Random Color Breeding...or No?

[Jx2inNC]

If you intend to *possibly* have a little side pet project in letting certain chickens breed, are you doing yourself more of a disservice in letting mixed colors of the same breed mate?

I have three groups I have considered this with:

1) Cochins - two black hens, one silver pencilled hen, and one white frizzle rooster

2) Silkies - one black hen, one gray hen, one white rooster, one buff rooster

3) Old english - BBRed hen and I believe a Lavender male

I shouldn't have a problem getting rid of chicks I do not want to keep, but is the likely outcome going to be, more likely than not, just scrambled colors that end up being no good to let breed later?
Can breeding different colors still allow for future same color breeding later, or will there be other colors popping up all throughout in later generations?

I've meant to do more research on this, and will, but trying to sort out in my mind a plan for new acquisitions and sales of current birds possibly...since Spring will be here before you know it!
I also thought some Cochin, Silkie and Old English "experts" might have some specific experience/advice.

Thanks in advance!

 

[catwalk]

Do some research on Seramas; they are just starting to be color bred. You'll find some very beautiful yet indescribable color combinations in these birds. Once the genes are shuffled well enough, you can get some amazing birds. One would need a lot of genetic knowedge and quite a bit of luck to sort these genes back out again, but I believe that the crazy colors are more marketable than the "normal" colored ones.

 

[Pyncheon guy]

The only combo breeding that I can see from your list that "may" produce a recognized/showable color would be the White X Black....I don't see much from your list that could be crossed and produce offspring with color(s) that could be bred from in future matings.

 

[Jx2inNC]

Thanks, I will do that!

Is it safe to assume then that if I wanted to continue a particular color in the future that the offspring of a mixes pair would be much less than ideal?

i.e. If I bred the white frizzle with the black hen and got a black frizzle...this bird in no way guarantees you an even sizable portion of 3rd gen black frizzles, etc?
If that makes sense at all...

 

[Jx2inNC]

Quote:
I appreciate the response.
So the black + white in silkie and cochin could produce something usable, but the rest will just be a mixture of mutt coloration for sure?

Had no clue if the white frizzle and the silver penciled could create a silver penciled frizzle at some point...or if the black silkie gene is more dominant over the buff...if the gray and white silkie could make a splash...etc. Still learning!

 

[Jx2inNC]

Oops, double post!

 

[Pyncheon guy]

Only the whites and black crosses "could" produce something useable in the future...color wise. Grey cross white will only produce mixed color ....I have Black, Blue, and Splash Silkies and use only this combo of compatible colors together....if I HAD to use black cross white...I would try it once and see what I got...... Silver Penciled on to anything else on your list will only give you "project" birds..... Good Luck with your projects.....hope this helps....?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
I disagre. Chances of breeding a white to a non-white and getting offspring that meet the standard for a colour is fairly slim at best.

 

[Pyncheon guy]

I know that....but with the colors this person has...white to black would be his "best" chance of producing something useable from his list of varieties.....and if you notice in my two posts I wrote "may"...or "could" produce something useable..............meaning...Not for sure.....no guarantee

 

[Jx2inNC]

Well it appears for serious breeding purposes I don't have much to work with until I acquire some mates!

If I breed the white frizzle with the black and silver penciled hens, at best will I get just a few frizzles in just grayish slurs of color? Hah.

I suppose for recreation it wouldn't hurt to let them hatch away as people down here will buy them for the heck of it, it seems.