Houdans

[aoxa]

Not you, "them."  You said you got chewed out on another thread for using the term lavender.

Oh I thought you were calling me out - thanks for clarifying.

The standard for blue is very different than the standard for self blue.  "Self" denotes a solid coloured bird; no variations in shade, no patterns either on individual feathers or from one part of the body to another.  You can blame the person who segregated (discovered) the lavender gene for its name.  

Blue, sometimes called Andalusian blue, has both these primary and secondary patterns.  Portions of the bird are a much darker blue, or even black; the lighter feathers are laced around the edge with this dark blue.

Porcelain is a combination of genes that create a specific pattern.  It is mille fleur diluted by lavender.  The lavender gene dilutes both red and black pigment; most other dilution genes dilute only one of the pigments, not both.  Porcelain silkies do not have the full set of genes for the mille fleur pattern.  Porcelains are not just diluted buff; they must have lavender on each feather, too.

Porcelain from feathersite and http://www.edelras.nl/belgians:                                                                  
 

self-blues (lavender) from feathersite and http://www.edelras.nl/belgians:




blues from feathersite:

I see now. Especially the colouring around the hackles - it's definitely not solid on the blues, but solid on the self blues

 

[heritagehabitatfarms]

it is not just with the Lav/self blue ether... think about light Sussex, Colombian, and Ermine(sp?)... and the dark Brahma and or silver penciled...

in my opinion it is really confusing for allot of new ppl and should be standardized to the name of the color and or pattern... of course that gets tons of breeders all up in arms lmao...

 

[aoxa]

it is not just with the Lav/self blue ether... think about light Sussex, Colombian, and Ermine(sp?)... and the dark Brahma and or silver penciled...

in my opinion it is really confusing for allot of new ppl and should be standardized to the name of the color and or pattern... of course that gets tons of breeders all up in arms lmao...

So many different terms...

 

[ashandvine]

Thank you for the compliment, but that is really a nice female and it is easy to see. I could always find something wrong, but overall it is a solid bird.

Add Lilac to those colors. there are folks breeding lilac domestic waterfowl....at least that is what they call them. You surprise me...most folks love lavender....sounds much cooler than self blue.

Walt

I wasn't trying to say it wasn't a nice pullet at all, just making sure Aoxa knew that if you thought it was good that was a ringing endorsement with real value. You are a judge after all and I have been on the disappointing end of your truth a few times. Yeah, I forgot about lilac geese. I love the Sebs and there is a woman here whose passion is colored Sebs. Anyway, I think I like the pearl grey translation best. This is the artist in me I suppose. I have spend a lot of years gardening and still hate for purple flowers to be called blue or pink ones purple too. (Russian Blue cats-- they aren't blue!) Lavender is a lovely word. Its metro and catchy .... it fits perfectly for people who are out to make designer chickens and make money off them and call it something cool. Anyone serious about breeding Lav has to be serious about chickens in my book because the gene degrades the feather quality and its tough to keep the standard types of birds well if you are breeding for a tough color like that too. With that said, I admit readily to owning a few Lavender birds (Shaffer hens) and like the color, but I also completely agree that the semantics of breeding is important so the person who decided to call it a Lavender gene made a mess. Lavender is a lovely color in the purple/violet spectrum. Pearl grey is the color of my birds.

Back to those hair feathers... just rub with a cloth?? Good news for you Aoxa! (I am that much more jealous now.)

 

[aoxa]

I wasn't trying to say it wasn't a nice pullet at all, just making sure Aoxa knew that if you thought it was good that was a ringing endorsement with real value. You are a judge after all and I have been on the disappointing end of your truth a few times. Yeah, I forgot about lilac geese. I love the Sebs and there is a woman here whose passion is colored Sebs. Anyway, I think I like the pearl grey translation best. This is the artist in me I suppose. I have spend a lot of years gardening and still hate for purple flowers to be called blue or pink ones purple too. (Russian Blue cats-- they aren't blue!) Lavender is a lovely word. Its metro and catchy .... it fits perfectly for people who are out to make designer chickens and make money off them and call it something cool. Anyone serious about breeding Lav has to be serious about chickens in my book because the gene degrades the feather quality and its tough to keep the standard types of birds well if you are breeding for a tough color like that too. With that said, I admit readily to owning a few Lavender birds (Shaffer hens) and like the color, but I also completely agree that the semantics of breeding is important so the person who decided to call it a Lavender gene made a mess. Lavender is a lovely color in the purple/violet spectrum. Pearl grey is the color of my birds. Back to those hair feathers... just rub with a cloth?? Good news for you Aoxa! (I am that much more jealous now.)

I know, that's really good news I noticed the same thing on one of Skittles' younger sisters. I don't handle the little ones very much, but I had caught her to check, as she was looking the best for that age. I'll be doing it with her as well.

I think she will turn out even better than Skittles. She's only 10 weeks and is much darker than Skittles at that age.

Here is Skittles @ 10 weeks for reference

 

[fowlman01]

I wasn't trying to say it wasn't a nice pullet at all, just making sure Aoxa knew that if you thought it was good that was a ringing endorsement with real value. You are a judge after all and I have been on the disappointing end of your truth a few times. Yeah, I forgot about lilac geese. I love the Sebs and there is a woman here whose passion is colored Sebs. Anyway, I think I like the pearl grey translation best. This is the artist in me I suppose. I have spend a lot of years gardening and still hate for purple flowers to be called blue or pink ones purple too. (Russian Blue cats-- they aren't blue!) Lavender is a lovely word. Its metro and catchy .... it fits perfectly for people who are out to make designer chickens and make money off them and call it something cool. Anyone serious about breeding Lav has to be serious about chickens in my book because the gene degrades the feather quality and its tough to keep the standard types of birds well if you are breeding for a tough color like that too. With that said, I admit readily to owning a few Lavender birds (Shaffer hens) and like the color, but I also completely agree that the semantics of breeding is important so the person who decided to call it a Lavender gene made a mess. Lavender is a lovely color in the purple/violet spectrum. Pearl grey is the color of my birds.

Back to those hair feathers... just rub with a cloth?? Good news for you Aoxa! (I am that much more jealous now.)

I didn't take it that way.......just saying it is easy to see the quality. I have disappointed a lot of people online, but if they ask I am going to give them an honest appraisal. Lots of threads here where people go on in a positive way about a bird and it is not a very good bird. I enjoy seeing a good bird, whatever color or breed. I think some folks think I enjoy running down a persons bird, but I don't. I would rather compliment a bird than say negative things about it. Off to a show this morning with 34 birds that three other judges can pick apart........lol

Walt

 

[ashandvine]

If I ask, I want the truth. I have learned to ask when I am ready for it from you and I appreciate it. I would rather know. "Perfection" isn't easy. And not everyone is as lucky as Aoxa with their first purchases of Houdans. I wish I could have held on to mine a little longer just to see what might have developed but... I may be trying again soon. I swear, I am going to get at least one bird that fowlman has something genuinely good to say about.

 

[aoxa]

Skittles today.. Still not laying

 

[aoxa]

And her feet - since that was what we were talking about. This was taken before the show, you can kind of see a speck there. Maybe..? If you squint

 

[Chambertin]

Should have sprung for the pedicure.
tisk tisk.