Author Topic: Feather colour  (Read 4109 times)

Hatty

  • Joined Feb 2011
Feather colour
« on: November 21, 2011, 06:31:26 pm »
I hatch some chicks about 4 weeks ago,  :chook: :chook: they are light sussex x exbat. I have 2 different colours which I am presuming is male/female difference, when born some were yellow with black wings & facial markings and some plain yellow.

As their proper feathers are now coming through, the yellow and black are black and white, the plain yellow are white, My question is will they stay this colour or will they change again as they get bigger.

Probably a really silly question but this is all still really new to me  ;D
How long did you say it would take me to dig this 5 acres with my spade?

hughesy

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Anglesey
Re: Feather colour
« Reply #1 on: November 21, 2011, 10:02:46 pm »
As ex battery hens are a hybrid it's unlikely that the sexing by colour thing will work like it does with a 1st cross like RIR x LS.

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: Feather colour
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2011, 10:38:30 pm »
I don't know enough to tell if your two colours are sex-linked, from that cross.
But yes, the colours they're now acquiring they'll keep  :)

cluckingnuts

  • Joined Oct 2010
  • llyn peninsula
Re: Feather colour
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2011, 04:14:21 am »
As you have used a siver cock on gold hen they will not be sex-linked, they will both be silver and the cock will be split for gold.
The black will come from the sire having the columbian gene. As most commercial hens have the genes Db/I, this can cover the black.

Hatty

  • Joined Feb 2011
Re: Feather colour (photos added)
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2011, 08:00:43 am »
cock will be split for gold.


not really sure what you mean by this?  ???
How long did you say it would take me to dig this 5 acres with my spade?

cluckingnuts

  • Joined Oct 2010
  • llyn peninsula
Re: Feather colour
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2011, 10:17:30 am »
Silver and gold are on the sex gene, hens only have one so can only be silver or gold but not both. Cocks have 2, and can therefore be gold, silver or split (having both). As silver is dominant to gold it is described as being silver (as it is visual) split for gold (which is hidden). It is sometimes written as silver/gold or S/s+.

Hatty

  • Joined Feb 2011
Re: Feather colour
« Reply #6 on: November 22, 2011, 05:23:47 pm »
Thank you clucking nuts that makes it a little clearer I think  ??? lol I'm sure I'll get my head round it eventually these were just a bit of an experiment to make sure the incy was working, plus give me a few new hens for next year and the boys are destined for the freezer
How long did you say it would take me to dig this 5 acres with my spade?

 

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