The 'barring' pattern is sex-linked, i.e. the males have two chromosomes for barring and the females only one.
Day old chicks have a light patch on the top of the head.
When the barring is combined with brown colouring,
the light spot on the head of the females is small and well defined and there is a clearly defined dark stripe down the back.
The stripe down the back of
male chicks is much fainter and
there is a light patch that covers most of their head.
The down of the male chick is also much paler.
[Modificato da Danny_57 09/08/2012 09:50]