Wyandotte mystery color

[Hana]

I bred White Wyandotte Cockerel, to Columbian Wyandotte Hens
I had 24 chicks hatch, 12 Columbian and the other 12 although the pattern is Columbian, the color instead of black and white, is buff and cream. What have I done? Any ideas? Hana

[ritterhahn]

Are these your birds that you have been breeding for a while? Do they come from established lines from good breeders?

Genetically a white bird can be more than one thing – and the white colour can hide genes for other colour types. My guess: your white cockerel was carrying the gene for gold and when he mated with the Columbian hens produced a sex-linked colour segregation. Males will be white, females golden with the Columbian restricted pattern (which I think I remember is dominant).

Hope that is helpful,

Richard

[Hana]

I have had the White for 3 generations, but only bread to white, so it signifies nothing I guess. The color isn't sex linked ( which is what mystifies me ) there is pullets and cockerels in each color, and not a white one in the lot. So much for my knowledge of genetics. I feel like i found out SOMETHING, I just wish I knew what. Thanks for your help.