Description:
The Columbian gene in chickens is one that restricts the black pigment (eumelanin) production to the extremes of the bird (3). Typically, the wing tips, ends of the hackle feathers, and ends of the tail will be the only portions of the bird with black feathering (3). It was officially documented as a separate gene in 1940 from a line of recessive white Wyandottes and Leghorns in Massachusetts (3), though the gene itself had been around for longer, with Columbian varieties being imported to the United States from Asia in the 1800s and light Brahmas being accepted in 1874 (7).
Different mutations on top of the Columbian gene can increase the black pigment, like what is seen with the pattern gene, used with columbian to create lacing in Wyandottes and other breeds. It is also used with other restriction genes to get rid of the black color entirely, like in Buff Minorca. The "light" color variety, seen in Brahmas, is a result of columbian restriction along with brown and silver.
In general, when combined with other genes, the back end of the bird will often lose the black pigment before the front end does (1). It is most often seen on the partridge and wheaton locus (6), and doesn't have any apparent affect on birchen or extended black, likely due to the additional melanizers. The only known variety to have Columbian on duckwing is the quail d'Anver (6).
Though it is listed as a dominant gene, a faint heterozygous phenotype in the females is possible, with breeders reporting some females to have leakage across the back.
APA breeds and varieties with Columbian include the Delaware, Buff and Light Brahma, New Hampshire, Light Sussex, Laced Wyandotte, and others.
Breeding with Columbian:
Columbian x Columbian = 100% Columbian (Co/Co x Co/Co = 100% Co/Co)
Columbian x Wildtype = 100% Het. Columbian (Co / Co x co+ / co+ = 100% Co/co)
Columbian x Het. Columbian = 50% Columbian, 50% Het. Columbian (Co/Co x Co/co+ = 50% Co/Co, 50% Co/co+)
Het. Columbian x Het Columbian = 25% Columbian, 50% Het. Columbian, 25% Wildtype
(Co/co+ x Co/co+ = 25% Co/Co, 50% Co/co+, 25% co+/co+)
Het. Columbian x Wildtype = 50% Het. Columbian, 50% Wildtype (Co/co+ x co+/co+ = 50% Co/co+, 50% co+/co+)
References & Further Reading
SMYTH, J. R. (1970). Genetic Basis for Plumage Color Pattern in the New Hampshire Fowl. Journal of Heredity, 61(6), 280–283. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a108103
HUTT, F. B. Genetics of the Fowl. McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York. 1949
J. ROBERT SMYTH, RALPH G. SOMES, A NEW GENE DETERMINING THE COLUMBIAN FEATHER PATTERN: In the Fowl, Journal of Heredity, Volume 56, Issue 4, July 1965, Pages 151–156, https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a107400
Campo, J. L., and F. Orozco. "Genetics of the Columbian plumage pattern in the Vasca chicken breed." Journal of Heredity 74.1 (1983): 43-46.
Somes Jr, Ralph G. "International registry of poultry genetic stocks." (1988).
Spiegel, Jada. Personal communications with the author. 9/10/2024
American Poultry Association. (2023). American Standard of Perfection (45th ed.)
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