What is the relationship of the Creeper allele to the normal allele in heterozygous chickens?

The Creeper allele in heterozygous chickens is classified as dominant compared to the normal allele. This means that when a chicken carries one Creeper allele and one normal allele, the phenotypic traits associated with the Creeper allele will be expressed in the chicken. The Creeper allele is characterized by a specific trait, which is a short-legged or “creeper” phenotype, that overrides the expression of the normal allele, leading to a distinct appearance.

In genetics, the concept of dominance indicates that one allele can mask the expression of another when they are both present in the genotype, leading to the observable characteristics (phenotype) being determined primarily by the dominant allele. This is a key concept in Mendelian inheritance, as it illustrates how traits are inherited in a predictable manner based on allele interactions.