Codominance: Understanding the Inheritance Pattern in Chickens

What is codominance and how does it apply to the inheritance of feather color in chickens?

How do black and white feathers appear in chickens based on their genetic makeup?

Codominance Explanation:

Codominance is a pattern of inheritance in genetics where two versions (alleles) of the same gene are expressed separately to produce different traits in an individual. In the case of chickens and their feather color, the black feather allele is co-dominant with the white feather allele. This means that black-feathered and white-feathered birds can be homozygous for the black (B) allele, homozygous for the white (W) allele, or heterozygous with both alleles present.

Understanding Codominance in Chickens:

In chickens, the allele for black feathers and the allele for white feathers exhibit codominance, leading to a unique expression of feather colors. When a chicken has the genotype BB (homozygous for black), it will have all black feathers. Similarly, a chicken with the genotype WW (homozygous for white) will have all white feathers.

However, when a chicken has the genotype BW (heterozygous), both the black and white alleles are expressed, resulting in a distinct phenotype where both black and white feathers are present. This co-dominant expression of alleles gives rise to the beautiful patterns seen in chickens with black and white feathers.

It is fascinating to observe how genetics play a role in determining the physical appearance of chickens and how codominance contributes to the diversity of feather colors seen in these birds.