Confused here I need Help with Leakage questions

[redholsteins]

Hello. Can someone please tell me if my Lavender Ameraucana has leakage? And if he does how do I correct this ? I also have black Ameraucana’s

 

[nicalandia]

Is just Lavender being lavender

I have seen countless of Males like this, what happens is that many self black birds carry enough melanizers to make them black but are not over melanized(as you would expect from birds like Andalusian that carry both Melanotic and Pattern gene) so when Lavender is introduced on the black line, lavender dilutes the Pyle Zones(the zones that are not overly melanized)


This is also seen on Blue diluted males like in Blue Orpington roosters

How to fix that? Well just breed the best males that do not show that

 

[redholsteins]

Is just Lavender being lavender

View attachment 2983085



I have seen countless of Males like this, what happens is that many self black birds carry enough melanizers to make them black but are not over melanized(as you would expect from birds like Andalusian that carry both Melanotic and Pattern gene) so when Lavender is introduced on the black line, lavender dilutes the Pyle Zones(the zones that are not overly melanized)


This is also seen on Blue diluted males like in Blue Orpington roosters

View attachment 2983092


How to fix that? Well just breed the best males that do not show that

I think all my Lavender Males show this unfortunately. Would this disqualify as being SOP? I have black Americaunas do you think I’m better off using him over my Lavender hens instead of the lavender roosters? Thank you so much !

 

[nicalandia]

I think all my Lavender Males show this unfortunately. Would this disqualify as being SOP? I have black Americaunas do you think I’m better off using him over my Lavender hens instead of the lavender roosters? Thank you so much !

Do you have Blue Ameraucanas? I ask this because many black lines will hide this defect(as in not being overly melanized to overcome the dilution effect of lavender) If you have a very good line of blue Ameraucanas that are very dark, I suggest using them

Try to find Blue with well defined lacing

Lavender x Dark Blue(with black lacing) = 50% all black Chicks(these will be your foundations to correct the lack of melanizers on your lavender line)

 

[redholsteins]

Do you have Blue Ameraucanas? I ask this because many black lines will hide this defect(as in not being overly melanized to overcome the dilution effect of lavender) If you have a very good line of blue Ameraucanas that are very dark, I suggest using them

Try to find Blue with well defined lacing

View attachment 2983100



Lavender x Dark Blue(with black lacing) = 50% all black Chicks(these will be your foundations to correct the lack of melanizers on your lavender line)

I do have a really black Ameraucana I can use over my Lavender hens. I posted his picture. Would you take his offspring and breed back too him ? To correct this straw color in the lavenders. Thanks for all you help.

 

[redholsteins]

Un

Do you have Blue Ameraucanas? I ask this because many black lines will hide this defect(as in not being overly melanized to overcome the dilution effect of lavender) If you have a very good line of blue Ameraucanas that are very dark, I suggest using them

Try to find Blue with well defined lacing

View attachment 2983100



Lavender x Dark Blue(with black lacing) = 50% all black Chicks(these will be your foundations to correct the lack of melanizers on your lavender line)

Unfortunately I don’t have any blue but I’ll search for some.

 

[nicalandia]

I do have a really black Ameraucana I can use over my Lavender hens. I posted his picture. Would you take his offspring and breed back too him ? To correct this straw color in the lavenders. Thanks for all you help.

You can use the male or his hens with Lavender and use the darkest F1s from that cross back to Lavender(a yellow feather on the hackle, saddle or back would be a no no for breeder) I expect that your issues should be resolved and keep crossing back the lavenders with the split F1s

I would use F1 males over Lavender hens as females often hide leakage much better than males so any black F1 males that show any type of leakage should be culled(or not used as breeders for lavender)

 

[redholsteins]

You can use the male or his hens with Lavender and use the darkest F1s from that cross back to Lavender(a yellow feather on the hackle, saddle or back would be a no no for breeder) I expect that your issues should be resolved and keep crossing back the lavenders with the split F1s

I would use F1 males over Lavender hens as females often hide leakage much better than males so any black F1 males that show any type of leakage should be culled(or not used as breeders for lavender)

Okay hope I understand this correctly. I’m no expert on color genes. So I would use my black Ameraucana Rooster over my Lavender hens and than take the hens from their hatch ( F1) and place them back in the lavender pen but choose a lavender rooster from that hatch that doesn’t have the straw leakage from that hatch? I hope I got this right. It easy too mess up reading texts. Lol

 

[nicalandia]

Okay hope I understand this correctly. I’m no expert on color genes. So I would use my black Ameraucana Rooster over my Lavender hens and than take the hens from their hatch ( F1) and place them back in the lavender pen but choose a lavender rooster from that hatch that doesn’t have the straw leakage from that hatch? I hope I got this right. It easy too mess up reading texts. Lol

Black Ameraucana Rooster over Lavender Hens = All Black F1s(Males and females)

Take the best F1 Rooster/s(showing any type of leakage is a disqualification) and cross them back to your best Lavender hen/s, this cross would produce 50% Black and 50% Lavender, be in the look out for males that don't show leakage(or at least show the least amount acceptable), but if the leakage keeps showing you know that you have blacks that are prone to Leakage and at that time you should start looking for Really Dark Blues

 

[redholsteins]

Black Ameraucana Rooster over Lavender Hens = All Black F1s(Males and females)

Take the best F1 Rooster/s(showing any type of leakage is a disqualification) and cross them back to your best Lavender hen/s, this cross would produce 50% Black and 50% Lavender, be in the look out for males that don't show leakage(or at least show the least amount acceptable), but if the leakage keeps showing you know that you have blacks that are prone to Leakage and at that time you should start looking for Really Dark Blues

Sorry so many questions and Thank you so much ! I think I understand it now and I’ll also start looking for a dark laced blue to keep on hand.