jam Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 (edited) Hi all, I have been on a quest for some blue brahmas. My sisters friends mum has a black brahma hen who has a the blue gene and ive been waiting for ages for the hen to start laying and she finally has at the beginning of the year. I have a black cockerel who has the same parents as the hen and also has the blue gene (apparently) If we were to put our chickens together would they be too closely related as they both have the same parents and what percentage of the chicks would have blue feathering? Jam Edited March 31, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Here are the outcomes of the Black, Blue & Splash crosses... Blue x Blue = 50% Blue, 25% Splash & 25% Black Blue x Splash = 50% Blue & 50% Splash Blue x Black = 50% Blue % 50% Black Splash x Black = 100% Blue Black x Black = 100% Black Splash x Splash = 100% Splash Crossing brother and sister together isn't advisable but can be done. If you do go ahead with the cross then make sure no genetic deformities occur within the offspring. If so, cull these and stop crossing the pair as it will mean they are too inbred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jam Posted March 31, 2010 Author Share Posted March 31, 2010 so even if both the black brahmas have the blue gene, none of the chicks will have blue feathering? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Sorry if I lose you!...If a bird carries blue, it is blue. Even if you have a black bird with a blue father then it is just a black bird and cannot be used to produce more blue birds unless its mate is blue or splash. Blue and splash are caused by the same (blue) gene acting to dilute the black feathers of a bird. If a bird has one copy of the gene (Bl/bl+) then any black feathers are turned blue. If a bird has two copies of the blue gene (Bl/Bl) then the black feathers are turned to splash (whitish). A bird with no copies of the blue gene (bl+/bl+) would have the standard black feathers. Black birds have no blue genes. (bl+/bl+) Splash birds have 2 blue genes (BL/BL) Blue birds have 1 blue gene (BL/bl+) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Clever cloggs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 That's enough name calling I already gave you the answer to your question now go away!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 I bow down to you TOM!!! Genetics Genius! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jam Posted March 31, 2010 Author Share Posted March 31, 2010 Why thank you Tom. So it sounds like I need to find myself a blue hen. Are blue brahmas a rare colour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 No probs. Not rare but not exactly common. Post a wanted ad on Trade-it and maybe in a couple of poultry mags? Will keep an eye out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jam Posted March 31, 2010 Author Share Posted March 31, 2010 Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Sorry to hijack but......sooooo..... If I have a blue silkie female and blue silkie male then they are BLUE and i would get 25% splash? Is that right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Yep. a blue x blue produces all three colours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 ooooooohhhhh interesting! I don`t think I have ever seen a splash silkie though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
