Pied question

[Raleighwheels]

I was wondering if pied markings are somehow determined by the parents or if it is kind of a random happening? It sort of just occurred to me to ask, because my pied zebra female, Penelope, produced a female that almost looks exactly like her.

[Nagdabit]

Hey Chris

We have seen the same thing on numerous occasions with our flock. Had a real hard time telling a couple of our males apart from their daddies. Only after a very close scrutinzation were we able to spot a very minute difference or two.

Have just noticed the same thing with one of our hens. She's a Fawn Pied and her most recent fledge mimics her pattern, but is a few shades lighter as regards to color. Even seen pattern similarities after skipping a generation, with young birds taking on various characteristics of their Grandparents, even if their parents didn't neccesarily do the same.

Sorry if we're not schooled on Zebra genectics enough so as to give you a detailed explaination as to the how and why, can only confirm that we've seen the same thing as well.

[Raleighwheels]

Hey Chris

We have seen the same thing on numerous occasions with our flock. Had a real hard time telling a couple of our males apart from their daddies. Only after a very close scrutinzation were we able to spot a very minute difference or two.

Have just noticed the same thing with one of our hens. She's a Fawn Pied and her most recent fledge mimics her pattern, but is a few shades lighter as regards to color. Even seen pattern similarities after skipping a generation, with young birds taking on various characteristics of their Grandparents, even if their parents didn't neccesarily do the same.

Sorry if we're not schooled on Zebra genectics enough so as to give you a detailed explaination as to the how and why, can only confirm that we've seen the same thing as well.

Thanks for the reply! It is good to know someone else has noticed this. I am interested in breeding the offspring girl to see if the pattern continues. I noticed that the spot of white on her head is just a little bit larger than her mother's. It would be neat to see someone do an actual study on the subject.

[cindy]

It is determined by the parents once one parent carries the pied it will always be in the gene of the offsring, it is very hard to breed it out. I am going through this with a pied crested penguin male I want to breed but in doing so the pied cancels the orange cheek patches out in the penguins. Pied stays in that gene pool and is either hidden or shows.

[L in Ontario]

I have found some offspring of pied parents may look almost identical to one of its parents or it may look totally different than both of the parents. There's no telling if the pied markings in the offspring will be the same or in completely different areas; more pied or less pied than the parents or even completely 100% pied - appearing as all white but not a true white bird.

[Ameza]

It is very random, at least in my case. I have a little pied female and a male that seems to carry the pied gene and I have gotten very different scale of pied from them.

From few little white spots to 100% pied.

All from the same clutch here.

[L in Ontario]

Exactly Ameza! And a beautiful clutch too!

[WhiteMagicWoman]

I recently had two clutches, one from a pied male and normal medium grey female, and the second from such a heavily pied male that he appeared white. I ended up with such an assortment! But the funny thing is, the little pied guys that look like the father of the first clutch actually came from the almost white dad!

[L in Ontario]

That's a great looking bunch, Susan!

[Raleighwheels]

Thanks for all the responses! Here are pictures of the two birds I was talking about, Penelope and Siren. Siren is the daughter of Penelope and Pep-Pep. It is kind of hard to see from pictures, but they are pretty much the same. They both have a spot right above the nostrils, but Siren's is just a tiny bit larger.

[WhiteMagicWoman]

Beautiful birdies!

[L in Ontario]

Very nice indeed!

[cindy]

These are very pretty....can I ask this : when they fledge are they dark and as they molt do you see the pied/color change as you would with a normal zebra chick or can you see the pied right away?

[Raleighwheels]

These are very pretty....can I ask this : when they fledge are they dark and as they molt do you see the pied/color change as you would with a normal zebra chick or can you see the pied right away?

Here is a picture of them in the nest. I don't remember how old they were when we took these pictures, maybe a week and a half to two weeks. I remember that I knew she was pied when her pin feathers started appearing.

[L in Ontario]

Piedness can be in the pinfeathers and the pattern can also change when they go through their first moult into adult colouring.