Deerhen Project

[E flowers]

I found a website talking about American Bresse that says they are supposed to be dominant white, but it also says some are recessive white.
https://www.ambresse.com/white-genes-in-american-bresse.html
So if that is correct, you probably could get dominant white from some American Bresse, but you might get some recessive white as well.

I can't find anything about White Australorps in the USA. I find plenty of hatcheries selling "Austra White," which is a cross of Black Australorp and White Leghorn. Of course the White Leghorn gives dominant white to that mix. I don't remember if you're in the USA or not, but I am so that's where I usually look. If you are in another country, you might have access to different breeds or varieties.

Yeah I'm in the US. I saw the austra whites too.

 

[NatJ]

Yeah I'm in the US. I saw the austra whites too.

If you find a source of White Australorps, you might be able to make a guess by looking at pictures of them.

Dominant White can be a bit leaky, so black dots would be a sign that they have dominant white. Recessive white chicks are sometimes gray or almost black in color (example: White Jersey Giants, pictures at almost any hatchery.) But a white or yellow chick that grows into a white adult with no leakage can happen with either white gene, depending on what other genes the chicken has, so you might find that photos are completely non-helpful.

 

[E flowers]

Just had a chick die it was one of the 2 black chicks. Unfortunately I couldn't take a pic cause my storage is full but my dog found it and I grabbed it from her. It had been dead for a couple hours at least. I felt the throat and crop (both empty). It had yolk yellow bubbly foam in its beak which was partially open. Unsure if it came from its crop when my dog grabbed it or it was already like that. I already buried it so I can't really examine it any further.
I haven't given them any eggs or yolk to eat just the normal medicated chick crumble.
Any idea as to what might have killed it?

 

[E flowers]

Deerhen project color matching

 

[NatJ]

Just had a chick die it was one of the 2 black chicks. Unfortunately I couldn't take a pic cause my storage is full but my dog found it and I grabbed it from her. It had been dead for a couple hours at least. I felt the throat and crop (both empty). It had yolk yellow bubbly foam in its beak which was partially open. Unsure if it came from its crop when my dog grabbed it or it was already like that. I already buried it so I can't really examine it any further.
I haven't given them any eggs or yolk to eat just the normal medicated chick crumble.
Any idea as to what might have killed it?

Sorry, I don't have any ideas right now, apart from "sometimes chicks just do die." Hopefully someone else can help.

I'm going to be mostly away from my computer for the next few days, but I'll try to think about it again after that, in case there's something else obvious that I am missing right now.

 

[E flowers]

Deerhen project color matching

 

[NatJ]

Deerhen project color matching

Deerhen project color matching

Those all look to be on the right track. The birds with more drab or muted colors look more like the deer to me, since the deer does not have any bright red or yellow tones.

 

[E flowers]

Those all look to be on the right track. The birds with more drab or muted colors look more like the deer to me, since the deer does not have any bright red or yellow tones.

Yeah the drab brown/grey is what I'm looking for. That coloration definitely camoflages them the best. I've been standing like 7-8yrds away from a deer and didn't see it till it spooked and ran away.

 

[E flowers]

Yeah the drab brown/grey is what I'm looking for. That coloration definitely camoflages them the best. I've been standing like 7-8yrds away from a deer and didn't see it till it spooked and ran away.

The way I look at it is while they wouldn't be able to hide their white tail feathers it may give them the opportunity to escape if an animal is focused on the bright white and takes the feathers off rather than aiming for the body or head.

It's sorta similar to the 5 lined skink who's blue tail distracts from the rest of its body and it can easily drop its tail to escape.

 

[E flowers]

Or just keeping the Full body drab brown kinda like these girls. They wouldn't be white tailed like I want but at least they'd be the right color.
I especially like the dark brown on the last girl.