Lavender question

[Irolita]

Last year I got some supposedly lavender Ameraucana hatching eggs. I was told that some of them could be black split to lavender. However, what I ended up with were 4 lavenders, 3 blues, 3 blacks, and a splash. My suspicion is that the seller's black rooster must have actually been black split to blue instead of pure black or black split to lavender.

I picked up some more lavender eggs this spring from a different seller, and these all turned out to be lavender. I'm not really clear on the genetics here, so bear with me Will the lavenders in the first batch carry any blue genes? Or can I use them to breed with the second batch? I know that you should not mix the two different types of black dilute. So I'm not planning on using any of the BBS Ameracaunas for anything other than maybe hatching some easter eggers.

Thanks for any help

 

[Slothinc]

Last year I got some supposedly lavender Ameraucana hatching eggs. I was told that some of them could be black split to lavender. However, what I ended up with were 4 lavenders, 3 blues, 3 blacks, and a splash. My suspicion is that the seller's black rooster must have actually been black split to blue instead of pure black or black split to lavender.

I picked up some more lavender eggs this spring from a different seller, and these all turned out to be lavender. I'm not really clear on the genetics here, so bear with me Will the lavenders in the first batch carry any blue genes? Or can I use them to breed with the second batch? I know that you should not mix the two different types of black dilute. So I'm not planning on using any of the BBS Ameracaunas for anything other than maybe hatching some easter eggers.

Thanks for any help

If there were splash in the first batch, that means both parents were blue or splash. The black rooster cant be split to blue (because if they carry the gene for blue, then they are blue), but it is possible he is a very dark blue that looks black. Is it possible that the breeder had two pens? And either accidentally or as extras sent you some from the BBS pen? If not, then the “black” roo is blue carrying lavender, and the moms are all either black, blue, (possibly even splash which would be crazy in a lavender pen), or lavender (which could have been diluted black or blue or even splash, but you would probably be able to tell if they were diluted splash)

Long story short, if those eggs were truly all from the same pen, then yes, among the lavenders they each have at least 50/50 chance of having the blue gene. If you want, there is a genetic test for blue through the silkie lab, so you could test some of them if you want to incorporate into your other flock.

There may be no guarantees that your other lavender chicks aren’t blue also though. It is likely that they came from a flock with a lavender roo and lavender hens, so it is hard to know for sure. But if they are a conscientious breeder then maybe they have taken steps to ensure that they only have black in their lavender lines.

 

[NatJ]

If you want, there is a genetic test for blue through the silkie lab, so you could test some of them if you want to incorporate into your other flock.

^ This is definitely one option.


Another way to test the lavenders:
Breed a lavender to a chicken that is known to be black.
If any blue chicks are produced, the lavender has the blue gene.
If you hatch more than about 7 chicks and get only blacks, the lavender is probably not carrying the blue gene.

From this test, all black chicks are black split to lavender, and can be used in a lavender breeding program. Any blue or splash chicks will be carrying lavender, so they are not welcome in a breeding program for blues (because they carry lavender) or for lavenders (because they are blue or splash.)

That's assuming you don't get a "blue" that is so dark it looks black. That's unlikely but not impossible. It can be tested by breeding a splash to the "black." If all chicks are blue, the "black" is really black. If any chicks are splash, the "black" is actually a dark blue.

 

[Slothinc]

^ This is definitely one option.


Another way to test the lavenders:
Breed a lavender to a chicken that is known to be black.
If any blue chicks are produced, the lavender has the blue gene.
If you hatch more than about 7 chicks and get only blacks, the lavender is probably not carrying the blue gene.

From this test, all black chicks are black split to lavender, and can be used in a lavender breeding program. Any blue or splash chicks will be carrying lavender, so they are not welcome in a breeding program for blues (because they carry lavender) or for lavenders (because they are blue or splash.)

That's assuming you don't get a "blue" that is so dark it looks black. That's unlikely but not impossible. It can be tested by breeding a splash to the "black." If all chicks are blue, the "black" is really black. If any chicks are splash, the "black" is actually a dark blue.

Absolutely, I completely forgot to mention the test breeding as an option!! It will take a little longer, and you will have to keep close track of which eggs came from which birds, but it would be cheaper than genetically testing each bird!

I have a mess of black/blue/lavender birds right now that I am trying to get sorted out - it is amazing how difficult it is to do so. I am to the point now that I only keep birds that look very black, and also lavenders. Once I get enough lavenders, I will do test breeding to ensure that I don’t keep blues.

 

[NatJ]

Absolutely, I completely forgot to mention the test breeding as an option!! It will take a little longer, and you will have to keep close track of which eggs came from which birds, but it would be cheaper than genetically testing each bird!

It's a good question which one is cheaper.

If you already have adult chickens and an incubator, the test mating is probably cheaper.

If you have just-hatched chicks, it might be cheaper to pay for genetic testing rather than paying for feed and providing housing & care while you wait for them to grow up enough for test mating.

There might be cases when a bit of both makes sense. For example, a genetic test for one or two birds that look black, to be sure they really are black and not dark blues, then use them for test-mating with lavenders.

I have a mess of black/blue/lavender birds right now that I am trying to get sorted out - it is amazing how difficult it is to do so. I am to the point now that I only keep birds that look very black, and also lavenders. Once I get enough lavenders, I will do test breeding to ensure that I don’t keep blues.

Good luck! That does sound like a big project!

 

[Irolita]

There may be no guarantees that your other lavender chicks aren’t blue also though. It is likely that they came from a flock with a lavender roo and lavender hens, so it is hard to know for sure.

The second seller has only lavender. She doesn't have any black or any other colour at all. She seemed to think it was very risky to add black. So although I can't be certain, I suspect the second batch should be okay. Fingers crossed!

 

[Irolita]

If there were splash in the first batch, that means both parents were blue or splash.

Oh. Right! Of course. I should have realized that. I wish I knew more about her pens. She basically ghosted me after I emailed her to let her know that some of them hatched out as BBS. I was polite about it, I swear

 

[Irolita]

^ This is definitely one option.


Another way to test the lavenders:
Breed a lavender to a chicken that is known to be black.
If any blue chicks are produced, the lavender has the blue gene.
If you hatch more than about 7 chicks and get only blacks, the lavender is probably not carrying the blue gene.

From this test, all black chicks are black split to lavender, and can be used in a lavender breeding program. Any blue or splash chicks will be carrying lavender, so they are not welcome in a breeding program for blues (because they carry lavender) or for lavenders (because they are blue or splash.)

That's assuming you don't get a "blue" that is so dark it looks black. That's unlikely but not impossible. It can be tested by breeding a splash to the "black." If all chicks are blue, the "black" is really black. If any chicks are splash, the "black" is actually a dark blue.

Okay, I think I will just try the test breeding method. I've already spent a lot just on hatching eggs. Thank you for explaining it.