Are Ameraucauanas fast or slow feathering (K/k gene)

[Dennis Heltzel]

Someone asked in another online forum site about creating a sexlink that would be blue and lay blue eggs. Making out headspots on blue chicks (in a classic black sexlink cross) has been very hit or miss for me. Feather sexed sexlinks seem like the answer to that, but I don't know if Ams are fast or slow feathering, and need to know that to make a recommendation about a cross to try.

[Mike Gilbert]

To the best of my knowledge most Am's are fast feathering, but many people have bred up different strains so can't vouch for all of them.  Better ask the person you purchase from.

[Dennis Heltzel]

Thanks Mike. I might have to just observe my chicks when I hatch the next batch. A new area to research and get competent in.

[John W Blehm]

Sellers - Chicken genes of Common Interest

Feathering Rate Genes k+ Sometimes called rapid feathering. Recessive.
 K Late feathering gene
 Ks Slow feathering gene
 Kn Very slow feathering or 'delayed' feathering gene. The order of dominance among the genes allelic to this locus is Kn>Ks>K>k+. The slow feathering gene is believed to be associated with a bald patch on the back of the adolescent bird. The feathers do come in given enough time. Since this is likely due to a dose effect of the slow feathering gene, the homozygous males should be the most likely to exhibit the trait. In my personal flocks, I have both males and females exhibiting this. Many novice poultry keepers wrongly attribute the bald back phenotype with a picking problem.

I agree with Mike that most are probably not slow feathering, but I believe all the LF have the potential.  When you get down from the breed category to all the varieties and then all the strains/lines I'm sure you'll find the genes expressing here and there.  We know about the "K" genes I pasted above, but there may be more that delay or enhance the rate of feathering.  I notice bald backs on juvenile silver LF cockerels and others.  Breeders could select against it if they have the time and resources to hatch many and cull many.  That would be something to work on eventually, but we have to choose our battles.
The big commercial hatcheries offer feather sexed day-old large fowl chicks in many common breeds/varieties.  My understanding is they don't cross them with birds that have a slow feathering gene to bring the genes into the flocks, but rather select for it as it shows up.  Again, this is just my understanding from very limited conversations.   

[Suki]

I notice bald backs on juvenile silver LF cockerels and others.  Breeders could select against it if they have the time and resources to hatch many and cull many.  That would be something to work on eventually, but we have to choose our battles

.

From my experience with Silvers breeding for bald backs would be a very long project.  I have a few pullets that did not exhibit it until after a year old and in a few cases not until after a second moult.  In fact, if I took out all of those cases, I would have to breeding huge amounts of silvers to get a good one, as culling those would have been the whole flock.