Feather Phaeomelanin Intensity in Buff Orpington, New Hampshire and Rhode Island Red Breeds of Fowl: 2. Inheritance Studies from whole Feather Extracts ,

Abstract

RHODE ISLAND RED, New Hampshire and Buff Orpington breeds of fowl have varying intensities of buff-red coloration with black pigment restricted similarly to the hackle, wings and tail regions of the plumage. The distribution of black pigment in all three breeds generally resembles that of the Columbian varieties of fowl. According to Hutt (1949), all are homozygous for the e gene which determines this pattern in contrast to its allele, E, which allows black pigment to be deposited throughout the plumage. His conclusions were based on the early work of Hurst (1905), Davenport (1909), Dunn (1922 Dunn (1923) and Asmundson and Milne (1930), plus subsequent observations of his own. The reduced amounts of black pigment in the hackle and remiges of Buff Orpingtons were attributed by Dunn (1923) to the presence of additional modifying genes. More recently the role of the proposed alleles, E and e, in determining the “Columbian” pattern…