Uropygial glands from chickens which are known to have the Kn gene secrete qualitatively the same types of alkane diol diesters as the normal domestic chicken. However, there are many significant differences in the mole percent of individual fatty acids and diols within the diester between the two genetic types of chickens. In general, the mutant chickens have lesser amounts of the shorter chain fatty acids and diols and greater amounts of the longer chain fatty acids and diols. There is also a gene dosage effect with two mutant genes having a greater effect in many cases than a single mutant gene.