Cinnamon, Pearl, Lu
Sex linked genetics is fairly easy and a good place to start if you are just starting to raise cockatiels and learn about genetics. In birds, hens (females) carry a Z and W chromosome (ZW) and the cocks (males) carry a W and a W chromosome. (WW). If you are already confused it is probably because you have had some experience with human genetics. That is XY and YY. Males carry the hetrozygous genes in people. Hens carry it in birds.
Hens can't carry or be "split to" any of these sex-linked mutations (colors). A hen can't be split to Lutino, Pearl, Cinnamon or S-L yellow cheek. The Cockbirds can be though. Hens that are Lutino, Pearl or Cinnamon will be that VISUALLY. For example, you may have a normal (grey) looking cockbird in your aviary. You set him up with a normal hen and suprise! you get one lutino, a pearl, a cinnamon, and a normal baby. That normal looking guy in your aviary is either also a pearl or is at least "split" to pearl. (more about that later) He is "split to" Lutino, and "split to" cinnamon. Males may carry one or more of the sex- linked genes on only ONE of their two X chromosomes. If they do, the DOMINANT normal grey will cover or mask that trait, and the male will be considered "split" to that mutation. "Split to" is a way to say that he has one of these mutations in his background and carries them hidden. If a male carries Pearl on only one of his X chromosomes, which would be genetically coded or written X XP, he is "split to pearl". If he carries Cinnamon on the other X chromosome (XC XP), he would be "split to cinnamon and pearl" since he only has one gene for each color. If, however, he had Cinnamon and Pearl on the same X chromosome (XCP X) he would be split to cinnamon-pearl. A male cockatiel will always donate one of his two X chromosomes to the offspring, but a female can donate either her X or her Y. If the mother passes along her one X chromosome, the offspring is MALE (X X). If she gives her Y chromosome instead, you have a FEMALE (X Y). In sex linked mutations, it is good to remember that males will always throw daughters of the same mutation, and mothers will always have sons that are at least split to any mutation they carry. The babies have to get one chromosome from dad and one from mom (ZZ) or (ZW) then the Chromosome that carries the pearl, lutino, cinnamon or pearl gene obviously came from dad. Mom can't carry these. You automatically know that the visual baby got that sex -linked color chromosome from dad. You now have visual hens.
About those pearls.....?? Male cockatiels will generally lose their pearling by their second molt (when feathers come out and new feathers grow back in). You have an older pearl cockatiel he won't look pearl anymore. He looks like a normal. Never buy hens that are split to Lutino, Pearl, Cinnamon or Sex- Link Yellow Cheek.
tino, and Sex Linked Yellow Cheeks are the mutations that are sex- linked in Cockatiels. I have had quite a f ew people ask me how I sometimes know for sure whether babies are male (cocks) or female (hens) and why sometimes I give them my best guess. The reason is some mutations (colors) are sex -linked and so I do really know, if I know what mutation the parents were. Others, not so much.Sex linked genetics is fairly easy and a good place to start if you are just starting to raise cockatiels and learn about genetics. In birds, hens (females) carry a Z and W chromosome (ZW) and the cocks (males) carry a W and a W chromosome. (WW). If you are already confused it is probably because you have had some experience with human genetics. That is XY and YY. Males carry the hetrozygous genes in people. Hens carry it in birds.
Hens can't carry or be "split to" any of these sex-linked mutations (colors). A hen can't be split to Lutino, Pearl, Cinnamon or S-L yellow cheek. The Cockbirds can be though. Hens that are Lutino, Pearl or Cinnamon will be that VISUALLY. For example, you may have a normal (grey) looking cockbird in your aviary. You set him up with a normal hen and suprise! you get one lutino, a pearl, a cinnamon, and a normal baby. That normal looking guy in your aviary is either also a pearl or is at least "split" to pearl. (more about that later) He is "split to" Lutino, and "split to" cinnamon. Males may carry one or more of the sex- linked genes on only ONE of their two X chromosomes. If they do, the DOMINANT normal grey will cover or mask that trait, and the male will be considered "split" to that mutation. "Split to" is a way to say that he has one of these mutations in his background and carries them hidden. If a male carries Pearl on only one of his X chromosomes, which would be genetically coded or written X XP, he is "split to pearl". If he carries Cinnamon on the other X chromosome (XC XP), he would be "split to cinnamon and pearl" since he only has one gene for each color. If, however, he had Cinnamon and Pearl on the same X chromosome (XCP X) he would be split to cinnamon-pearl. A male cockatiel will always donate one of his two X chromosomes to the offspring, but a female can donate either her X or her Y. If the mother passes along her one X chromosome, the offspring is MALE (X X). If she gives her Y chromosome instead, you have a FEMALE (X Y). In sex linked mutations, it is good to remember that males will always throw daughters of the same mutation, and mothers will always have sons that are at least split to any mutation they carry. The babies have to get one chromosome from dad and one from mom (ZZ) or (ZW) then the Chromosome that carries the pearl, lutino, cinnamon or pearl gene obviously came from dad. Mom can't carry these. You automatically know that the visual baby got that sex -linked color chromosome from dad. You now have visual hens.
About those pearls.....?? Male cockatiels will generally lose their pearling by their second molt (when feathers come out and new feathers grow back in). You have an older pearl cockatiel he won't look pearl anymore. He looks like a normal. Never buy hens that are split to Lutino, Pearl, Cinnamon or Sex- Link Yellow Cheek.