DNA Testing - Rose Comb

DNA Testing – Rose Comb

$35.00

Rose Comb (R) DNA Test

This test detects the presence or absence of the Rose Comb (R) gene in chickens.

The rose comb gene is a dominant mutation. Birds that carry at least one copy of R will express a rose-type comb unless another comb-modifying gene alters its appearance. Birds that do not carry the R gene remain on a single (straight) comb genetic background, provided no other comb modifiers are present.

This test is used to determine whether a bird:

  • Carries the Rose Comb (R) gene (One or Two Copies)

  • Does not carry the Rose Comb (R) gene

How this applies to walnut combs (including Silkies)

A walnut comb is produced by the combined presence of two dominant genes:

  • Rose comb (R)

  • Pea comb (P)

A bird must carry at least one copy of both genes to express a walnut comb. If either gene is absent, the walnut comb will not form.

Walnut-combed birds, including Silkies, may visually appear uniform, but they can still lack the Rose Comb (R) gene in certain breeding outcomes depending on how the genes segregate. When walnut-combed birds are paired, offspring that do not inherit the Rose Comb gene will develop single (straight) combs.

This test allows breeders to:

  • Confirm whether a walnut-combed bird carries the Rose Comb (R) gene

  • Identify breeders capable of producing single-comb offspring

  • Make informed pairing decisions before breeding

Tested in our own lab. No shipping charges, results post to your account in about 2 to 3 business days after your samples arrive.

How to collect a feather sample
  1. Pluck 3 to 5 growing feathers from the chest or back. Pull them out, do not cut them.
  2. Check that the soft quill tip is attached to each one. That tip holds the DNA, a cut feather will not work.
  3. Put each bird's feathers in their own labelled paper envelope or a small ziplock.
  4. Mail the envelopes to us in a regular stamped envelope.

Takes about a minute per bird. No vet visit, and nothing ships to you first.

*Please do not choose this option for Silkies who do not yet have real feathers. This does not work with chick down. We will need blood spots on a plain piece of white paper or an index card if they are not old enough to have feathers yet. 

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