Planning colour genes diagram
We try to explain in a simple way how to breed colour variations, keeping in mind the working of the most important colour genes!
All our chickens have a alleles of the "E-locus" who is based on the "S-locus".
They can be transformed in different phenotypes by "transformer" genes.
Everything started with the "Bankiva" colouration.
(all genes are present with there original alleles, marked with a "+").
Simpely said a total mix of "red/black" (the only 2 existing colour pigments).
For now we know 4 important mutations of the e+ allele (alleles without that "+").
Those alleles can be of the original e+ or mutant alleles of this allele,
E, ER, eWh, eb. They can be pure (homozygote) or unpure (heterozygote).
(with a Capital normaly dominant over those without a capital who are recessive).
Those 4 different basic phenotypes can be based on gold or on silver
The chickens can have the s+ (gold) or S (silver) or both alleles (only if a cock)
Because this is a sex-linked gene the hens are s+/- (pure gold) or S/- (pure Silver).
(the hen is hemyzigote for the S gene because she have only one allele of it).
There are also a lot of other ("transformer") genes with different alleles.
Those can transform the original phenotype (that of the bankiva and is 4 mutants) in other phenotypes.(also here dominant and recessive alleles, also those genes can be homozigote, heterozigote or hemyzigote (for the sex-linked genes).
These basic based genes can be diluted.
Bl, lav, Di, ig, Cb.
These basic based genes can be patterned.
B, mo, Pg, Db, Co.
These basic based genes can be changed.
I-Id-Is, choc, c, mz, cha.
All of them can also be reinforced.
Mh, Ml.
for the complete diagram see:
http://zijdehoenders.googlepages.com/planningdiagram