Alright, I am seeking advice as the Chicken Calculator seems to be stumped by my crossings. The calculator seems to run for a while and then ask about continuing the script with my cross selections. I have about 40 chicks that have been hatched out today that are Blue Orp X Buff Orp and Blue Orp X GLW or SLW. I am trying to decide which birds to keep from the current hatch that will eventually lead to a laced Orpington.
I know what some of them will look like from a previous cross. There are pictures of the Blue X Buff below. They seem to have some black lacing showing up on their breast and hackle areas with a red base at 5 months old. Their rear parts are somewhat of a dark brown mossiness with black. Both were pullets and no males were hatched from that batch. These are beautiful and show a peaceful temperament.
I don't have any pics of the previous Blue Orp X Wyandotte crosses, however, they turned out to be beautiful blue laced hens and the roos are black with some red/brown bleeding through on the hackles and wings. This cross seems to be somewhat stand offish and more like the wyandotte temperament instead of the peaceful hold me attitude.
The question now begins of which of the current hatch do we keep to use for the project and which should be dispersed. Will the use of the red headed incomplete laced blue/black orp mixes lead to a good base for a Laced Orpington or should we base things on the lacing coming back and selection of single combs in the next generation of wyandotte crosses? About the only answer that I can infer from the calculator is that use of the red headed incomplete laced orp pures will possibly lead to a transverse barred orpington? I don't know if this is the case or if the lacing will come better on the next cross. Any input is welcome.
Thanks,
Bill
I know what some of them will look like from a previous cross. There are pictures of the Blue X Buff below. They seem to have some black lacing showing up on their breast and hackle areas with a red base at 5 months old. Their rear parts are somewhat of a dark brown mossiness with black. Both were pullets and no males were hatched from that batch. These are beautiful and show a peaceful temperament.
I don't have any pics of the previous Blue Orp X Wyandotte crosses, however, they turned out to be beautiful blue laced hens and the roos are black with some red/brown bleeding through on the hackles and wings. This cross seems to be somewhat stand offish and more like the wyandotte temperament instead of the peaceful hold me attitude.
The question now begins of which of the current hatch do we keep to use for the project and which should be dispersed. Will the use of the red headed incomplete laced blue/black orp mixes lead to a good base for a Laced Orpington or should we base things on the lacing coming back and selection of single combs in the next generation of wyandotte crosses? About the only answer that I can infer from the calculator is that use of the red headed incomplete laced orp pures will possibly lead to a transverse barred orpington? I don't know if this is the case or if the lacing will come better on the next cross. Any input is welcome.
Thanks,
Bill
