to know.

I have cuckoo hens that I intend to put my lavender boy with and then those babies (which I reckon should be mostly cuckoo unless I have a black parent in their background) breeding back to the lavender boy. I also hae a cuckoo boy who I can breed to a lavender girl

if ever I manage to get one

. So I agree it will take at least 3 breeding beofre anything is obvious.

But it is very interesting an fun in the going.

Now the babies I have at present are not anywhere near as black as your babies. They are more multicolour but AP says BLACK. But I have to admit they are so cute at the present. They may end up cuckoo yet although they are suppose to have dots on their heads or something aren't they?

Will post picture of the latest babies 2 multicolour (black) pekins and one white silkie.

debbieo4914 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 13, 2008 8:26 pm

I'm hoping to have some lavender girls soon CL which I would be happy to sell to you but they are just newborns so that delays your breeding progam a bit (plus I am a fair way away from you!). Pullets/hens seem to be in short supply at the moment - maybe next season there will be more around.

Deb :-D

County Lodge · **Posted:** Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:49 am

I appreciate that deb. Keep me in mind as if I know someone going past your way they maybe able to pick one up for me on the way through.

Cheers

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