Test Result Information

DNA Gender Testing:

ZW (Female)

ZZ (Male)

Bird species have a chromosomal designation known as ZW chromosomes which share no genes with the X and Y chromosomes we find in mammals. Females carry the ZW chromosome pairs whilst males have the ZZ chromosome pairs. Unlike what happens in mammals, it is the female who determines the gender and not the male. By testing a bird’s DNA, we can confirm the sex by determining the chromosomes in the sample.

Recessive White:

C⁺/C⁺ (Homozygous Normal / Non-Recessive):
- Meaning: Zero copies of the recessive white gene were detected.
- Appearance/Action: The bird is normal colored or carries no recessive white trait, and cannot pass this specific variant to its offspring.

C⁺/c (Heterozygous / Carrier / Split):
- Meaning: One normal copy and one recessive white gene copy were detected.
- Appearance/Action: The bird typically will not look white (unless another white gene like dominant white is present), but it is a "carrier" or "split" bird that can pass the recessive white allele to about 50% of its offspring.

c/c (Homozygous / True Recessive White):
- Meaning: Two recessive white gene copies were detected (one from each parent).
- Appearance/Action: The bird will visually display white plumage because the double mutation fully inhibits both black (eumelanin) and red (pheomelanin) pigments. It will pass one copy of the recessive white gene to 100% of its chicks

Blue Egg Gene:

Homozygous Blue (O/O):
- The bird carries two copies of the blue egg gene (one from each parent). It will pass a blue gene copy to 100% of its offspring. Eggs from these hens are often a deeper, richer blue.
Heterozygous Carrier (O/o):
- The bird carries one copy of the blue gene and one recessive normal/white-brown gene (o). It has a 50% chance of passing the blue gene to any offspring. If combined with brown egg genes, these birds often lay green or olive eggs.
Non-Blue / Wild-Type (o/o):
- The bird carries zero copies of the blue egg gene. It cannot pass on blue shell coloring and will lay standard white or brown eggs.