I've been trying to find more information on breeding blue plumage beyond your basic Bl gene inheritance. I'm working with silkied Blue Cochins and they have the same issue that Silkies can have in that the Blues are often so dark that they look like they're Black instead. Ideally, I'd like to select for lighter individuals and eventually consistently produce lighter individuals as a result.
I came across a post the other day regarding breeding Blue to Blue that I can't seem to locate anymore. The poster did not have a source linked or anything, but claimed that breeding only Blue to Blue would produce lighter Blue individuals each generation, and that that's why it's suggested to breed Blue to Black sometimes as well, to maintain a darker shade of Blue. I am wondering if anyone can confirm or deny this claim, whether via their own experience breeding Blues or possibly with a link to literature on the subject? I have a beautiful cockerel growing out whose only real flaw so far is that he's a super dark shade of Blue, and I'd love to breed him next year to this lovely light Blue pullet I have if I can confirm that him being dark Blue isn't going to reverse any progress toward the light Blues I hope to achieve!
I came across a post the other day regarding breeding Blue to Blue that I can't seem to locate anymore. The poster did not have a source linked or anything, but claimed that breeding only Blue to Blue would produce lighter Blue individuals each generation, and that that's why it's suggested to breed Blue to Black sometimes as well, to maintain a darker shade of Blue. I am wondering if anyone can confirm or deny this claim, whether via their own experience breeding Blues or possibly with a link to literature on the subject? I have a beautiful cockerel growing out whose only real flaw so far is that he's a super dark shade of Blue, and I'd love to breed him next year to this lovely light Blue pullet I have if I can confirm that him being dark Blue isn't going to reverse any progress toward the light Blues I hope to achieve!
Edited to clarify some things
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