Genetics help?

[Pathfinders]

Anyone on this forum a poultry genetics expert? Had an interesting recessive crop up in some Dutch Bantams lately, am trying to determine how it happened.

Long story short, a Blue Cream Light Brown male was bred to a Cream Light Brown female (both from the same line), and a Self Blue pullet was produced.

Self Blue is the Lav gene, this much I know. The question is, how could it remain hidden in this line of birds for so long (easily 20 years or so)? I know it's not a Splash bird, have some of those, def not Splash (and besides, the parents weren't both BCs, so not possible.)

The Self Blue pullet was bred back to her father, and had some Self Blue chicks. These are birds I sold to a friend, saw them this past weekend. He's going to send me some pictures that I will post here (as well as in the Dutch forum in the Classroom at the Coop.)

Just thought I'd ask, in case anyone here might know. Thanks.

Laura

[Neil E. Grassbaugh]

Maybe some chicken "jumped the fence" more recently than you know.

It happens in the best of families.

[Pathfinders]

Pretty sure it did not happen that way in this case.

Here she is:

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm25/PathfindersFarm/DSCF1518sm.jpg

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm25/PathfindersFarm/DSCF1530sm.jpg

[MKG]

Laura, I don't breed lavender, but would this bird have dark ticking if she were lav/lav? She could be splash (Bl/Bl). I do get some splash from my blue's that are about the same shade of color - but not usually that even in color. I would try to test mate her with another bird that is known to be lav/lav, even if from another breed, just to be sure.

[Pathfinders]

I don't think she is Splash, her dam was Cream, her father Blue Cream. I think at this point that she's Blue, and somehow lost the igig (Cream) gene. Not sure how though.

My daughter just took some pictures of a Blue Cream Light Brown Splash hen we have, she looks totally different, I'll post them when she emails me.

Thanks.

[MKG]

If she has no red feathers, how would you determine if she has lost the ig/ig genes? Could she not be Bl/? and ig/ig? Does not ig dilute melanin as well as pheomelanin? I really have not studied the issue that much, as have never worked with ig.