Poultry Genetics for the Nonprofessional

This site is maintained by the Sellers family of Brookings, South Dakota (click here to e-mail us). The authors retain copyright and all rights are reserved. Links to this site may be made without permission. Any duplication, printing or copying is prohibited without permission of the author.

The purpose of this site is to promote and facilitate poultry keeping through the understanding of poultry genetics. Hopefully, poultry enthusiasts will find this site useful. If you are a poultry enthusiast, we would like to hear from you and know any thoughts you might have for improving the understandability of poultry genetics presented in these pages. There are additional pages in devolpment. Many thanx, (E-mail us)

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Part I is an introduction to elementary genetics.

Contents of Part I (Click here or on the line above for Part I) :

A) DNA, genes and chromosomes

B) Generation notation (P, F1, F2...)

C) Homo / Hetero / Hemi - zygous...genotype and phenotype

D) How to predict the outcomes of breeding events for non-sex-linked and sex-linked traits

     The Punnett Diagram for the inheritance of genes at a single locus

     Punnett_Monkey version 1.0 will do your Punnett Square for you!

     The Punnett Diagram for the inheritance of two traits

      Advanced Punnett_Monkey for as many as four simultaneous traits.

E) Linkage

F) Inbreeding

G) Gametes, meiosis, mitosis

H) Cell differentiation

Part II is a discussion of basic poultry genetics.

Contents of Part II (Click here or on the line above for Part II):

A) The sex of your chicks

B) The sex ratio of baby chicks

C) Feather sexing baby chicks

D) How to breed for a trait for sexing day-old chicks:

E) Auto-sexing breeds

F) Lethal genes

G) Genetics of ear lobe color

H) Genetics of eggshell color

I) Genetics of comb type

J) Genetics of shank/feet color

K) Genetics of dark skin color

L) Genetics of feather color

M) The influence of one versus two genes for a trait

N) Genetics of patterns

     Image Gallery of Feather Patterns

O) Genetics of eye color

P) Genetics of chick down color

Q) A fun exercise

R) Partial genotypes of common breeds

A companion to Part II is the  Image Gallery of Feather Patterns, which contains drawings and photos of plumage patterns. Please see section N of Part II.

Part III (click here) is a table of chicken genes with comments of interest.  Also, there are the beginnings of a glossary at the end of Part III.

Part IV: Turkey Genetics

Part V: Domestic and Muscovy Duck Genetics 

     Punnett_Monkey_forDucks will do your Punnett Square for you!  Domestic and Muscovy Ducks

Part VI: Ring-necked Pheasant Genetics

Part VII: Guinea Fowl Genetics

Part VIII: Pigeon Genetics

Interesting Links: Lots of neat stuff to look at!!

We are the people responsible for this site.

Research Roundup, March, 2002 Researches into Eggshell Physical and Chemical Properties.