I Love My Splits!

[Pavo Royale]

I have a pair of IB splits (white flight feathers) that have unknown genetics. Last year, I hatched one purple female, one IB white eye male, and one IB split female. Today I hatched what seems to be a pure IB with no white flights. Also, one chick died after popping the lid off of its shell. It was white! So, my one pair of birds have thrown IB, IB splits, purple, IB white eyes and white. Now, when I got these birds, I must admit that I was a little dissappointed that they were not pure. I can't remember if it is Deerman or Kev that encouraged me that splits are not mutts. Boy, was he right! I now think what I have is a male split to white with the purple gene and a female split to white with the white eye gene. If so, then I think I am about out of colors that this pair will produce, but it sure is fun getting so much variety from one pair.

 

[Kev]

It is fun huh?

It is also a good way to have as few breeders as possible yet produce a couple more colors in chicks.

You got the genetics of the parents figured out correctly for the chicks produced so far..

Half of the sons will be split for purple, as their father proved to be split purple. There's no way to tell which ones are split for purple though, unlike with split whites. If you are lucky to get a white eyed son split purple, he will produce a few white eyed purple daughters too.. Or if split white(and purple), can be used for purple pied breeding.. can use a purple daughter with white flights for that.

 

[deerman]

Yes split birds are worth more than nonsplit IMO. Keep in mind all the purple from him will be females, so you can sex them at hatching time.

If you mate the purple to one of the males split purple, then you can hatch a purple male.

Glad you are hatching some chicks.

 

[Pavo Royale]

Thanks. Kev, you helped me tremendoulsy to understand the genetics. Most of us who love peafowl cannot have nearly as many as we want. I am maxed out at four. So, this pair has proven to be about the best combination that I can hope for. I am planning on mating my yearling purple female to her dad in hopes of getting a purple male. Then, I guess someone will have to move out.