The Chocolate Gene - Any info?

[Tim]

Hello All.

I'm currently learning about the Choc gene. I'm trying to find some more info about it and thought I would post what I have found so far in the hope I might find some more from you clever people

This is what I have found so far:

The Choc gene was first discovered around 12 years ago, by Dr Clive Carefoot, at the time it caused controversy in the poultry world, particularly within the Orpington club itself, so much so that Clive then refused to let anyone get their hands on the gene. At Around 6 or 7 years ago Clive fell ill and shortly after stopped breeding (he passed away year before last). Before he died, Grant Bereton, and Rob Boyd managed to rescue the only Choc hen left in existence, a 5 year old hen. So at this point the gene was at the point of extinction. Grant provided the genetic know how, and guided Rob Boyd in the breeding, Rob had the space and good quality black stock available at time. The first mating was between the aging Choc hen and a black bantam male, which produced a clutch of clear eggs, a bit of fluff trimming around the vents had the next batch fertile. From this hatch they had Choc carrying males, which they intended putting back over the Choc hen, which would’ve produced 50% pure choc females and males, but the aging hen sadly died, and the breeding programme was set back a couple of years, so now the only way was to mate the Choc carrying male over black hens, producing new Choc females, which were then mated back to the Choc carrying male. The whole project took 5 years, but the gene was saved. Dr Clive Carefoot had expressed his desire for Grant and Rob not to allow the gene out of their hands, he obviously had his reasons, but what’s the point of saving it if no one else can enjoy breeding the colour, so they made the decision to sell off some birds.

Thanks,

Tim

 

[Anonymous]

Yes , this is a subject that i find quite intesting also. some of my notes.

so much so that Clive then refused to let anyone get their hands on the gene.

After a visit to the late Dr Clive Carefoots in 2002 , Richard became fascinated with the chocolate colour, and being a wynadotte lover , it seemed obvious to him that he should be the person to create 'Chocolate wynadottes'. He began the only way possible , by crossing a chocolate carrying black orpington male to Black wynadotte femals.

so Richard Davies must have got his chocolate carrying male from Dr Clive Carefoot. so then was the Chocolate Wynadotte created.

Also my understanding of the chocolate gene is that it is very have to get , as the chocolate gene itself can only be produced from blacks as a mutation .
Although , i was told that the chocolate call duck was create from buffs crossed with blacks .

these colour genotypes will help
Black = E/E
Chocolate = E/E , d/d
Buff = Md/Md Bl/bl d/d bu/bu
so i can see sort of how it could have happend ,

Although i do not know the geno types of chickens i imagine it would be similar, apart form Bl/bl (single blue) in the buff , and there would also probably be differant names and symbols.

That can also be applied to orpingtons (that is if they do have a Chocolate gene or similar), and i am aware of blacks and buffs being crossed to improve there type and size.( this in my own opinion is how they were stumbled apon , not a mutation but a through back of one of these crosses.)
Also , if you look at it from the point of veiw of mixing paints , buff colour mixed with black produces a chocolate coloured shade. even though that isn't exactly scientific , i can see how it makes sense.

well there it is , it took a while to write as the page kept refreshing :evil:
so sorry for any mistakes as it made me V. angery .
Ben

 

[Tim]

Hi Ben,

Thanks for that information - yes I forgot about that...

I have found this in Grant Brereton's book (21st Century Poultry Breeding):

"The chocolate gene interferes with the production of Black pigment...." "...However it breeds quite differently and has only been known in the UK in Orpingtons since 1994. It has little or no effect on Red pigment"

He also says earlier in the book:
"....The chocolate gene is one of the few known Sex-Linked recessive genes in poultry. It may seem difficult to grasp at first but if a female carries Chocolate, then she will be visually Chocolate. However, males require two copies of the gene for them to appear as Chocolate. Black malescan carry a copy of Chocolate without it being at all identifiable. The only way to tell is to test mate. However if the mother of the Black male in question was Chocolate herself, it is certainty that all her sons will carry a single dose of the Chocolate Gene"

I'm sorry you had problems with the page refreshing - I can't see any probs here at the moment with the forum but will keep an eye.

Tim