# Can anyone help me understand color genetics better?



## T Kim (Feb 28, 2015)

I've been reading many of the threads in this section because I'm interested in how color breeding works. What I have learned is that It seems complicated!! LOL! Is there some kind of book for beginners? Does someone have the definitions of the letters used? Or pictures and then a beginners description of the color of bird, etc....?? 

I recently got some very pretty young birds and would like to try and pair them up in the best way.... Thanks!


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## TimJ (Apr 24, 2008)

These two sites will help some.


http://www.angelfire.com/ga3/pigeongenetics/


http://www.angelfire.com/ga/huntleyloft/Page1.html

Tim


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## Chuck K (Jan 12, 2013)

*Pigeon genetics*

Go to the second link in TimJ's reply, and follow the line to Joe Quinn's Pigeon Breeders Notebook and download the pdf file. It is the best book a newcomer to pigeon genetics could get and the pdf version is free. The printed versions are not being made any longer, and hard to find.


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

Posting photos here may give you some help too. Start with the simple things like blue and ash red and learn them. Then learn the pattern (spread, check, bar, barless .). Then maybe look at recessive red. Dilutes of all colors (dilute turns blue to silver, black to dun, red to yellow). Then modifiers (dirty, sooty etc.) later. If you try to learn everything at once it is complicated but taking it step by step is much easier and very interesting.


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## T Kim (Feb 28, 2015)

*My rec red....*

Thanks! Great information! Am going to learn this come u know what!!! Haha
so, I have a young rec red.... Don't know sex yet... Am going to read pdf's, but can anyone give me an idea of what rec red means breeding wise?

Does it matter what color it pairs with? Can it have a rec red baby even if other bird isn't also red? And probably most important question.... Can color birds still produce regular grey, barred colors and, if so, how often does this happen?

Thanks!


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## TimJ (Apr 24, 2008)

Here is a photo of my month old Rec Red baby. That is the father on the nest bow. He is an Almond carrying RR. His mate is a Blue Check that also carries RR. They both show a little bronzing on them but you would not know they carry RR other then by breeding them. 










The recessive part of RR means that to show it the pigeon needs two copies of the gene. So for that to happen both parents must be RR or at least carry RR. If you pair your RR to another pigeon without that gene you will only get carriers but all of those young will carry it. Then next year you could pair the RR you have now to one of the youngsters and get 50% RR. Pair two RR birds together you will get 100% RR. 

I have mostly white, almond and red birds but have gotten 'normal' Blues and Ash Red Grizzles...maybe 25-50% of the time depending on the pair.

Here is another pair's young. Here I got one of the RR + Almond (Deroy) that I was hoping for. Neither one of the parents are RR but they both had a parent who was. 










Post some good detailed photos of your birds and I'm sure some can tell you what they might be. 

Tim


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## T Kim (Feb 28, 2015)

*Thanks and will upload pics soon.*

Am trying to upload pigeon pics, but having problems. Will try again in a bit. Thank you for all the great information. Pictures are really helpful!!


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## Chuck K (Jan 12, 2013)

*Color genetics*

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f14/colors-explained-76099.htmlTake a look at the posts in this thread.


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