Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[hotlipshens]

So I am building some new breeding pens (5 of them). I was thinking and I think I might just use 3 of the pens for Ameraucanas. 1 pen for blue x blue, 1 for black x black, 1 for splash x splash. Anybody see any reason this would be a bad idea? I might just h e to build some more pens. Two isn't enough for my other breeds! I should have planned on building 10 in the first place.

Blue doesn't breed true. You will get 25% black + 50% blue + 25% splash breeding blue to blue. Splash x splash yeilds 50% splash and 50% ghost splash. I love my splash but they are not an APA recognized color and ghosts appear white but don't breed true as do true whites :-( Many people prefer to use blacks that are not from BBS pens and have a green sheen.

My splash rooster will be cooped with my black from black only pullets and some other blue/splash pet quality pullets and eggs, if hatched, will only be sold as pets. My blue roosters will be housed with my nicer blue pullets so I can collect and hatch eggs for myslef as replacements.I'll use blacks from that breeding if I need better lacing on my blues.

Hope this helps?

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Help me understand the reason for this particular separation.  This is for my education as I have my first Ameraucana flock.  My understanding is :

Black X Black = Black
Black @ Blue = 50% Black 50% Blue
Blue X Blue = 25% Black 50% Blue 25% Splash
Splash X Splash = 100% Splash
Splash X Blue = 50% splash 50% Blue
Splash X Black = 100% Blue

I have all these colors plus the Blue Wheaten and Lavender which I know I must keep separate.  I have also seen a comment where black need not be bred with blue but I do not understand why you would separate splash, unless of course that is exactly what you want. You will get them with the Blue X Blue as well. 

My reason was because you get te best blues breeding blues to blues. And after reading DMrippys post it makes think the same with the blacks? And then I wouldn't have anything to do with my splash so I might as well give them their own pen too I guess. Because if I were to put them with say my blues, besides putting egg color in vents, how am I suppose to know who lays what. I am tired so there may be a blonde moment in this whole plan lol, but it just seemed easiest to me

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Brw I know how BBS genetics work. I breed them now. Just was thinking about rearranging my pens

 

[FVRM]

Brw I know how BBS genetics work. I breed them now. Just was thinking about rearranging my pens

if those blacks have blue in them it will take a few generations to breed the blue out. and why not just keep the splash from the blue pens?

If it was me. I would get some blacks without any blue in them. Breed those. then make a separate a pen for blues which would give me splash, blues and blacks (with blue in them)

 

[dstokely]

Brw I know how BBS genetics work. I breed them now. Just was thinking about rearranging my pens

I am asking questions so that I will know. I have been running different scenarios through my head and thought I had a plan until the don't breed your black with your blues info. But I read somewhere that continual breeding of blue x blue fades your color out. Again, I am an Ameraucana newbie and I may be getting 2 + 2 = 5. Why will you breed the splashes if you will be getting splashes from the blue X blue pairing? Don't get me wrong, I think they are beautiful but I am just thinking about the accepted color criteria. Of course, I have lavender which falls into the same category. I don't plan to ever be a serious breeder/show person, but I want to have beautiful chickens. And, what I know about BBS genetics, I have learned on here.

 

[dstokely]

My reason was because you get te best blues breeding blues to blues. And after reading DMrippys post it makes think the same with the blacks? And then I wouldn't have anything to do with my splash so I might as well give them their own pen too I guess. Because if I were to put them with say my blues, besides putting egg color in vents, how am I suppose to know who lays what. I am tired so there may be a blonde moment in this whole plan lol, but it just seemed easiest to me

And the other problem I have......I don't have a black roo. Three bluess.....no black.

 

[dstokely]

if those blacks have blue in them it will take a few generations to breed the blue out. and why not just keep the splash from the blue pens?

If it was me. I would get some blacks without any blue in them. Breed those. then make a separate a pen for blues which would give me splash, blues and blacks (with blue in them)

Next question....what do you do with the blacks you get out of the blues....not breed them, or start your EE flock? Nope, can't eat 'em.
I really am asking these questions so that I will have the facts on which to ponder.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

if those blacks have blue in them it will take a few generations to breed the blue out. and why not just keep the splash from the blue pens?

If it was me. I would get some blacks without any blue in them. Breed those. then make a separate a pen for blues which would give me splash, blues and blacks (with blue in them)

I already have the blaks without the blue. I will keep the splash from the blue pen. But then I won't have anything to do with them but show them, so I figured I would give them there own pen. Maybe I just won't hatch eggs from that pen. I will try putting what I have in mind to and see how it works for me. I just like to think out loud.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I am asking questions so that I will know.  I have been running different scenarios through my head and thought I had a plan until the don't breed your black with your blues info.  But I read somewhere that continual breeding of blue x blue fades your color out.  Again, I am an Ameraucana newbie and I may be getting 2 + 2 = 5.  Why will you breed the splashes if you will be getting splashes from the blue X blue pairing?  Don't get me wrong, I think they are beautiful but I am just thinking about the accepted color criteria.  Of course, I have lavender which falls into the same category.  I don't plan to ever be a serious breeder/show person, but I want to have beautiful chickens.  And, what I know about BBS genetics, I have learned on here.

Don't think I am trying to be a smarty- but because I want to. Do I need to? No. But I want to.

 

[FVRM]

Next question....what do you do with the blacks you get out of the blues....not breed them, or start your EE flock? Nope, can't eat 'em.
I really am asking these questions so that I will have the facts on which to ponder.

you can keep them and breed them back to the blues. or sell them.