Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[DMRippy]

I would like to know that too.... My little lav chick is covered in yellow down and some lav. Her wings are coming in white... she is the one with the light legs, no color really. She is getting some color now but minimal not worried, like you I just want to know why? I will look at my lav splits... I think they have white bellies too... interesting.....

 

[Goose and Fig]

I'm lost on the whole extended black thing. If I do have that in my lavenders (that I am using for cuckoos), does that mean that I will be able to breed for slate legs (in said cuckoos)?
I only hatched one silver in this batch and its solid black with the head spot and bits of silver in the down. Black belly, but little white bum.

 

[GA_in_GA]

I am also lost regarding the extended black. Would it be possible to give an explanation, please?

I am just learning, so please don't assume I know anything!

 

[jerryse]

Not all extended blacks will fully fill in as you pointed out.My best guess is they are lacking some of the melinizer genes necessary to fill in these areas.Cull the hen producing these chicks.Consider all things as hereditary until proven to be otherwise.

 

[CRYSTALCREEK]

Not all extended blacks will fully fill in as you pointed out.My best guess is they are lacking some of the melinizer genes necessary to fill in these areas.Cull the hen producing these chicks.Consider all things as hereditary until proven to be otherwise.

I figured as much; I'll cull her.

Any thoughts about the difference in the down colors, though? Why some are yellow and some more silvery-white? Would one be preferred over the other?

Speaking of melanizer genes; I did cull one female from a group of blacks that I had ordered at about 4-5 months because she had a "gypsy" face- the opposite problem--too much melanizing. Had I known, I could have probably kept her because she would have probably balanced the other issue. That was two years ago. I didn't take any pictures of her.

DMRippy, I'm guessing your little chick is going to have white tips on the wing primaries when she is an adult, based on what my splits have done when they have fully white primary feathers as chicks.

 

[DMRippy]

I figured as much; I'll cull her.

Any thoughts about the difference in the down colors, though? Why some are yellow and some more silvery-white? Would one be preferred over the other?

Speaking of melanizer genes; I did cull one female from a group of blacks that I had ordered at about 4-5 months because she had a "gypsy" face- the opposite problem--too much melanizing. Had I known, I could have probably kept her because she would have probably balanced the other issue. That was two years ago. I didn't take any pictures of her.

DMRippy, I'm guessing your little chick is going to have white tips on the wing primaries when she is an adult, based on what my splits have done when they have fully white primary feathers as chicks.

I don't know if the splits have white primaries.... the lav does. I will look today. Maybe get some pics... I have more babies due today so lets see what we get with them too.

 

[jerryse]

Since Jean posted pics of her silvers I will talk about my silver impovement project.Let me start by explaining the close relationship between wheaten and BB red.The males are the same color only the females differ.Silver duckwing is the silver counterpart.Light brown and silver are similar with the males having a black stripe in the hackle and saddle feathers.So we are dealing with the basic wild pattern with slight variations.The silvers that I have need better size and type.So last year I crossed blue wheaten over silver hens the resulting pullets are are now laying so I just added a silver rooster to the pen.These pullets are pure for red/gold due to the sex linked nature of red/gold and silver.They are also intermediate between wheaten and light brown.Pictures another day as it is rainy today.So by doing the silver over these pullets the resulting pullets this year will be pure for silver.I know many of you are thinking this can't be true but it is.Many of you with experience already know this.The genes will segregate per Mendal's law.So 25% will be pure for the striped chick pattern.These are the ones I will keep.The cockerels will carry genes for silver and gold.By selecting striped chicks I will eliminate the wheaten gene.Jean used black for improvement and has made great progress.This is just another route to the same goal.Some of my pullets carry blue wheaten.So as a bonus there will be some blue silver result.I will keep you posted as this project progresses.The first chicks to hatch from this in about 6 weeks.Just a little bit early but the cull chicks will go to the sale barn as easter eggers.

 

[jerryse]

Since Jean posted pics of her silvers I will talk about my silver impovement project.Let me start by explaining the close relationship between wheaten and BB red.The males are the same color only the females differ.Silver duckwing is the silver counterpart.Light brown and silver are similar with the males having a black stripe in the hackle and saddle feathers.So we are dealing with the basic wild pattern with slight variations.The silvers that I have need better size and type.So last year I crossed blue wheaten over silver hens the resulting pullets are are now laying so I just added a silver rooster to the pen.These pullets are pure for red/gold due to the sex linked nature of red/gold and silver.They are also intermediate between wheaten and light brown.Pictures another day as it is rainy today.So by doing the silver over these pullets the resulting pullets this year will be pure for silver.I know many of you are thinking this can't be true but it is.Many of you with experience already know this.The genes will segregate per Mendal's law.So 25% will be pure for the striped chick pattern.These are the ones I will keep.The cockerels will carry genes for silver and gold.By selecting striped chicks I will eliminate the wheaten gene.Jean used black for improvement and has made great progress.This is just another route to the same goal.Some of my pullets carry blue wheaten.So as a bonus there will be some blue silver result.I will keep you posted as this project progresses.The first chicks to hatch from this in about 6 weeks.Just a little bit early but the cull chicks will go to the sale barn as easter eggers. Let me correct myself 50% of the chicks will be pure for the striped pattern as the male is 100% striped pattern.

 

[Christie Rhae]

I wonder if there is any way we could get a smiley that has a little airplane flying right over it's head. Cuz this is so over my head. I am reading and reading and wanting so badly to understand. lol Maybe after 10 years of breeding chickens and reading this board I might begin to see daylight.

Right now I feel very accomplished that I sort of understand blue/black/splash.

 

[Noncentzter]

Quote:

I wonder if there is any way we could get a smiley that has a little airplane flying right over it's head. Cuz this is so over my head. I am reading and reading and wanting so badly to understand. lol Maybe after 10 years of breeding chickens and reading this board I might begin to see daylight. Right now I feel very accomplished that I sort of understand blue/black/splash.

I agree!!