What gene is responsible for the beetle green sheen on a black bird?

[Ringcraft]

s+ gold. Silver based blacks are very dull.
Many people say you should breed with cocks that leak gold but this is a terrible idea. Having the gold gene is enough. There has been no iridescence enhancement gene identified, per say, but it has been noted that if you breed shinier birds together the offspring will have more luster.

Hmmm... I'm not sure about that. I breed Silver Spangled Hamburgs, which are (obviously) silver based, and all of their black markings are extremely lustrous and beetle-black.

 

[Ruthster55]

s+ gold. Silver based blacks are very dull.
Many people say you should breed with cocks that leak gold but this is a terrible idea. Having the gold gene is enough. There has been no iridescence enhancement gene identified, per say, but it has been noted that if you breed shinier birds together the offspring will have more luster.

These are mutts that I have been selecting. Just recently, I have noticed touches here and there of green sheen and am happy about that. Would you say these have s+ ?

The cockerel with leakage and white on the tail won't be intentionally bred, but will be transferred in a few weeks to a second flock to act as a flock guardian.

I'm hoping the other one with patterned leakage is a pullet.

 

[Trish1974]

I know the mottling gene probably has no effect on green vs purple sheen, but my mottled birds have a beautiful green sheen and they were derived from my split mottled blacks, and most of them had the purple sheen. I find that odd...

 

[Amer]

These are mutts that I have been selecting. Just recently, I have noticed touches here and there of green sheen and am happy about that. Would you say these have s+ ?

The cockerel with leakage and white on the tail won't be intentionally bred, but will be transferred in a few weeks to a second flock to act as a flock guardian.

I'm hoping the other one with patterned leakage is a pullet.

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I wouldn’t be able to tell. The cockerel with all that leakage is Ss+

 

[Ruthster55]

I wouldn’t be able to tell. The cockerel with all that leakage is Ss+

Just knowing that is helpful!

What do you think about the chicken on the left in the first pic with the partridge pattern leakage?

Considering that I started with mutts, that Ss+ cockerel is OK for now because I have a plan for him that doesn’t involve reproduction.

He will go out to a pastured egg layer flock that will be set up in a few weeks as a flock protector. Eggs collected 2-3x/day for sale.

I don’t want the future egg layers to go broody or hatch chicks. He can help out there without reproducing.

Already culled out a cockerel that was as orange as a pumpkin and another one that had wry tail. The one with wry tail was a bit better colored but I don’t want wry tail running through the flock.

Those two were the worst of the worst!

 

[Amer]

Just knowing that is helpful!

What do you think about the chicken on the left in the first pic with the partridge pattern leakage?

Considering that I started with mutts, that Ss+ cockerel is OK for now because I have a plan for him that doesn’t involve reproduction.

He will go out to a pastured egg layer flock that will be set up in a few weeks as a flock protector. Eggs collected 2-3x/day for sale.

I don’t want the future egg layers to go broody or hatch chicks. He can help out there without reproducing.

Already culled out a cockerel that was as orange as a pumpkin and another one that had wry tail. The one with wry tail was a bit better colored but I don’t want wry tail running through the flock.

Those two were the worst of the worst!

She’s got gold leakage on her breast.

 

[Ruthster55]

She’s got gold leakage on her breast.

Indeed.

But Ss+ or ss+?

Or a mystery?

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Indeed.

But Ss+ or ss+?

Or a mystery?

Hens can only have one gold or silver gene (it’s sex-linked). I think she would be s+/-? But I’d need Amer to confirm.