Color Genetics (Orps), Who can you really trust to sell you top show Birds ???

[ButtonquailGirl14]

yes, rare & beautiful really is in the eye of the beholder!

 

[Ahavati]

it must be different in wa, because i can find blues, blacks, whites, jubile, laced, and buff for 3-7$ a pice but lavenders are a minimum of 20$. this will exept some roos that are 15$ for lavender.

Maybe it's just rare for your area so the people that have them have taken advantage of that.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

mabey? i now find out after i am paying 20 bucks apiece for my strait run chicks that they are NOT A RARE BREED!?!?!? i least they are still my favorite!how come they are so much more expensive at hatcheries then???

 

[Ahavati]

mabey? i now find out after i am paying 20 bucks apiece for my strait run chicks that they are NOT A RARE BREED!?!?!? i least they are still my favorite!how come they are so much more expensive at hatcheries then???

I'm not sure, I do see them a bit more pricey in our area.

 

[nicalandia]

Colors are easy.
In orps the only approved varieties are
Black
Blue
Buff
White.
Breed buff to buff only. Buff doesn't work well with the other colors. It would be a headache to mess with crossing those.
Blue and black is interchangeable.
If I was showing black I would stick with black to black. Blue can be used but I wouldn't unless I had to. I think long term blue in black line decrease the intensity of the black. Just my opinion.
Blue to blue produces blue, black and splash. Splash isn't showable but can be value able.

I agree, Blue and Black are the only colors you can breed and be showable under the SOP


Edit.

You can technically breed Lavender with Black or Blue and still be under the SOP, but you cant show Lavender just the Black or Blue offspring of such cross

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If your showing black it should be from black variety. Black birds split for lav and the black from blue variety will not compare to a true bred black variety.

Intensity of black and proper green sheen will be maintained if kept in the variety. It's lost to degree if from a Blue variety. Basically it wont compete in show unless bred true.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I agree, Blue and Black are the only colors you can breed and be showable under the SOP


Edit.

You can technically breed Lavender with Black or Blue and still be under the SOP, but you cant show Lavender just the Black or Blue offspring of such cross

Yes technically but what would be the point?
I don't think a lavender is going to bring anything into a line that couldn't be brought in from a different black line.
You would also be bringing in a recessive gene that you would then have to breed out or deal with an unwanted color popping up now and again.
You would severely limit any serious breeders from ever touching your line if you've bred lavender into it.
No one that shows what's to deal with that.

 

[nicalandia]

If your showing black it should be from black variety. Black birds split for lav and the black from blue variety will not compare to a true bred black variety.

I hear that alot, I have yet to find any genetic studies(SOP is very subjective as opposed to genetic objectiveness) that confirms that.

Yes technically but what would be the point?
I don't think a lavender is going to bring anything into a line that couldn't be brought in from a different black line.

I was just pointing that out, perhaps he/she finds an exceptionally good line of Lavenders and a Mediocre line of blacks but would like to show them?

 

[The Moonshiner]

I hear that alot, I have yet to find any genetic studies(SOP is very subjective as opposed to genetic objectiveness) that confirms that.

Found any that contradicts it? Or any on the subject at all?

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

SO here is the issue.....

We are "dog" people. My boyfriend is an AKC pro handler of more than 30 years, I am a handler and breeder for over 33 and we have decided to get "into" chickens!

SO we looked over breeds, decided on Orpingtons and are building our coop and getting ready to move forward (would love input on the requirements on that also). Now show people and breeders being what they are I can imagine this is very similar to the dog world. There are people out there that speculate on what colors can be, or should be crossed, and think they have show quality birds when they actually have no idea.

We need a REAL mentor! I mean someone that has been breeding and possibly exhibiting chickens for ages and is willing (for pay if needed) to fully explain what can and should be done. If you are in another breed then super but we do need to know what colors in Orps can and should be bred together, what happens if I do the "no no" crosses and then can tell me how to determine show quality birds when I purchase, how old the birds have to be before determining if they are really show quality, how to know if the seller really knows what they are talking about so we won't get talked into purchasing less than top show quality (besides color of course) birds.

Now this may seem like an easy answer to you if you say "Just join your breed club and go by their recommendations" but it isn't that easy in dogs so I am assuming it isn't in chickens either. We want to start with a few good quality birds for experience then after we get our bearings want top show birds through purchase or production. Often in a dog club Jane will recommend Judy's birds just because she does show and they are friends not because they have the BEST birds I can find.

SO... if anyone can give us some insight so we can cut through the crap and get right to what is important and true we would surely appreciate it.

Buy an American Standard if Perfection from the American Poultry Association. The Standard has all the approved breeds and color varieties in it as well as descriptions and illustrations of the birds.