Iowa Blues - Breed thread and discussion

[mrandmrschicken]

Would "slate gray" be too difficult to interpret? We all know slate comes in a variety of colors and could allow that all needed wiggle room by a judge. Or would it allow for the possibility of too much variance between breeders as well? I like the word myself, but have the disadvantage of being able to pick up a grown bird and look at it. Chalkboard slate is the color I think of. My wife thinks of soapstone? Go figure!

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

The difficult thing with the APA and ABA is that they have a tendency to go off of precidence. Meaning, if a breed introduces a new variety, than any breed coming along later with a variety similar to that already accepted standard will be expected to conform to that standard as much as possible. The arguement is that it makes it easier to judge when breeds have some sense of conformity in variety color, and aids in despelling confusion. So with that in mind, unless our color is completely different from all other varieties, we will be unable to designate a new color name for the variety. If a color fits within a "family" of colors, then we will be required to call our standard by a color name from within that family as is already designated by the APA / ABA. In this case we've Birchen or Grey to choose from. We are given wiggle room in how we exactly define that color within our breed. We see this in the Silver Penciled variety of the Iowa Blue. In this case we called them by the Standard name that they most closely resembled and were clearly of the same "family" and then we altered that Standard to reflect the appearence of our birds. Whiter heads, stippling, shafting, whiter hackles, blue sheen, etc.

Does that help?

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Good Suggestion though.......

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

Hey guys. What are your thoughts on starting a new thread for each of the Iowa Blue colors? The Silver Grey, Birchen/Grey, and the Silver Penciled? We would just discuss color specific information on each of those threads and them continue with this thread as far as breed discussion.

We are starting to have some good dialog on the Birchen /Grey conversation, however, I've got some very interesting and pertinent information about the Silver Penciled pattern that would help us to understand the particularities about the variety, but I don't want to steer the conversation away from the current topic as this is an important issue. If all seem open to this, would you be willing to jump start some threads for us Connie?

 

[Hurley]

I can do so, but not until later, got a pelvic fracture and a back surgery this afternoon as soon as I get the MRI results back.

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

I hope that's a pelvic gracture and back surgery on a pet and not on you!!!!

 

[karimw]

I'd prefer to keep the conversation here. This hasn't been the official club meeting place, so I don't think we need to be so official. Perhaps we do need to take this back to the Standard Committee on FB.

 

[karimw]

Thoughts? I would like to see the Standard reflect a bird closer to this bird of Kari's. Maybe not quite so white, but definately "greyer" than what we're currently seeing....


Thoughts?

I would much prefer a blacker bird.

This one is so light she is penned with the SPs, but now I think she is something else.

 

[ottbjumper06]

IMPO, I also think a blacker bird compliments the white head and lacing on the Birchen.

 

[IowaBlueCurt]

I agree that a blacker bird compliments the white head and lacing on the bird. However, is our goal to compliment the bird or restore the breed to it's original type? I think that is the question we as a club need to answer. The genetics of the original type are starting to reappear and we are starting to grasp an understanding of those genetics. If we solidify the phenotypically birchen bird which didn't exist in the original population, I'm concerned that we will not have enough support to maintain these re-emerging genetics of the original genepool.

The original stock threw brown mottled chicks that grew up a silver penciled pattern, pheasant chicks which grew up a silver grey pattern (which phenotypically is within the "silver penciled" family), and then an assortment of different colored chicks which we now know grew into a darker version of the silver penciled pattern. Something like the coloration of a Dark Grey Dorking.

Are we wanting to move, as a club, in the direction of the original type, or are we wanting to move in the opposite direction and maintain two distinctly different types of which only one type is true to the original population? If we want to move in the direction of restoring the original breed rhythm, now is the perfect time to transition the birchen into a lighter form of the Grey pattern. We wouldn't have to quit the Birchen altogether, but could mold them into the Greys.

Obviously I lean on the side of restoring the original type, however, I value the opinion of breeders who are on the otherside of this discussion! I think this is a great topic and helps us define where we are going as a club and where this breed is going in the future.