"Calico" wheaten

[Schroeder]

Great looking birds Royce.  I really appreciate your replies to all my emails asking questions about our favorite variety.  You mentioned a "Calico" wheaten.  Did she look like this pullet?  The coloring showed after the first molt.  She was picked on so much by the others that she didn't survive.  I had another like her a couple of years ago.  I had asked Jerry Segler to explain the genetics behind the coloring and he could not.  I figure if he doesn't know, it must be a fluke mutation.
Duane

[Tailfeathers]

Thank you, Duane.  I've never kept one of those pullets to the age yours is but I'd say probably - yes.  Although mine have been darker over all too.  I think I will keep one of the two this year just to see what she turns out like after the first molt and what color egg she lays.  I might even breed her and keep a few chicks just to see what the progeny turns out like.  Mostly likely I won't keep any of those offspring though.

[John]

Duane and Royce,

When I saw the photo I thought I'd seen one before like that and searched thru some files.  I believe this pullet, I hatched back in 2009, has the same pattern you guys are talking about. 
I think it is from what they call a mosaic mutation.

[Beth C]

Looking at that last picture, I remember getting one of those the first year or so I raised wheatens. There was only the one, and she went to a friend of mine as a layer, so I'd forgotten all about her.

[DeWayne Edgin]

This maybe a different issue but, i had a red golden pheasant hen that looked great for almost 3 years. Then she turned colors and looked just like a male exept for her eyes. I have seen photos of a few Ameraucanas from different breeders that had pullets do this to. I read on the internet in a forum that the golden pheasant female can damage their ovaries and their hormones will change causing them to change colors! Can this also happen to chickens and has anyone else heard about this before?

[John]

Can this also happen to chickens and has anyone else heard about this before?

Back in 2008 I had a LF silver pullet with male color/pattern.
http://ameraucanabreedersclub.org/forum/index.php?topic=874.0

[DeWayne Edgin]

Do you think it was caused from damaged ovaries though? I am wondering if there is truth in this claim or just someones guess.

[John]

Do you think it was caused from damaged ovaries though?

If you click on the link I provided, from 2008, you'll see at least a couple explanations/theories.

Here is another oddity that may be of interest...not the same as the discussion above.
Half-Male, Half-Female Chicken Mystery Solved

[DeWayne Edgin]

So i guess if both sperm was male or both was female, then you wouldn`t even know it was fertalized twice. Interesting. Thanks John.

[Fyremare]

So i guess if both sperm was male or both was female, then you wouldn`t even know it was fertalized twice. Interesting. Thanks John.

That article confuses me a little because I have read that it's the hen that determines the sex of the chick. So even if it was fertilized twice, wouldn't it be the hen that carried the ability to make a dual sexed offspring?

I have a couple of these in the Silver color puzzling me. They are almost 4 months old now.

[Mike Gilbert]

I'm sure there is an explanation, but I would not waste any more space, time, and feed on them. 

[Tailfeathers]

I think it is from what they call a mosaic mutation.

Yes, John and Duane, this appears to be a variation of the same thing.  I'll have to Google "mosaic mutation" and see what I come up with.  I find it interesting that this "mutation" is so wide spread.

And Mike, I agree.  I won't be spending too much time, effort, and feed on those two birds but, I do confess, I am intrigued by why these things happen and what they might do in the future.

God Bless,

[Russ]

Chris those silver pullets did not come frome my stock did they?

[Paul]

We have had one wheaten pullet similar out of thousands since 1999.

[Tailfeathers]

I think it is from what they call a mosaic mutation.

Thanks John.  I Googled it and went to Wikipedia.  Unfortunately, I think there was more Greek in the first paragraph than my Spiros Zhodiates Dictionary/Lexicon!  I couldn't read past the first paragraph because my eyes kept rolling to the back of my head.