Lavender Orpington project ....

[HallFamilyFarm]

I am working on my lavender pen and while reading through some of these posts it is mentioned to breed back to a PURE black orpington for type. Where do ya'll find pure black ones? Many I have seen are from BBS orp pens. I don't want any hidden genes to deal with and I suppose that is why pure is recommended but where to find them? Thanks.

A Black from a BBS mating would be "pure" Black. If it had a blue gene, it would be Blue or splash. Just make certain its type is good. No use breeding to a poor type black.

 

[Hennyhandler]

Does BBS for orpingtons work differently than it does for silkies? I know that blue and blue can produce a percentage of blacks and a blue and blue could produce some blacks. So would they not have the genes for blue also? I am not sure I understand. Thanks.

 

[OSUman]

No, a black bird cannot carry the blue gene, Blue birds come from a single Bl dilution on an Black bird, if the bird has two Bl dilutions then it is a splash, so if the bird has the Bl gene then it will be shown through the feathering, unless the bird has another gene covering it up such as the white gene, but that is something else.

Does BBS for orpingtons work differently than it does for silkies? I know that blue and blue can produce a percentage of blacks and a blue and blue could produce some blacks. So would they not have the genes for blue also? I am not sure I understand. Thanks.

 

[Hennyhandler]

Oh okay, thank you for explaining.

 

[Hennyhandler]

Well, I think the experts (one of which I am not) would say that it is best to breed lavender roosters to black hens because the offspring seem to get more of their type from their mother; however, since you already have a black roo that appears to be pretty nice stock, i would say breed him to your lavender hens and see what you get. After all, it seems that you would get some improvement from the cross and you already have the rooster. You just may have more culls. Ok that is just my honest opinion. Maybe one of the experts on her will chime in.

Since the mother provides the type and I have a lavender roo it seems it would be best to get black hens instead of getting a black roo. But the thing is the black roo would be easier to keep compared to lots of black hens on top of lavender hens. So that is why I am asking how many black hens would you recommend there need to be? I hope this makes sense.

 

[jeremy]

Since the mother provides the type and I have a lavender roo it seems it would be best to get black hens instead of getting a black roo. But the thing is the black roo would be easier to keep compared to lots of black hens on top of lavender hens. So that is why I am asking how many black hens would you recommend there need to be? I hope this makes sense.

Some believe this to be true... in my experience the roo lends just as much to type as the hens do.

My advice would be to use your Lav roo over Black hens, hatch lots of chicks and grow them out, keep the F1 roo with the best type and as many of the F1 pullets you can manage. From there breed these birds together. You can cull your original Lavender roo, as you no longer need him. You have the Lav gene in your F1 offspring so that is all you need from their sire.

Breeding F1 X F1 will produce a number of visibly Lavender chicks. Again, hatch as many chicks as you can possibly manage from the F1 X F1 breeding, grow them out and keep those with the best type. Also of the visibly Lavender chicks keep those with the best feather quality.

At this point I would select a F2 Lavender roo with the best type and best feather quality, if you have more than one great keep as many as you can manage, and breed him back to the original Black hens that you used, assuming that they still have superior type to your other F1 or F2 birds. At this point you're starting the described process above all over again.

Over time with each generation you should see improvement in both type and feather quality. Producing quality Lavender birds will take time, patience and a heavy hand when culling but if you're committed the project the resulting birds have the potential to be very beautiful.

 

[Hennyhandler]

Thank you! This is exactly what I needed.

 

[jeremy]

Thank you! This is exactly what I needed.

You're welcome, good luck!

 

[Sharon2012]

My chicken babies were born in June and today was the first time the male attempted to crow. It came out sounding like someone growling loudly for help. Are my babies a little slow? They haven't laid and he is only now trying to crow. He's a beautiful big male with the prettiest bright red comb and wattle.

 

[gfvanvleck]

I am just wanting to start with Lavender Orpingtons and really no nothing about them.
If I purchase Lavenders will the eggs be fertile, will the young be lavender or do you have to breed black back into them. Any help would be great.
Thank you