In this genetics article I am going to discuss the gene for spread and the role it plays in the breeding of pigeons. First of all, spread is a term we use to describe a solid colored bird, sometimes referred to as Self, such as the black king. Spread is sometimes referred to as a pattern, but this is not true. The gene for pattern can produce one of the identified patterns which are: T-pattern, check, bar, and barless. The gene for spread is an entirely different gene and is dominate to the pattern gene. However, this spread gene is located on the same chromosome that contains the pattern gene and the gene for opal. ALL pigeons have a pattern and are either T-pattern check, check, barred or barless ! Other gene mutations, such as fade, almond, grizzle etc. may hide the pattern, but it is still there. Same with spread: It will create a solid colored bird but the pattern is still there, it is just "masked" by the spread factor.

Spread is a mutation that upsets the normal pigment arrangement and evenly supplies the pigment color throughout the feathers, creating the solid colored bird. So, by adding the spread factor to blue bar or blue check, we will get black. Spread to the brown bar (silver in kings) or brown check will produce brown. And spread to ash red will give us spread ash, which is referred to as "mealie" or "lavender" in some other breeds, as well as "strawberry". Which brings up the question: why isn't spread ash red a solid red color instead of ash colored ? With the blue and brown color series the spread gene spreads out the color in the tail bar which is blue or brown, but with ash red the tail bar is lighter in color instead of darker than the rest of the bird, so this lighter "ashy gray" color is what is spread out over the entire bird. Also, there is a larger range of colors with spread ash red for some unknown reason. This range goes from very light silvery color, sometimes called "lavender", to a very dark color referred to as "mahogany". the middle range, which is more common, is not as appealing and might be what sometimes is referred to as "strawberry". This color will have a very thin darker colored lacing on many of the feathers, or may appear to be smutty or dirty looking. Also, some light checking or even a bar may show through even though this is a spread bird. It has been speculated that the lavender may come from the bar pattern while the mahogany derives from a T-pattern bird. this could be true as the mahogany colored spread ash king is fairly rare and we do not see as many T-pattern blue kings as we do blue check kings. The only mahogany kings that I have ever raised were this year, using a black hen on an ash red cock once, and this same black hen then on a red check cock. Each mating produced a mahogany colored cock bird that look a lot like an indigo color ! I do not know the background of the black hen as she belongs to Ron Zottneck, but obviously she affected these matings and may very well be masking the T-pattern gene for pattern.

As with all other chromosomes except the sex chromosome, both cocks and hens can carry one or two of a particular gene or "modifier". So, a cock or hen can be heterozygous (one gene) or homozygous (two genes) for spread. A heterozygous spread black cock on a blue bar hen will produce about 50% black offspring. But a homozygous spread black cock on the blue hen will produce 100% black offspring. You can switch the black cock with a black hen and the blue hen with a blue cock and have the same results. Certainly, knowing the genetic makeup (genotype) of your birds is a big help in controlling the outcome of any given mating. Spread is not sex linked, so you can get it from both cocks and hens. To raise blacks you need the spread factor and the blue factor. One more thing to remember, white is not considered spread nor is recessive red or recessive yellow. However, white and recessive red can mask spread, but these genetic makeup's are a topic for another time. Other mutations or modifiers added to spread can create an array of colors, so give it a try. Just as spread can mask some things such as patterns, spread also can be masked by other factors. I have an ash red grizzle hen mated to a red check cock and 3 of the 4 babies are ash red SPREAD ! The grizzle hen is out of a black hen, so she is carrying the spread factor from her mother, but the grizzle factor hides it !

Well, enough for now. I will continue this genetic discussion later. Good luck with breeding and don't be afraid to experiment.

By: Dennis Rogers