Lavender Orpington project ....

[gavinandallison]

Lavender chicks:

the black chicks are now starting to lighten out........

 

[hinkjc]

Quote:
I believe it is due to the soft feathering of the orpington more than the gene itself. Although the gene does complicate matters. I am also breeding large fowl lavender araucana and am not seeing this issue on them. I think this is because they have harder feathering. There isn't much available on the lav gene except that this is a known problem. In my personal experience, I find it more closely linked to softness or hardness of plumage, but I guess ongoing breeding will determine if it is something we can improve.

 

[syble]

Quote:
I believe it is due to the soft feathering of the orpington more than the gene itself. Although the gene does complicate matters. I am also breeding large fowl lavender araucana and am not seeing this issue on them. I think this is because they have harder feathering. There isn't much available on the lav gene except that this is a known problem. In my personal experience, I find it more closely linked to softness or hardness of plumage, but I guess ongoing breeding will determine if it is something we can improve.

I wonder if there is a way to breed for harder feathers in orps without loosing the basic orp feature, to get a harder feather with out getting tight feathering or if it all goes together?
Thanks
Sib

 

[lildinkem]

Quote:
These guys are drop dead georgous!!

Thank you TNBARNQUEEN! We have about 10 eggs needing to hit the bator. I know fertility is positive. So, I am making room today and unleashing foamy bator#7. Hope to finally being making some real Lavs. Don't want to have to go thru what I did like last year here.

 

[onthespot]

Lavender does cause those properties in the feathers. I would just concentrate on overall bird quality, size and combs, large feet, larger head, bigger eyes, dark pigment, and not worry about what lavender does to feathers. No matter how many hundred times you outcross to black, when you get lavender, you get those type feathers. Breed for the best, strongest, prettiest birds that are good layers of big, strong eggs, and you will be miles ahead of someone trying to improve on a built in flaw to lavender feathers itself.

This is my roo for improving my lavs this year. Currently on the injured list, so he will have to wait a bit.

 

[TNBarnQueen]

I have chickies zipping!!!!

Pictures to come!!! Anyone else hatching tonight/today?? These where actually suppose to hatch tomorrow...guess they are impatient...Like me

 

[TNBarnQueen]

Finally! 10 chicks down....3 to go..

The count so far is 5 Lavenders and 5 black splits. But what a noisy bunch!! Pics to come later!

 

[hinkjc]

Congrats!

 

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
What does this mean?

I was going to read all the postings again but don't have the time.


If I breed my one blue from Alabama to the black I got from hinkjc, will that be a problem? Provided they are not all the same sex of course.


All chicks are doing well by the way, but I'm concerned about the lavs as they seem more jumpy than the others. Is this a character flaw. Are they less docile or do I have to beat them?

 

[syble]

you breed blue to black and splash and get varying amounts of blue offspring. even when you breed blue to blue, you'll still get the other 2 colors, where as if you breed lavender to lavender, you get 100% lavender chicks
Sib