PURPLE hen???

[watchdogps]

Ok, not really purple, but one of the hens I got the other day is basically black (mixed breed, not sure what) but in the light a lot of her feathers have a distinct violet sheen to them. Very pretty. There are a few with green iridescence as well, but most of the ones across her back are this violet color. Any thoughts?

 

[ChicKat]

Hi watchdog,

seems I remember hearing that Australorps have a green and purple sheen to black feathers.

 

[Debbi]

Over melanized.

 

[Blue]

Many black birds have a sheen to their feathers that will make them appear green, blue, or purple. I have a black Ameraucana hen that also has the purple sheen and a black/gold cross rooster that has a very green sheen to his feathers. It's an iridescent coating of the feathers that causes that effect, and the bird is still considered to be black, or as least those particular feathers are considered black (if the bird is parti/multi-colored).

 

[watchdogps]

Cool. I had seen the green before, but not the purple. She's the only one of this group like that, so it's earned her the name Violet and a free pass to avoid the freezer.

 

[silky_3699]

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yeah, mine have.

 

[Blue]

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I've seen the green much more often, too. I really like the feathers when they've got some kind of shine like that, whether it's green, purple, or blue. I think it just makes the birds that much nicer looking.

Of course, my Ameraucana hen is actually a bit bald and frazzled looking at the moment due to an overzealous rooster, so she's really a bit pathetic looking right now. I actually put her in with that rooster and his hens to get her and a couple other hens away from another rooster who I thought was being too rough. Then, the new guy decided she was his favorite.

 

[Nava]

I once a long time ago bought a turkey cause it had some purple feathers, since I had never seen one like that before.

come to find out later in life that it was blu-cote

I felt so Dumb

 

[AZBootsie]

I heard someone call that "Beetle Sheen". Nice term, because I knew exactly what they meant.

 

[Blue]

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lol! I guess that's one of those "Buyer Beware" lessons. I bought a "pullet" once that turned out to be a rooster.

Hopefully, my ability to sex chickens has improved since then.