#pattern gene

[birdgenetics]

The Pattern Gene on Wheaten

Pg (pattern gene) can also create patterns on the e^Wh (wheaten) base, and while these patterns aren't widespread, they are common in Cornish.

It is interesting to me that while it is the lightest e base wheaten produces some of the darkest patterns, while E^R creates patterns with the least amount of black. This is only possible due to the melanizing affect of charcoal (cha).

The Cornish version of double laced is known as "dark." Bantam dark Cornish are usually Wheaten based. Large fowl dark Cornish are Partridge based. The way you can tell what E-base your birds have is to look at the chick down. The dark genotype is e^Wh/e^WhMl/Mlcha/chaMl/MlMh/Mh. They may have some additional genes that make them darker.

The source for this photo was sus but I really struggled to find a dark Cornish bantam male so if you have a better one that you'd like me to feature, let me know!

Laced Cornish

Laced in Cornish has black or diluted tails. I have recently discovered their necks can and should be laced as well but those are the Patridge-based white-laced reds. Thanks to the Charcoal gene, the Wheaten-based bantams will have mostly solid-colored necks.

I haven't seen any black laced red Cornish, only blue laced red, or like in this picture, white laced red. The existance of blue laced red implies black laced red and splash laced red exist (and some splash laced red are probably exhibited as white laced red) but I digress.

All I have a picture of is the white laced red so I will stick to that. ("I" represents dominant white)

e^Wh/e^WhPg/Pgcha/chaMl/MlCo/CoMh/MhI/I

Photo by Chris McGeorge on Facebook.

[birdgenetics]

Build a Chicken Color Genotype: Pattern Gene or not?

I'm building a chicken color genotype based on the genes Tumblr chooses, then I'll draw a male and a female specimen for you all to see.

The Pattern Gene is a gene that organizes the eumelanin and pheomelanin into patterns. With wheaten based birds like ours, the effects of Pattern are limited, but here is a post that will shed more light on the effects of the pattern gene on wheaten.

Pattern (gold pencilled Cochins) (Ignore the mille fleurs in the background)

Photos by Mattieu Leuridan, black scribbles by myself.

No Pattern (gold partridge and silver partridge Cochins)

Photo by Matthieu Leuridan

Pattern or not?

Pattern (Pg/Pg)

No pattern (pg+/pg+)

Voting ended onDec 24, 2024

[birdgenetics]

The Pattern Gene Part Two: Pg on the E^R Base

The pattern gene interacts with birchen in much the same way as it does with partridge, with one major difference, on the E^R base, these patterns have patterned tails rather than black tails.

While E^R doesn't have as many patterns as partridge, it sure makes them count.

I had to outsource pictures for males on some of these because Sebright and Campine males are henny feathered meaning regardless of what the male plumage for that pattern would normally look like, they will have the same feather shape and pattern as a female.

Gold laced

E^R/E^RCo/CoDb/DbMl/MlPg/Pg:

(Polish photo image source: Cackle Hatchery)

Autosomal barred

Note that the male has a patterned breast, wings and tail, unlike the partridge-based male, who is mostly orange with a black tail. Not all have a very well-patterned tail, however, they can have a well-patterned tail.

E^R/E^RDb/DbPg/Pg:

(Deathlayer image source: Greenfire Farms)

Spangled, these being silver spangled specifically

E^R/E^RDb/DbMl/MlPg/PgS/S:

E^R/E^RDb/DbMl/MlPg/PgS/-:

[birdgenetics]

Pattern Gene Pg (Part 1: Pg's effect on Partridge)

I'll admit, I procrastinated on the pattern gene. It is one of the more difficult genes to explain. At the time of writing this, I couldn't find anything on its effects on duckwing (e+.)

So instead, I will begin with partridge (e^b).

The pattern gene Pg is a dominant gene that arranges the eumelanin and pheomelanin into patterns.

It changes the stippling on partridge into u-shaped bands of gold and black. This pattern is called "pencilling."

Here is a e^b/e^bPg/PgMh/Mh hen. This is is what we call "partridge" in exhibitions here in the US though red pencilled would be a more correct word for it.

e^b/e^bPg/Pg males look identical to partridge males without the pattern gene.

Here is a silver pencilled Brahma cock (e^b/e^bPg/PgS+/S+)

Add the Ml gene, and you get double lacing. The black parts of the feather are much thicker and darker and the bird's neck is black. Also, the outer edges of the feather are black rather than gold.

Here is a picture of a e^b/e^bPg/PgMl/MlMh/Mh (red double laced) Barnevelder:

This time, the male's pattern is affected. He will have a mostly black neck, shoulder, and saddle, and sometimes will have a single-laced breast.

Add a the columbian gene and you will get the ever-popular laced pattern. The bird will be laced from head to tail except for the main tail feathers, which will be black.

Silver laced female (e^b/e^bPg/PgMl/MlCo/CoS/-)

Silver laced male. (e^b/e^bPg/PgMl/MlCo/CoS/S)

There is also such a thing as partridge-based autosomal barring. But examples of this are rare indeed. So rare, in fact, that I don't have any pictures of it. So I must scrounge the internet. The interaction of the pattern gene and DarkBrown/Ginger gives a hen with a gold neck, bars of gold and black across the feather, and since it is partridge based, a black tail.

Gold autosomal barred (e^b/e^bPg/PgDb/Db)

(Photo by Maria Steinke)

On males, the dark brown gene spreads the pheomelanin over the entire bird.

Silver autosomal barred e^b/e^bPg/PgDb/DbS/S

(Photo from poultrykeeper.com)

Add Ml and you get spangling. Partridge-based spangling is another rarity.

Males and females have gold feathers with black spangles all over their bodies except for their black tails.

Gold spangled (e^b/e^bPg/PgDb/DbMl/Ml)

(Photo by Meg Crase)