Color Genes

A cock pigeon carries two copies of the sex-linked color genes, while a hen carries only oneBecause color genes in racing pigeons are sex-linked, a hen expresses only the single copy she has, whereas a cock can express the combination of both genes he carries. This difference in inheritance means that for certain color traits, cocks can be heterozygous (carrying two different versions of the gene), while hens will always be homozygous for that trait. 

  • Cock pigeons: 
    Have two Z chromosomes and therefore two copies of the sex-linked color genes. 
  • Hen pigeons: 
    Have one Z and one W chromosome, so they have only one copy of the sex-linked color gene. 
  • Implication: 
    A hen's color is always what is displayed, as she has no other gene to "carry" or pass on that specific sex-linked trait to her daughters. A cock can have two different versions of the same gene (e.g., one for ash-red and one for blue), which can be passed on to his offspring. 

Testimonials

Top