Is this weird or am i an idiot?

vellad · Post by **vellad** » Thu May 07, 2015 2:40 am

Hi .. need some help as am reallllyyy confused. So I had a pair of LGs - both of these birds are Black Head / Purple Chest / Green Back. They had 1 clutch of 7 chicks which they all hatched. 4 hens and 3 cocks. All the hens are Black Head / Purple Chest / Green Back - while the 3 cocks are RED Head / Purple Chest / Green Back. These where not in an aviary and the hen definitely did not mate with a red head - i only have 1 red head and they never shared any space ( I focus on Black Heads ).

Now unless I am being stupid - the genetics as we know them shouldn't allow this as if the parent cock had a red head gene than it would be a red head and not a black head due to dominance. Any ideas please as am dumbfounded.

debbie276 · Post by **debbie276** » Thu May 07, 2015 7:37 am

Your right it is impossible to get a RH from that pair.
Is it possible that you really have a RH hen? Some hens have such a black head that you don't see the red easily. Even if there is one red feather she is a RH. That would be the only way to get RH males.

vellad · Post by **vellad** » Thu May 07, 2015 7:54 am

Hi Debbie - I spoke with Polina on Facebook and she mentioned that it could be that the hen is a red head with a very dirty mask. From my point of view she is a black head but tonight i will check in detail if there are a few red feathers on the head. I think this is the issue as it perfectly explains the all BH females and all RH males.

You can see the cock and hen in the video below at 43 seconds - make it HD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9uILfa ... u.be&t=41s

Colt · Post by **Colt** » Sat May 09, 2015 10:15 pm

That's crazy. At first with her in the shadow it did look like a very dark red, but when she moved to the millet spray and carefully turned her head back and forth to look at the camera, it is pretty clear that she is in fact a black head. At least that's what she appears to be visually.

Teagarden · Post by **Teagarden** » Sat May 09, 2015 10:45 pm

Very interesting!

Colt · Post by **Colt** » Sun May 10, 2015 4:54 pm

debbie276 Did you watch the video? What are your thoughts?

debbie276 · Post by **debbie276** » Mon May 11, 2015 4:08 am

She sure does look BH but if there is even one red feather she is RH. It has happened at least twice that I know of where someone was positive they had a BH hen till they found those one or two red feathers.
It's the only explanation for RH males. Even if she did somehow get with your RH male, all the chicks would be RH and not just the males.

vellad · Post by **vellad** » Mon May 11, 2015 4:14 am

Hi All

So this weekend I checked the hen very carefully but I couldn't find a single red feather however I still think that it is a red-headed bird with a dirty mask - I think that's the only possibility.

Post by **lovezebs** » Mon May 11, 2015 9:33 am

vellad
Congratulations on a beautiful clutch of babies.
I can't make heads or tails out of Genetics, but I ended up with Purple breasted Red Headed males, and Purple breasted Black headed females (one with a white breast) out of three clutches, from a Red Headed, Purple breasted, Green backed,pair.

So, if I were to breed one of my Black headed females, to an unrelated black headed male, would I possibly end up with some Red heads (seeing as both parents on female side were Red headed) ?

~Elana~

debbie276 · Post by **debbie276** » Mon May 11, 2015 12:04 pm

lovezebs

If you got a WB chick then both parents have to be split to WB.
If you get BH hens from RH parents then you know the male is split to BH (hens can't be /BH)

Sooooo, your pair is
RH/BH.PB/WB.Green male and RH.PB/WB.Green hen
(for future reference)

BH to BH will only get you BH.

Post by **lovezebs** » Mon May 11, 2015 5:41 pm

debbie276

Hi Deb.
Thanks for info.
Isn't it odd though, that out of eleven chickletts, I only ended up with one white breast. All the female offspring are black headed, all the males Red headed.

My next attempt, will be Pimieur (Orange Head/White Breast/ Green Back) male, and Baby White Breast, BB for short (Black Head/ White Breast/ Green Back) female.

I am really hoping for some Read Head/White Breast/Green Back, babies (fingers crossed).

~Elana~

debbie276 · Post by **debbie276** » Mon May 11, 2015 6:04 pm

YH.WB.Green male with a BH.WB.Green hen will give you RH/BH/YH males and RH/YH hens. All will be WB and green bodied

Post by **lovezebs** » Mon May 11, 2015 6:22 pm

debbie276
Thanks Debbie.

All right, so hopefully I will end up with some RH/WB/GB babies sometime later in the season. I just love that combination

.

~Elana~

MiaCarter · Post by **MiaCarter** » Tue May 12, 2015 2:33 pm

I just wanted to add my 2 cents...

I have a red-headed female who has only the tiniest specks of red. At quick glance, she looks like a black head.

And if she moulted or got plucked just the right way, she'd look all black for a while.

lnlovesorange · Post by **lnlovesorange** » Mon May 18, 2015 3:42 pm

debbie276 I know it's "easy" for you... but you just never cease to amaze me... I'm learning, but damn girl you smaahhht!!! (sorry Boston accent, no "R"s) lovezebs, i LOVE that combo too!!! I Also love the YH/WB/GB combo, or the YH/WB/YB combo, so pretty!!! Hope you get some beautiful babies...who knows if you do, i might just have to travel north!!!

FINCHforum

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