Genetics question: shank color

I thought I was beginning to understand the genetics of shank color in chickens but as with most things it seems to be more complicated than I realized

Specifically for the marraduna Euskal Oiloa (basque) chicken I need help. They are rare in Canada and the few that there are have lots of variability in all aspects including shank color. I just started with them this year and have about 50 birds to choose from for my breeding flock, need to get that number down to about 8-10 birds for winter.

They are not in the APA SOP. Shank color is supposed to be yellow. They are barred which I now believe also affects shank color. I understood that yellow shanks were recessive, white dominant and thought that it would be easy to get to yellow shanks over a couple generations. Thus if a hen was really great for all aspects accept shank color I could keep her, hope she was heterozygous for yellow shanks and in a couple generations all yellow shanks with good everything else...

Well some of the chicks also have willow or light blue legs. And some have paler yellow legs, not the deep true yellow. So I read some more...not sure if this is correct but I read that there are two sets of genes that determine shank color epidermal (yellow, white) AND dermal (blue or not). AND that the barring gene in males can mask the expression of the dermal color...

So this is what I had subsequently figured out...
Females could have any color: yellow, green, white, blue and would show their true colors.
Males would only show the epidermal color so yellow or white but could carry dermal color genes that were hidden.

Well...I believe some of my male chicks have willow legs at 3 weeks?? Does that mean those rooster only carried one gene for baring? Or will the legs turn yellow later? Or am I just out to lunch and missing something?

Also what is the lighter yellow on some of them, both male and female? It does not look like willow but is not the deep orange yellow it should be?

Interesting questions/topic poplargirl. I hope someone can shed some light on this for you. I look forward to reading the responses.

AND that the barring gene in males can mask the expression of the dermal color...

^ Unfortunately that is true. This is why my dream project of Barred Ameraucana’s with slate legs is next to impossible. Though I haven’t given up yet … (there must be some kind of way around, I just need to find it...)

Quoting Ameraucana Breeder…

“The dermis on Ameraucana is dark because of a recessive sex linked gene called dermal melanin (id+). This gene adds black pigment to the tissue layer just under the skin. Since the skin is white the black pigment can be seen under the skin as a slate or light blue color. The allele to the id+ gene is the incompletely dominant dermal melanin inhibitor allele. In males that are heterozygous or split (Id/id+) certain genetic types of birds will show some black pigment in the dermis.

In breeds that have green or willow legs, the dermal melanin allele works with yellow skin to produce a willow leg. The darker the color of the legs the more black pigment is found in the dermis.”


What colour skin does the EO breed have?

Skin color of EOs is yellow if the shanks are yellow, white if the shanks are white I do believe Flicker Chick.

So much to learn, isn't there?!? One small step at a time I guess, so it makes sense to start with the feet