An out cross to a light brahma would be ok. Barred rocks carry silver and that works well on them. The chick in the picture should carry a silver and a gold gene.
I would like to add this to what Nicalandia posted earlier. Once you have the pea comb and proper leg feathering established in black and barred offspring; I would suggest doing a sibling cross. You want to do this to produce offspring that have two extended black genes at the E locus. When you do this it will help stop any non black color that will show in the feathers. There is another gene called melanotic that you want homozygous in your birds: that means you want two of them in your birds. Once you have two extended black genes and two melanotic genes in your birds- they should stop showing red or white color in their feathers. By white I do not mean barring. Black males that do not have the proper kind and number of genes tend to leak red or white into their hackles and back feathers. Females are a different story- they can have the same genotype as male ( not including sex linked genes) and still be black while males will show some red or white. Once you get good solid black/barred males- you have accomplished your goal. The males will be a lighter barred color than the females. If your males color is like your females you do not have two barring genes in the males. Males that have one barring gene will throw non-barred/black females.
Tim
wow... thanks a lot... I was wondering how to tell if a male had 2 barring genes, too... thanks a mil...
That this universe, in all it's infinite wonder, simply is, that it exists at all, is good enough for me. In my eyes, to say that something had to "create" it, to make it what it is, only succeeds to cheapen the experience, to make it less special.
That this universe, in all it's infinite wonder, simply is, that it exists at all, is good enough for me. In my eyes, to say that something had to "create" it, to make it what it is, only succeeds to cheapen the experience, to make it less special.
