I hope you get a really nice Blue cock! So funny how we're going against the grain this year and wishing for boys! LOL Here I am crossing my fingers for a good couple of roosters. Yeah, even if you don't get rid of your Blue, he probably has enough faults to be replaced anyway. I think Catdance has some nice birds. BUT-- I have noticed that some of her boys turn out with red combs, so be aware of that. So fun you're going to get some of Danz's bantam polish-- they are just gorgeous from what I've seen of her photos.
I hope your SF is doing okay today? It's too bad he can't make up his mind of whether to get better or just die already. Go you on moving that pen and getting it all put together! Enjoy your granddaughter this weekend!
I'm not in Rosehill. I'm over on the west side of Mulvane. I hope you can get it changed! I think Derby needs an uprising of back yard chickener's too! They currently allow ONE chicken... yeah, right!!? Maybe you can get your neighbors to come with you. I think it's fantastic that you are wanting to dive right in! Keep checking back with us, because this is a wealth of info here for chicken facts and information.
Sooooo cute, Josie!! Those ducks are adorable!
I'm working with BBS colors too and they are really easy once you work with them more. Most BBS colors are based on the E/E ground color which is extended black. There are only 5 possibilites for groundcolors and the others are wheaten, 2 partridges (asiatic and bankiva) and Birchen--none of which come into play with BBS. From there, your BASE color will be gold or silver with your BBS colors-- those would be either gold-- s+/s+ (males) s+/- (female) ....and silver S/S (males) and S/- (females). These can leak out and change your colors drastically or show up as a nuisance DQ when you're working with BBS. Here is the basic break down:
Blue X Blue= 50% Blue, 25% Black, 25% Splash
Blue X Black= 50% Blue, 50% Black
Blue X Splash= 50% Blue, 50% Splash
Black X Black= 100% Black
Splash X Splash= 100% Splash
Splash X Black= 100% Blue
It's important to know what your base color is-- either gold or silver. I'm working in Gold. But I've been reading that the BBS colors show up better in silver. At least with Blacks, they do. The easiest way to determine whether you are working in gold or silver is to check for leakage of any kind of that will show up as a reddish tint for Gold and of course, a dirty grey or white feathers for Silver.
ETA: oh-- I don't want to confuse you, but I was thinking that your ground color can be mixed and throw some crazy genetics at you-- it is possible to get a partridge pattern out of a BBS pen, but that is way, way down in the genetic lines and if you throw one, it's not going to be a common occurance. But don't be completely shocked if you do. Do you have any idea what lines your Marans are from? There is a marans breeder on our silkie thread and since the genetics are the same, she can easily switch to silkie BBS and know what she's doing. But she has said that knowing your blood lines will give you an idea of what could possibly come out for genetic flukes, so to speak. I know that it's possible for mine to throw a blue partridge (not an SOP color, but would be AOV) and not recognized, but there it is all the same. I have not thrown one, but won't be fainting over in shock if I do. LOL!!
