Black Orpington x BLRW

[SpicyDill]

Hey, folks! Longtime lurker, experienced chicken-keeper, new member.

I recently added a new rooster to my flock and I'm curious about his color genetics and what I might be able to expect from his offspring. I have a large flock with a lot of assorted breeds of hens (some pure, some barnyard crosses of my own breeding) so I know that's all going to be quite the wildcard, but as for him specifically, what is he likely to throw?

He is a cross between a Black English Orpington and a Blue-Laced Red Wyandotte. I don't know which parent was which. He is absolutely enormous and has the fluff of the Orp and (thankfully, for my climate) the rosecomb of the BLW. He's almost entirely black, with some dark red in the hackles, almost like my FBCM hens. It's my understanding that as a black rooster, he's most likely to pass on the black coloration. Is it possible for him to carry any blue dilution genes? Black lacing? Or is this a "what you see is what you get" situation? (I'll be happy with that, too -- he is a big, fluffy oilslick!)

TIA!

 

[nicalandia]

It's my understanding that as a black rooster, he's most likely to pass on the black coloration. Is it possible for him to carry any blue dilution genes? Black lacing? Or is this a "what you see is what you get" situation? (I'll be happy with that, too -- he is a big, fluffy oilslick!)

TIA!

He is only heterozygous for the Extended Black gene, he is actually E/eb and hiding all of the Lacing under the black from one of the parents, if he is black he is not hiding any blue under because blue dilutes black. So only 50% of his offspring will inherit the extended black gene

 

[RiverOtter]

Blue I love to use to teach Mandelian genetics. It's basically a perfect, visual Punnet Square
I they have one blue gene, they're blue. Two blue genes = splash. None = black.

So sadly, no blue from your roo.

Would LOVE to see pics of the big fluffy oilslick.

 

[SpicyDill]

Yes, that's a super easy punnet square, indeed! Doesn't get much simpler than that. Now I know about blue dilution. I didn't have much experience with that previously. Thank you both! So the 50% of his offspring that won't end up being black, they can still inherit visible (black) lacing, right?

The oilslick is currently in the quarantine coop but this is him! Once he's allowed to mingle out in the runs, I'll definitely take better photos with the aid of natural sunlight. I have a few australorps and black copper marans and he's even more iridescent. And you really can't get a good impression of his SIZE. He's a substantial guy. He's only 7 months old, so I'm excited to see how he fills out as he matures. I don't have any more Wyandotte hens these days (I've previously owned a gold and two silvers although I do currently have one hen who is half gold and half dorking) but I do have a handful of buff Orps and he is bigger than any of them, by far!

 

[RiverOtter]

Handsome!

BTW, love Monty Python

 

[SpicyDill]

You may be able to catch the joke, then!

 

[SpicyDill]

I was able to get a better photo of him but neglected to ever get around to posting it! He has proven to be perhaps the best rooster I've ever had, and he's doing his job well. We're having a rough hatching season (the first year we've ever had any difficulties) but so far nearly all his offspring have turned out black. It will be fun to see if they turn out strictly black as they mature or if there are any surprises in store for us.

 

[nicalandia]

I was able to get a better photo of him but neglected to ever get around to posting it! He has proven to be perhaps the best rooster I've ever had, and he's doing his job well. We're having a rough hatching season (the first year we've ever had any difficulties) but so far nearly all his offspring have turned out black. It will be fun to see if they turn out strictly black as they mature or if there are any surprises in store for us.

As expected he is mostly Black(due to melanizers found on Laced birds) he is all black so no blue on him or his progeny(unless when crossed with a blue hen)

 

[SpicyDill]

Yep, that was already explained to me, so I know not to expect that out of his progeny. I'm just surprised because I was expecting a roughly 50% of his offspring to turn out black, and so far it's been nearly all of them (a couple were not black but did not survive), including both offspring with White Leghorn mamas. I also had a successful breeding with my splash Silverudd's Blue hen, but surprise! Also black, although it's got blonde wingtips, so maybe it will surprise me with some splashing.

 

[JadeFarms]

Yep, that was already explained to me, so I know not to expect that out of his progeny. I'm just surprised because I was expecting a roughly 50% of his offspring to turn out black, and so far it's been nearly all of them (a couple were not black but did not survive), including both offspring with White Leghorn mamas. I also had a successful breeding with my splash Silverudd's Blue hen, but surprise! Also black, although it's got blonde wingtips, so maybe it will surprise me with some splashing.

I wanna see pictures!!!