Langshan Thread!!!

[plymouthrock20]

Forrest was working on the barreds. So I'm goin to get them goin again Langshans are our main breed. Goin to be working on large and bantam. Langshans have been a love of my wife and I for a long time. We would like to see them winin at shows all over and I mean grand champion that would be great and I know it will happen.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Is there any one out there working on the Barred Langshans? This wil be our first year.

Hello and welcome to the thread! Where abouts are you located?

Barring is a recessive trait and for some reason, seems to pop up when a black x white breeding occurs. Don't really know why that is, but I'm sure someone else can point it out. Forrest had birds that were cuckoo patterened hatch from his pure birds, no outcrossing to another breed happened with this. The same thing happened with his Minorcas.

There are several barred feathers still in the barns up here. I know the barn my birds are in was mainly used for his Langshan breeders, so several of these pens held barred Langshans at one point.

 

[BGMatt]

Very interesting about the barreds popping up from a black to white cross. I know back when I had whites and blacks and crossed them I ended up with both colors and a splash looking thing that I used to make blues (this was in the bantams if that matters). Do the large fowl work differently?

 

[PetRock]

BGMatt, I am planning on breeding blues. I was told that you get the best blues from breeding black with splash so my first breeding trio is going to be my best splash roo over 2 black pullets. Or, I might put my best black roo over the nicest of my splash pullets. It all depends on how many breeding pens that I can get my DH to build for me.

 

[PetRock]

Maybe I'll try my big white roo over my best black pullet to see if I'll get any barred birds!

 

[BGMatt]

I'd love to get some Black/Blue/Splash up I-5 here. I will have to talk to local chicken folk to see if any of them are planning CA trips soon since there seem to be quite a few breeders down that way now, or maybe some of the CA people will be heading this way for PNPA show in Oct, that used to be a pretty big show, not sure if it still is...or shipped chicks or started birds would be awesome too. Barreds would be stunning, but I'm hoping to concentrate on the recognized varieties first.

Still hoping these big white things in the brooder are Langshans. They're not feathered out like the other stuff in there, and I'd be more concerned but I miscounted weeks somehow, this weekend will mark 5 weeks.

Edit: You're right on the Splash x Black giving the best blues I have found that holds true in every breed I've ever tried. (and I sigh everytime my OEGB breeder buddy goes blue to blue and can't find out why his lacing isn't consistent, maybe he will listen this time.)

 

[thorleif]

Referring to your edit there. It is best with spash on blacks, but the blacks should come from blue parents, or?

 

[BGMatt]

Might be a better question for someone with more technical expertise on why, but anecdotally I never saw a ton of difference between splash to black from a blue breeding or splash to a regular black, I guess that could depend on breed and if there's anything hiding behind the black (probably explains the red that would sometimes creep into my blue OEG). I do have to admit on breeds where I bred both Blue and Black I never cared where the Blacks came from even when breeding Black to Black.

Edit: I always hit "Post" too quickly. Anyway the main benefit I always saw from Splash to Black (regardless of Black origin) was clean and consistent patterns. More consistent lacing, less splotchy blue, cleaner blue, and less variance in shade from bird to bird from the same breeding.

 

[PetRock]

Dirt Farmer, I just contacted the breeder who you got your roo from! I'm so excited!

He does ship eggs and I'm going to order some from him as soon as his hens up their laying. He has been breeding them for 40 years and started with Murray McMurray and Takahasi blood and one male from Tommy Stanley 35 yrs. ago.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Maybe I'll try my big white roo over my best black pullet to see if I'll get any barred birds!

My lines were pure, so it's entirely possible that it is lurking there in the genes!

As for the blue discussion, this has been my experience:

Black x blue- I've noticed this results in the more evenly colored birds. The birds overall have a darker blue appearance and the lacing doesn't quite stand out like I would like. If you use this breeding, be prepared to use a blue x blue to lighten the main color of the feathers.

Blue x Blue- This can be hit or miss. The feather color will be even, but it could be a darker blue or a lighter blue. The lacing tends to wash out with these, so if you are having an issue with lacing, breed to a black bird to get a darker lacing.

Black x Splash- This has produced the best for me thus far. The black for some reason really seems to help darken the main feather color and the splash keeps it light enough that it's not too dark. The lacing is fantastic so far.

Blue x Splash- I have not done this cross as of yet, but am hoping to later on down the road.

Splash x Splash- This will not produce blue. As you breed, from what I have heard, the splash color gets lighter and lighter. There will be more and more white on the birds. I don't know how this will affect the splash x black breeding


Now, as to the black coming from a blue x blue or black x blue breeding, I haven't found anything to support this yet. Overall, the feather width is not as wide as the feathers on a black bird. Supposedly, the feather quality is not the same either. Blue feathers do not "stick" together as well as black feathers. They look frayed instead of nice and smooth. This could transfer to your blacks should you use these blacks from a blue breeding into your other stock.