Chocolate Orpingtons

[HenThymes]

Not to stir the pot

but what makes this Dun different than the chocolate that we are seeing everywhere as the two seem to look exactly the same??? As stated by some that you have to keep breeding chocolate back to black or you will loose the color (it fades) would that not make it dun and not chocolate??? Would chocolate not just continue to breed true when bred to chocolate??? Was Clives line not true to color??

 

[Tuffoldhen]

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Since I've caught you I will say Thank You!! Tried to send a PM but your box is full!

 

[pokey]

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Hi - You can go to our site under the gallery and see some of the pics of our chocs.

On another note - as many here probably know that chocolate is a diluted gene and your chocs will lose in color should you not breed back black split into the line. I will have this Spring another line of chocolates that will include split blacks to enhance the color. I have already seen some chocs that have a lighter color.

Regards,
Richard

Loved the sheep!

 

[pampered_poultry]

Thanks! I had over 100 goats at one time grazing... then I found out that the sheep are much easier to raise and bring a little higher market price.

Thanks,
Richard

 

[lildinkem]

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I have been told by a friend in KY that he can tell the difference in a Brown Dun and a Brown Chocolate. I agree with nicalandia. There is no visual difference. IF you had a well bred Dun and a well Bred Chocolate, an APA judge would treat them the same. Sorta like Self Blue vs Lavender. There is no way a judge can tell the diffence without waiting for the hen to lay an egg and those offspring to grow out. Unfortunately. It does come down to preference. IF you like Chocs cause their sex linked that is a great reason. IF you like Duns like one likes to play with the variety that breeding Blues gives one, that too is a great reason. I think it comes down to what you have. I like both. I wouldn't turn down a free Choc if someone gave it to me. I have made a Dun Birchen who I like. For the main reason that no one else on this site have any. Can't swing a dead cat without hitting someone in the UK who does either have a Choc or knows someone who has a Choc. That will happen here within 2 years. Just like the Lavenders. Now you go and do a search for Lavs and there are dozens of folks selling Lavs. Soon that will be the case with Chocs. Then it will come down who knows how to make them better. And that is what you should be paying good money for is quality not just a color.
Good luck with your DUN birds Tricia. It is suppose to be a fun hobby. HAVE SOME FUN!!!

 

[anderson1209]

Hi I'm Jeremy I'm new to this forum. But do any of you Know anything about splash orpingtons

 

[HenThymes]

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I have been told by a friend in KY that he can tell the difference in a Brown Dun and a Brown Chocolate. I agree with nicalandia. There is no visual difference. IF you had a well bred Dun and a well Bred Chocolate, an APA judge would treat them the same. Sorta like Self Blue vs Lavender. There is no way a judge can tell the diffence without waiting for the hen to lay an egg and those offspring to grow out. Unfortunately. It does come down to preference. IF you like Chocs cause their sex linked that is a great reason. IF you like Duns like one likes to play with the variety that breeding Blues gives one, that too is a great reason. I think it comes down to what you have. I like both. I wouldn't turn down a free Choc if someone gave it to me. I have made a Dun Birchen who I like. For the main reason that no one else on this site have any. Can't swing a dead cat without hitting someone in the UK who does either have a Choc or knows someone who has a Choc. That will happen here within 2 years. Just like the Lavenders. Now you go and do a search for Lavs and there are dozens of folks selling Lavs. Soon that will be the case with Chocs. Then it will come down who knows how to make them better. And that is what you should be paying good money for is quality not just a color.
Good luck with your DUN birds Tricia. It is suppose to be a fun hobby. HAVE SOME FUN!!!

Bill, great stuff but that still doesn't answer the question, if these chocolate orpingtons that are now being sold have to continue to be bred to black in order to maintain their color doesn't that then make them dun and NOT chocolate??? If these chocolate orps are going to fade then I would say they are not true chocolate. Just because this color has been imported does anyone REALLY know they are true chocolate?? If dun is here then I'm sure it's there too.

I have also noticed that there are two shades of the chocolate on these orpingtons, the more red chocolate and the brown chocolate. If chocolate was true would it not have a single standard shade or is it like blues, dark & light??

 

[pampered_poultry]

"Bill, great stuff but that still doesn't answer the question, if these chocolate orpingtons that are now being sold have to continue to be bred to black in order to maintain their color doesn't that then make them dun and NOT chocolate??? "


In my conversations with my UK contacts on the chocs.... if you continue to bred choc to choc without bring back in the black - they will lighten. I have seen some lighter chocs already hit the market.

 

[HenThymes]

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So wouldn't that then be considered dun and NOT chocolate???

 

[pampered_poultry]

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So wouldn't that then be considered dun and NOT chocolate???

Good question... I know nothing about the Dun gene and how it works.. ......