Iridescent feathers

[ElizaMay]

Newly mature cockerel. Looking pretty good!

He would look great in my barn lolol!!
Well done.

 

[raingarden]

Man, those are good-looking birds.

I have trouble visualizing this, but read that the iridesence comes from layers of bubbles in the feathers. Light that reflects off the front exterior surface of the bubble looks different than light reflecting off the rear interior.surface of the bubble. Must be sort of like a prism.

 

[ElizaMay]

I wonder if hens (both iridescent and non) find this plumage more attractive than a black male without, since showy feathers were originally evolved for attraction?

 

[nicalandia]

Amazing Job, and here I thought that only Bekicem(Bekisar Cemani) were as Irisescent

Here are a few that I was able to find

Your birds look amazing

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

Man, those are good-looking birds.

I have trouble visualizing this, but read that the iridesence comes from layers of bubbles in the feathers. Light that reflects off the front exterior surface of the bubble looks different than light reflecting off the rear interior.surface of the bubble. Must be sort of like a prism.

I guess the way to visualize it is think of white light split by a prism…Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet. Although they are mixed together they all travel in the same space as waives and each color has a different waive length. Most of those light waives travel through the bubbles and are absorbed by the black melanin rodules but the wavelengths that are twice the distance of the diameter of the bubbles get interrupted and reflected back. That’s the main theory anyway (it definitely applies to many types of iridescence) but there’s also something called Thin Layer Interference which is more like gasoline floating on water that actually seems to match the color shifts in these birds more than the old ROYGBIV range.

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

Amazing Job, and here I thought that only Bekicem(Bekisar Cemani) were as Irisescent

Here are a few that I was able to find

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Your birds look amazing

That’s what I’m trying to replicate but without any Green Jungle Fowl DNA they are fully fertile and much easier to keep and raise in captivity. Here are two of my most recent favorite Bekisar photos:

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

I wonder if hens (both iridescent and non) find this plumage more attractive than a black male without, since showy feathers were originally evolved for attraction?

Good question! Shiny feathers should be an indicator of health. I sure hope that’s right because I’m hoping that by focusing on iridescent color I won’t be inadvertently selecting away from healthy characteristics. Hopefully the resulting birds are either as fit as regular chickens or maybe even superior in health.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Good question! Shiny feathers should be an indicator of health. I sure hope that’s right because I’m hoping that by focusing on iridescent color I won’t be inadvertently selecting away from healthy characteristics. Hopefully the resulting birds are either as fit as regular chickens or maybe even superior in health.

If you ever start selling, especially over statelines, make sure to let us know

 

[nicalandia]

That’s what I’m trying to replicate but without any Green Jungle Fowl DNA they are fully fertile and much easier to keep and raise in captivity.

In Indonesia Bekisar are kept in captivity just fine. Also Bekisar can be stabilized as a breed, thats my goal

 

[nicalandia]

I was able to find a scan of an old Ayam Bekisar breeding book(in Indonesian) that depicts the possible crosses.

The terms on that chart(from left to right)

Skema Persilangan Ayam Hutan Dan Ayam Kampung: Crossing Scheme of Jungle Fowl and Village Chicken

Ayam Kampung: Village Chicken/Domestic Chicken

Ayam Hutan: Ayam Hutan Hijau/Green Junglefowl

Bekisar: Ayam Bekisar/F1 hybrid of Green Junglefowl/Domestic Chicken

Bekikuk: Ayam Bekikuk/ First Backcross to domestic chicken

Bekisar Halus: Ayam Bekilus/ Fist Backcross to Green Junglefowl

Bekisar Super: Ayam Bekiper/ Second Backcross to Green Junglefowl

Mandul: Indonesian word for Sterile
Darah Baru: Indonesian word for New Blood