If someone could translate, this text contain some interesting information.
Smoky was a mutation found in ADOL Line 0. This is a non inbred line that does not have any intact avian leukosis subgroup E retrovirus in their genomes. It is a White Leghorn line derived from a mix of commercial sources. It is segregating blue, and recessive mottling as well as having birchin and sex-linked barring and silver.
I told (Dr.) Whiting how to deal with the blue. It messes up identification of the birds with Smoky. The gray feathers of Smoky can't be distinguished from the gray feathers of blue. Both have rounded off melanosomes instead of rod shaped.
It would be best to cross the birds to a black line and note the chick down types. Smoky is dominant on chick down like blue you get gray chick down, but the juvenile and adult feathers come in black instead of gray. So you throw away the chicks that stay gray because they have blue and you keep the gray chicks that turn black. If you cross these black birds together you will get 3/4 gray chicks with 1/4 gray chicks that stay gray and are pure smoky. If you are unlucky enough to get a bird that is BlBl you will have to make a backcross to the black line to segregate blue from Smoky.
Smoky can be a true breeding gray. With red modifiers it can be a true breeding chocolate milk color. So it would be better for these color patterns than Dun is. It should also make a true breeding blue red possible.
The only problem with Smoky is that if you believe in breed preservation these color types will become obsolete using the old Blue and Dun genes that do not breed true, so I don't really advocate widespread distrubution, but you can't stop progress. Once it becomes established the old breeds will be in the minority because not very many backyard breeders are going to pass up the chance to not throw away 1/2 of their progeny because they can't show them as that color. The breeders of blue reds will be very happy because Smoky doesn't dilute red. As an allele of dominant white it dilutes black more than red. Blue laced reds could breed true etc. I guess it isn't a current worry because it will probably take 20 to 30 years before it becomes a problem. By that time they may have two standards and you will have to tell the judge the genotype of your birds with a DNA certificate of authenticity to determine what category they are in. wink
I have a picture of the Smoky gray (ISIS) on a Black Australorp background next to her heterozygous black sister (ISi+) if someone wants to post it, send your email address and I'll send the pic. Hackles and saddles of the males are darker gray like Andalusian blue.