One Chick Two
Songster
- Jun 13, 2013
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I'm having the same problem, Blue Copper pullets with no copper. I did get a few this year, so hopefully I'm on my way. But I hatched a LOT of them, and only have one that I really like the color on. I have heard using an over-colored male may help? One that has too much copper on the breast. Then only keep the females from the breeding because all the males will have too much color in the wrong place. Anybody have personal experience trying a breeding like that? I have held back a couple of cockerels this year that I would have culled otherwise because of the breast color. I might try it.
This is where a single Test Mating comes in handy.
Perhaps try some over-colored male(s), but since 10 percent copper on the chest is the max (to standard), IMO, I would probably only try a fellow(s) with only a small amount more of chest leakage, and with a good copper color tone (not golden copper), covering non coppered females who are otherwise nice (with good eyes), and see how their young look (and progress) while taking notes on how many of the young colored, none to well-overcolored... to see if this worked well for your line. I would also either trap nest or get to know each hen's eggs, so you can find out who throws exactly what with those overcolored roosters. I would watch chick down, and oddities, and note any.
We have been test mating all spring and summer with BCM. Our rooster is pretty color-balanced throughout, but a bit dark in the copper hackle (in hue) and he has a slight hackle ticking on edges, but with no chest leakage. The hens we started with are all black, but have correct eye color. We originally assumed we'd have mostly black, or, many overly dark young.
Surprisingly, most of the pullets are coming in with nice copper coming through in the hackles. Perhaps up to 10 percent of the pullets overall are still black- and still could color up as they are young enough. Nearly all of the cockerels are fairly well colored in for their ages, many have light to some acceptable chest leakage contained above curve of chest. So, having chest leakage from darker parents was a surprise. We hope to keep a few cockerels without chest leakage, and a few with a small amount to test mate to the next gen. We will keep a few of the blacker pullets only if they otherwise seem ideal in other ways (such as laying a really pretty egg.) and are big girls.
I think 3 out of 30? of the cockerels are on the dark side, but starting to color in later, but, none are completely dark.
Maybe others have different thought on blues, but test mating is a good thing if you have some time, patience and room.