Blue Orpingtons too dark. How do I breed to lighten them?

[lenadriver]

Hi All.
I've never bred for specific colour before and I have ventured into the world of Orpingtons!
I started with a Splash rooster over 2 darker blue hens. The bulk of the hatches were really dark blue, almost black. I did get some lighter colours and a few splash but the lighter colours seem to have a really weak immune system and I have lost most of them, despite the extra care and late nights.
How do I get a decent blue out of these almost black ones?
Thanks in advance.

 

[LilJoe]

Probably cover the darker blue hens with a lighter blue rooster. How light the rooster is depends on how dark the hens are.

 

[lenadriver]

It would still need to be blue though? Not white or lavender or some other bird with complicated genetics?!

 

[lenadriver]

The lavenders are Aracuanas

This one is hiding behind and identical coloured Aracuana. Camouflage! This is typical of the colouring I'm getting. Breasts are lightening enough to see lacing.

Oops. Don't know how to remove duplicates!

 

[The Moonshiner]

It would still need to be blue though? Not white or lavender or some other bird with complicated genetics?!

Don't use white or lavender.
That will do nothing to help your blues. All it will do is bring in other color genes that will be producing other colored chicks in future breeding.
You will ruin your line as they will not breed true for BBS for generations if not forever.
You can do as the other poster suggested and use a lighter blue male and continue to use the lightest blues.
I'd continue on using using a splash rooster. With splash you won't produce any blacks. You get more splash offspring so more choices for future breeders if you're wanting to move towards lighter birds.
You'll want to stay away from using blacks unless you want to move back towards darker birds.

 

[lenadriver]

Thank you Moonshiner. And LilJo! So splash x blue and move the black chicks on? Don't do splash x black?
That does make more sense, now that you've said it.
These first pics are of my original trio. The girls were moulting.

The following pics are from this trio. You can see lacing on every breast, feathers varying shades of blue/grey/black. One of my girls and one of my boys are turning out blue like their mothers but with some lighter feathers on their back just starting to appear. My gorgeous splash girl is there, along with a camera hog Plymouth Rock rooster and one of my Hamburghs who likes to visit!
I don't know what to call the darkest ones. They're not true black but are they really blue? You can see the black Aracuana beside this Orp.



4 pullets, 3 cockerels. The cockerels saddle feathers do have a green sheen to them, more and more every day but still a lighter, laced breast. What are they??????

 

[The Moonshiner]

You can use splash Xs black and see what you get.
With that you'll get all blues. I just wonder if they would be darker then you're wanting.
I was doing blacks and blues with orps and was always told after a few generations to take the blues back to black as it would produce better blues with better lacing. It did give me a slightly darker blue but I really never had that much variations in the shades of blue.
I got out of them last year but I better show a few off since you're giving me the chance to.

 

[lenadriver]

Moonshiner, they definitely need showing off! They are beautiful! Why did you stop breeding them, if you don't mind my asking. Too many breeds and you had to make hard decisions? These guys take longer to mature.
I just sold my entire breeding flock of Aracuanas. They were fabulous, I was very well known as 'the' Aracuana' lady as they were so prolific in their breeding and their quality was wonderful but I had to make some hard decisions, too. I had too many young stock being produced and needed more pens if I wanted to play with colours. I decided on selling the Aracuanas, ( not a good business move) so I could focus my energy on my more personally favourite breeds and not be overwhelmed by multitudes of young stock. The demand for them was there, so I bred the numbers but I don't want another season with hundreds of chickens. It becomes a chore and over-rides the passion. The Aracuanas are also need to be older to sex, so that was my excuse! I'm playing with wyandottes colours, too. I also sold my gold spangled Hamburgh trio and the original Orpington trio, not intending to continue breeding them. Then I fell in love with this big, fluffy, docile breed and decided to keep going! I would have to say that they are my favorite breed now.
Sorry to ramble. Horses have been my entire life, so it's really nice to talk chickens!

So, back to point,
1- I'll put my 'purple/black' rooster with my splashes and the darker hens,
2 - I'll put the best blues together
3- See what happens and sell anything too dark?

Thanks for taking the time to chat with me.

Maybe 5 months old here.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Yes I have too many projects, too many more in my head, and only so many pens, brooders, etc. etc.
The negatives about them for me was yes they are so slow to mature, eat a ton and didn't lay the best. (Compared to my leghorns all three of those things really stuck out)
Anyways I worked really hard on them and kinda felt they were to the point I couldn't get them any better then where they were. Started seeing them more as a finished project. My cousins daughter was wanting to get into breeding and maybe showing. She was looking for something better then the average and loved big fluffy birds. She is a teen with a good head but not to the point of really taking a breed forward in leaps and bounds. I thought they would be perfect for her and easy to work with and maintaining the quality would be enough of a challenge for her.
I know how it is to try and build something up compared to maintaining it. I felt she may do well and not have the heartbreak and discouragement that may come from trying to make something out of poor quality birds.
If that makes sense.
I just felt it was time to move on for me and to give back to a next generation chicken enthusiast.
I miss those damn birds but I think it was the right decision.

 

[lenadriver]

Sounds like a good decision. I'm a bit concerned about the late maturing but I'll try and keep it small for fun and focus on the other breeds for selling.
Thank you for your help and good luck with your breeding programs.