Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[Miss Ameraucana]

Blues

Sorry for the triple shots!

 

[Miss Ameraucana]

My blacks. The one I think is promising has a gap in his beak. It lines up just doesn't close completely which I think would make him a cull...sadly..I'll start with him.

 

[tigercreek]

Well, I thought it was a wonderful discussion, and really don't know how it went off the rails. I have a question, and it's not meant as argumentative. I would just like clarification.
If blue is an accepted color, and I get my best blues from a splash/black mating, what is the problem with that? Is that seen as circumventing true breeding? Should blues only be bred to blues? I just thought, with black/blue/splash varieties of so many different breeds, that the goal would be to create the most desirable birds using whatever matings produced the desired results

There is no problem with breeding splash to black to produce good blues...that is what most top breeders do, and breeding blue to black to improve type is common, but ...In my opinion, that is the very reason none of our birds have true lacing, and they never will in using that method...my point in the "discussion' was that to get true lacing back into the blue variety, you need to breed blue to blue because you can't tell if a black bird has the Pg, Co and Ml needed to produce the lacing...if you look at the entire article from the kipenjungle site, he explains the necessity of the Pg and Co genes for pushing the black pigment to the feathers edge. That will help in eliminating the smut and uneveness of pigment in the feathers that we have in blues without those genes.....if you will check your blues, you will see that there is a LACK of pigment on the feather edge, not an outline of black that you think is there. It is actually translucent, not the increased pigment outline that standard for blue calls for...that's not meant to trash your birds...they are nice looking, but I'm addressing improving blues across the board....I don't know how you can achieve the true lacing without going back to a breed that has the Pg, Co gene and bringing that into Ameraucanas...looking at years of work, but I think it's a worthwhile trip if we are ever have the blue the standard calls for..

 

[samouw]

This is a picture of a young blue pullet - not one of mine, though the picture is shared here with the permission of the owner. This is a result of splash x black breeding.

 

[DnDFarm]

There is no problem with breeding splash to black to produce good blues...that is what most top breeders do, and breeding blue to black to improve type is common, but ...In my opinion, that is the very reason none of our birds have true lacing, and they never will in using that method...my point in the "discussion' was that to get true lacing back into the blue variety, you need to breed blue to blue because you can't tell if a black bird has the Pg, Co and Ml needed to produce the lacing...if you look at the entire article from the kipenjungle site, he explains the necessity of the Pg and Co genes for pushing the black pigment to the feathers edge. That will help in eliminating the smut and uneveness of pigment in the feathers that we have in blues without those genes.....if you will check your blues, you will see that there is a LACK of pigment on the feather edge, not an outline of black that you think is there. It is actually translucent, not  the increased pigment outline that standard for blue calls for...that's not meant to trash your birds...they are nice looking, but I'm addressing  improving blues across the board....I don't know how you can achieve the true lacing without going back to a breed that has the Pg, Co gene and bringing that into Ameraucanas...looking at years of work, but I think it's a worthwhile trip if we are ever have the blue the standard calls for..

Excellent explanation, and exactly what I was looking for. My goal this year was to kick out as many blues as possible to get a good blue cockerel. After reading your post, that makes me want to dedicate one or two pens to breeding only blues. I'm not nearly experienced enough to use another breed to bring in lacing, but I could take the time to dedicate some space to blue-only breeding

 

[DnDFarm]

This is a picture of a young blue pullet - not one of mine, though the picture is shared here with the permission of the owner. This is a result of splash x black breeding.

That is exactly where I think my chicks are headed. Oz's chicks are looking very similar. You guys have any guesses on my "white"? There's not a hint of blue on her

 

[Miss Ameraucana]

My splash

The last few blues

I couldn't keep the one black out of the shot.
The pics don't do them all justice for sure. It's hard to shoot this many birds! Even with my close contact with them I still get a few mixed up! And..I can't even pick out my Caroline! There's 2 that answer to the name that are too close to tell!
But the girl with the purple backdrop on the blue wheaten group is my star, Eve

she's very special!
Just wanted to share an update. Believe these were all hatched Feb 6 & 7.

 

[tigercreek]

.

 

[MrsBachbach]

I know for sure that at least half these eggs have the bullseye. He also has his two favorite girls. If it's a monogamy issue, I'm not worried. If he's hitting the mark but they aren't developing, I'm scratching him altogether

This happens more than people realize. Especially if others in the pen are fertile. If the hen just doesn't like him and makes breeding difficult, some won't waste their energy chasing them. My suggestion for that situation is put the rooster in a small pen by himself a couple of days. Then add one at a time the girls that are resistant. Keep them there a day or two or until they lay an egg. He should have her bred by then. Striking the mark is easier right after the hen gets off the nest. Then take that one out and put any other girl that is showing infertile in there with him.

 

[DnDFarm]

Another thought that you stated above...black, blue splash are separate varieties, BBS is not a variety...it is a common method of breeding them, but they are different varieties and the thinking by a lot of breeders is that they should not be bred as a single variety...many breeders will tell you that the best blacks are  based on the E locus, and the best blues are based on ER... 

I don't disagree with you at all, and I have said before that my typing BBS is just out of laziness. To be totally honest, this is my first year breeding quality birds of any type, and genetics intimidates me. I know that that will be the next logical step in my education, but this year I'm just trying to get a handle on the basics