Barring question

[pbjmaker]

I recently hatched out two roos from a BC maran over cuckoo hen. One of them has the barring I have seen from this same cross, but the other one started out barred but now it is all blurred and he is more of a blue color with barring on his chest. Is this just because his dad isn't barred? Will the barring be stronger when he gets his adult feathers? They are nearing 8 weeks old.

Cuckoo cockeral #1

Cuckoo cockeral #2 (the one that is "blurry")

 

[Goose and Fig]

The second roo looks like he's blue barred. I only had one of these (rock) for a short time- and he was a bit blurry too. I wonder if the blue affects barring.

 

[pbjmaker]

That is how he looks to me too but where would the blue come from?

 

[Goose and Fig]

Are you sure you don't have a splash fence jumper?

That's crazy- but blue barred is so cool!

 

[pbjmaker]

The only splash bird I have is a bantam cochin hen...

And only three roos at the time of this one's conception. A blue silkie, a white silkie, and the BC maran. I have a couple of silkie X maran birds also - they look nothing like this.

 

[Goose and Fig]

The roo must have a blue gene somewhere. Was he from a blue copper x blue copper breeding? I don't know if it works the same as BBS- but you know how when you cross blue x blue you get some blacks?
That may be the case- because you would have sex linked chicks- barred males and solid females if you used a blue copper roo.

 

[pbjmaker]

Not that I know of - he was the only survivor from eggs I got from Richard Reevis. He should be pure black copper. The hen should be pure cuckoo although probably just an OK specimen. In the past I have got properly barred males and the hens all have looked like this (there have not been that many so far):