Blue hues

[TinkleTurkey]

I apologize if this has been asked before but

I have been breeding 3 giant blue cochins - one roo and two hens.
I don't really know their background, but I was expecting to get blue chicks from them.

So far I'm getting a lot of black, lavender and only a FEW blues.

What does this mean, and when I am looking for good breeders in the future, what do I need to know to ensure that they breed true? If I breed my second generation blues, will the third generation be blue or will they still produce different colors?

 

[Timmy]

This is because blue is acutely a dilute of black if you breed Blue to Blue you should get 50% Blue, 25% Black, 25% Splash, to get 100% blue you need to breed splash to black. Here's a chart
Blue X Blue = 50% Blue, 25% Black, 25% Splash
Blue X Splash = 50% Blue, 50% Splash
Blue X Black = 50% Blue, 50% Black
Splash X Black = 100% Blue
Black X Black = 100% Black
Splash X Splash = 100% Splash

 

[TinkleTurkey]

WOW that is nuts!

Yah I thought some of my chicks might be splash but they're not fully feathered yet so hard to say.

Very good to know
THANK. YOU.


OH wait, so, the ones I think are lavender are probably splash, then - right?

 

[Timmy]

probably unless your birds are carrying a lavender gene. I think lavender is a further dilute of black that might come out if you breed your splashes, but don't quote me on any of the lavender stuff because I may be wrong.

 

[TinkleTurkey]

I need to find a book or something - Chicken genetics for dummys? haha

 

[Timmy]

Ya, Old English as Bred and Shown in the United States by Fred Jeffery and Bill Richardson has a lot of genetic information in it. It's about old English, but I think a lot of the info translates to other breeds.
I just saw that your from palm dale, is that palm dale Ca? I went down there to build some over pass bridges on the 14 a few years ago. Man I thought it was hot and dry in Vegas but we got nothin on palm dale.

 

[TinkleTurkey]

Yup that's the place. I am not a fan of weather in general so its perfect for me.

I'll see if I can find that book - I'm checking out whats on amazon

 

[danielle82]

the ones you think are lavender are really probably splashes. Lavender is actually a double dilution of black, a single dilution will not change the blacks apearance, but a double dilution (one lavender gene from each parent) will dilute black to lavender.
If you want to guarantee you will get blue babies, breed black to splash.
Breeding blue to blue you will get blues, blacks and splashes (BBS)

 

[TinkleTurkey]

great, I assume the same goes for all chickens in regards to colors.

So, what happens if I breed a white to a blue (silkie)?

 

[Timmy]

Quote:
white is also a further dilute of black I think that this breeding will give you blues,whites, and splashes. Or may be just whites