“Self Blue” is Sometimes Splash (or even blue)

[Amer]

I see eye to eye with the SOP on most things, but the genotype and phenotype inconsistencies bother me. Especially when “black-breasted red” can be either red wheaten or red duckwing.
One of the strangest and most confusing additions to the standard is “self blue.” This is a pale, even blue color all over the bird.
This usually denotes lavender, however, could you ever guess that this bird is genetically splash?

(he has matured since this photo, but I have no recent photos of him.)
He may be the most evenly colored self blue I’ve ever seen, though he is much too light and has the tell-tale dark shafting.
This boy was hatched out of an ordinary spotted splash D’Anvers cock and a very dark blue female.
Another interesting thing to look out for are very pale, unlaced blues that could be categorized under the “self blue” phenotype.
I’ll be showing this boy simply to see what the judges think of his “self blue” color.

Keep your eyes peeled and watch for blues and splashes masquerading as “self blue.”

 

[Amer]

Here he is currently.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I went to an APA show about three years ago and was checking out the orpingtons. They hadn't been judged yet and I saw a pair of lavender orps. Typical shreaded tails and poor type that was the norm years ago. Anyways they were labeled as blues.
I thought ohh someones not gonna be happy when the judges get to these.
Later in the day I went back by and was shocked to see that they both placed. They were the only birds that were in the blue variety but i couldnt believe they placed and weren't DQed.
The next year at the same show it looked like the same pair and were in the blue variety again. That year they were DQed.

 

[Michael99]

Let us know how it goes, I'm curious! If you have never told me that the rooster was genetically splash, I'd have definitely assumed he was a lavender.

 

[Amer]

I went to an APA show about three years ago and was checking out the orpingtons. They hadn't been judged yet and I saw a pair of lavender orps. Typical shreaded tails and poor type that was the norm years ago. Anyways they were labeled as blues.
I thought ohh someones not gonna be happy when the judges get to these.
Later in the day I went back by and was shocked to see that they both placed. They were the only birds that were in the blue variety but i couldnt believe they placed and weren't DQed.
The next year at the same show it looked like the same pair and were in the blue variety again. That year they were DQed.

Huh, weird!

Let us know how it goes, I'm curious! If you have never told me that the rooster was genetically splash, I'd have definitely assumed he was a lavender.

I’ll definitely do that. It’s hard to see if the fair will get on so I might have to wait until the APA shows, but we’ll see. Ripple is definitely one of a kind.

 

[Amer]

I was very, very wrong about this one. Apparently he was a lavender sport (so he’s lavender blue.) That popped up among the blues and splashes. Feather shredding and all. The breeder has lavenders, so it sort of makes sense.

 

[TomNY]

Kudos for admitting your error. That is the reason serious breeders make test breedings to make sure what genetics they are propagating.

 

[gimmie birdies]

My avatar is a splash, but she looks lavender. Most of her babies looked just like her, but I gave her to a friend, and she gave me fertile eggs, when hatched they were black. Now I am waiting for them to get old enough to breed, they will get bred to a blue splash, I hope to get back my lavender color. below are her latest babies, the black ones.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Your bird in your avatar looks blue to me and she is blue not splash.
Blue hens almost always have a darker head and hackle area. Lavender hens are the same shade throughout.
She's not splash because a splash hen can't produce black offspring.

 

[Amer]

Your bird in your avatar looks blue to me and she is blue not splash.
Blue hens almost always have a darker head and hackle area. Lavender hens are the same shade throughout.
She's not splash because a splash hen can't produce black offspring.

X2 I produced some light blues this year that look very similar.