Leg color

[Guest]

It\'s my understanding that the gene sequence  (id+,W+, W+, e*,e*) results in blue(slate) legs.  
I assume the sequence  (id+,W+, w, e*,e*) also results in blue legs.

We bred a white rooster which has blue(slate) legs with a white hen (only one available) which has green legs and hatched out several offspring.   Some of the chicks have green legs and some blue.  

Am I correct in assuming the rooster is (id+,W+, w, e*,e*) as the hen has to be (id+,w, w, e*,e*).

And assuming this is true, I should not breed this rooster.

[Guest]

All the male offspring have green legs and all the females have blue.  

Am I correct in assuming this is coincidence, as it\'s my understanding the skin color gene is not sex linked.

[Mike Gilbert]

The gene for yellow epidermis is not sex linked.   The fact that you got some willow and some slate legs proves your rooster is a carrier (heterozygous) for yellow epidermis.   If you are trying to produce Ameraucanas, I would not recommend you use either one, but secure some pure stock instead.   On the other hand, the gene for slate dermis IS sex linked.   But it sounds as though both your breeders have slate dermis, so a moot point in your case.  The fact that all of one sex had slate legs and all of the other sex had green (willow) legs is pure coincidence - I\'m guessing the numbers of each are not large.  

[Guest]

Mike,  

We hatched out 4 chicks from supposed Ameraucana eggs way back when we first started.  One of them was this white rooster which looked correct. We were experimenting and hatched a few eggs to see what we had.

Currently we have 32 true LF Ameraucanas in black, blue, wheaten, blue wheaten, and a couple buff. All from eggs or chicks obtained from members on the ABC breeders\' directory.  We have 25 more chicks on order for spring.   At this point we don\'t plan on breeding white due to space limitations.

[Guest]

I agree with Mike on his evaluation. The Id ( dermal melanin inhibitor gene) is incompletely dominant and is also sex linked (as Mike stated). There are other factors that can effect melanin in the shanks and feet of a chicken. Genes like recessive white, wheaten and mottling can clear pigment from the legs and feet of chickens.  I have written two articles on the subject. Feel free to go to my website and read them.

http://home.earthlink.net/~100chickens/id56.htm

The first article is in this months Back Yard Poultry magazine.

Tim