INHERITANCE OF DILUTION

BY DOUG BROWN

Dilution has been in the roller for a long time and there are many fine rollers that are of this factor. Dilution again is a Sex Linked factor. This means that it is carried on the Sex Chromosome X. Diluted cocks must have two of the genes to be a diluted bird. The genotype of a pure dilute cock is (dd). A hen only needs one to be a diluted hen. So her genotype is (dO). A good rule of thumb when dealing with a sex linked characteristic like dilute is that a dilute cock mated to a normal hen will produce only dilute hens and normal cocks that are carrying the dilute factor.

Dilution as I am sure most of you know makes the color of the bird soften. I will use some common names for the birds that are dilute. Dilute birds come in all of the other factors and patterns that are present in the rollers at this time. If you have a dilute ash red T-Pattern or checker it will be called a yellow checker. If you have a dilute ash reds barred bird you will have what is called a cream bar. Dilute Blue T-Pattern or checkers are called Duns. In the old days many people call some of the ash red pigeons duns. This was a mistaken name for them if you were talking genetics. But they knew what they were talking about so many of us have had to adjust to what they were talking about rather than trying to change them. But in the genetic world a Dun is a diluted blue family checker or T-Patterned bird. The diluted blue bar is called a silver bar.

If you are interested in making dilute birds you can find birds of very good quality all over the country. They have been in existence for quite a long time, and many people are working with them successfully. The best way to get started with dilute is to obtain a dilute cock. With this dilute cock you have a pure dilute bird with the genotype (dd). He can only put the dilution gene into the mix. Now probably the best bird that you could choose for you cock bird would be a ash red dilute carrying blue dilute. If the cock bird was a checker carrying bars it would make it possible for you to get the whole range of dilute birds.

Here is what would happen if you mated the Yellow checker bird carrying dilute blue and bars to a blue barred hen. First of all the dilute cock could only throw the dilute gene. In this mating all of the cocks will be normal not dilute. They will however carry the dilute gene. All of the hens produced will be dilute, both dilute ash red and blue. The Normal cock will be Ash red carrying blue and pure blue. You will also get both bars and checks from the mating as the cock is also split for checks and bars. This type of mating is my favorite kind but it takes longer to get a lot of dilute birds. Especially cocks. As I said in the article about recessive red I will mate dilute birds together once in a while just to get some dilute cockbirds. They are hard to come by. Especially ones that are good spinners. Once in a while you must take a chance however when you are breeding some of the more rare roller. Phone write or E-mail me if you have questions or opinions. [email protected] 909-735-9735 or 2451 Roundup Road Norco, CA 91760.