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I tend to be in agreement here with CL. The coloration of a Cubalaya is not the same as other Orientals (in the male) nor is it the same as the OEG (in the females) for Wheaten. It may be Wheaten plus something else I just do not know. I'm not sure that knowing would make one bit of difference either.
Back in my University days I use to make extra money by tutoring folks in Algebra. I was an Algebra wiz back then..... not bad of a fellow that majored in Theology and minored in Herbrew and Greek! Anyway, the reason I was so successful in Algebra goes back to one of my Jr High teachers. He said when introducing Algebra: 'Never ask WHY. Just take these things as TRUTH and you'll do just fine. But, if you ever decide to ask WHY then you are messed up.' Every individual I tutored in University that had problems in Algebra, I found had usually asked, 'Why?'
Here's what I've learned thru experience and listening:
1. If you want to keep a good Cubalaya BBR cock (will use the Standard wording) black in the black areas then you need a female that shows 'smut;' otherwise, the red will begin to show in the black areas (like the breast).
2. If you want a high colored Cubalaya BBR cock then you need to utilize a female that shows some white in the wings and possibly in the tail.
3. If you want a good Cubalaya White cock with no red in him anywhere then you need to cross your whites onto blues or blacks; then, choose the dirty looking chicks that turn white. These will be white white when fully grown. If you use the white chicks the adult male birds will show red.
Many of the females I see today show a breast that is way to light in color for a Cubalaya. This shows an outcross to a Shamo or some other Oriental bird to get size back up in a Cubalaya. Not a bad outcross at all, but selection needs to be careful. Cubalaya hens are nearly burnt brick red and that includes the breast! Just be careful in your culling and selection process if making and outcross; otherwise you'll run into other problems down the road.
Of all the birds I would be willing to make an outcross too there is only ONE that I would NEVER use: I WOULD NEVER USE A SUMATRA.
Just my thoughts and opinions.
PLEASE, don't anyone be offended by the next comments (I am being a smart ass and Devil's advocate on purpose). As a PPE Major (Political Science, Philosophy and Economics) and child of two teachers: I have learned to take nothing for what it is. If you do, you don't take into consideration the possibility that you're being sold/told total malarkey (i.e. Enron and Bernie Madoff). There is no harm in checking our work (i.e. test breeding) or asking to many questions with ridiculous possible explanations (there are no wrong ideas in brain storming).
All in all, I strongly respect your and everyone's experience with this breed. In fact it leads me to belive I should be sure to set-up a double mating pens for my future Cubalayas. From what you have described it makes the most sense - I am doing the same with my Buff Chanteclers. Like the Cubalayas, Chanteclers carry a wheaten base (true self-Buff carries something like Columbian, Wheaten, Dilute, Red/Mahogany and I belive Black extender(?)) and while smut in a bird is not desired by the SOP, it is needed in females to produce good sons. Wheaten, like Buff, is not a very standardized color it seems - shades and variations of shades confuse the hell out of me, just look at Ameracaunas, OEG, Modern Game, Marans, Faverolles even and then take into account what European standards call for. I have a feeling that with all y'all breeders it will be no time before there is a greater understanding of Cubalaya genetics. I just can't get get over the idea that wheaten is wheaten, there is no new sort of wheaten just because it doesn't breed the same in a different breed.. Weren't Cubalays created with the introduction of Asiatic ( from the Philippines (?)). It seems that it's really just a matter of the expressions, overall genetic load (which I guess ties into the genotype expression) and preferences - like Leghorns (i.e. Light Brown and Dark Brown) and how they compare to other breeds with the same color variety (i.e. Dutch's Light Brown).
Lol, I have been told by my boyfriend and others that my constant "why's" and "what if's" are at times grating. Honestly though, how do we expert to learn if we don't question the possibilities??
