Red Laced Cornish X and project talk (pics p. 8)

[SteveH]

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Congrats Pepper .

 

[SteveH]

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There is only one feathering red with blue trim ; it was hatched as what I called a blue chocolate and currently feathering red with blue patterned wings . I'll see if I can get a pic tomorrow . There are three hatched and feathering colored like Speckled Sussex chicks [ born striped then feathering deep red with spangles ] , but I believe they will loose the spangling with adult feathering unless the white Ameraucana was carrying that gene [ amoung many others LOL ] under his white . I'm learning that many recessive traits are visible on chicks but become masked as they mature . The big white Ameraucana X CX chick hatched in Nov was hatched with yellow legs , then they turned willow green , and now pale slate colored ; and it's originally yellow beak is more of a pale horn color now .

Someday I need to get a picture of that white Ameraucana X EE chick . It was hatched as a typical brown chipmonk patterned EE , started out feathering white with some blue and gold trim , and now kind of apricot bodied with blue neck , tail , and wing feathers . Unfortunately it has the small , light body typical of Ameraucana and most EEs that I'm trying to change .

ETA: I weighed the chicks today at 2 and 1/2 weeks ; the CX crosses average 11.25 oz , the others average 6.5 oz . I weighed them in groups so didn't get individual weights with highs and lows . They're on an 18% grower crumble but lately they get a scrambled egg and some salad greens tossed in as treats .

 

[SteveH]

Since I can't sleep , I snapped a picture of the chicks LOL .
The one in the center has blue down with red wings tipped in dark blue on the ends . The striped head looking up is typical Speckled Sussex color , though the white tips on its wings and little back feathers are hard to see , and you can't see the deep red breast feathers on either side of the very light tan down running down its chest .

You can see the white tips at the end of the black tipped feathers a little bit here inspite of the flash glare . One looks to be clean faced , a result of the Ameraucana having only one copy for muffs and beard . I've been blessed with most of them showing muffs as only half should be by the laws of average . If I wanted to develope red spangled Ameraucanas and if this one is male , I could use him over the Speckled Sussex hens and should get 50% that would be pea combed , muffed , and probably pretty close to the Ameraucana standard but with a red spangled pattern ...................... though it would take a few generations of selective breeding for them to breed true .

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

great weights on the CXX!
You definately have some blues in there, will be cool to watch them grow out. I don't know if you remember those black chicks I got out of my Royals; I was thinking they might feather into blue and you were thinking the black was dominant. They're all feathered out now, you were right no blue, however most of them have red or gold "lacing" and red or gold "leakage" on black birds . . . they sort of look Birchen. I'm hoping that that means the black is weak and not totally dominant as I want to use one of these roos but don't want all black chicks in a few years.
Speaking about dominant muffs; my Super Layers which are essentially RIR X WLH then X Buff AM are all buff/bearded/muffed, some I thought would be lacking muffs but they eventually grew in.

 

[knjinnm]

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I'm still catching up on this thread soo bare with me,

Has there been any discussion about crossing a Shamo onto project CX's to stretch the legs a bit?
Joe

 

[SteveH]

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Ideally , all Ameraucanas are pure [ carrying two copies of ] for two different incomplete dominate genes ; pea combs , and muffs/beards ............... plus the complete dominate gene for blue/green eggs . However , I know for certain that not all Ameraucanas are pure for these traits LOL . Your Buff Ameraucana most probably is ; therefore every F1 chick he sires off your RIR X LH hens will get one copy each for those traits and be pea combed [ though sometimes a little sloppy or oversized ] , muffed/bearded , and produce blue or green eggs . When mated with each other , the recessive traits for single combs , clean faces , and non-blue eggs the F1s are carrying will start to crop out ; but they also will produce some that are pure for those traits . Selecting for pea combs in the F2 generation increases the odds they are carrying the gene for blue/green eggs , as those two genes fall close together on the sequence ............................... so its more likely if they got at least one gene for pea combs , they also got at least one for blue/green eggs . Ameraucana breeders do not select for the tight , well defined pea combs and exceptionally full , heavy muffs and beards just because they like the look ; because of the fact they're incomplete dominates , a fuller muff/beard and neater pea comb often indicates the bird is pure for those traits while lesser quality combs and thin muffs/beards are indicaters it may be carrying only one copy .

you were right no blue, however most of them have red or gold "lacing" and red or gold "leakage" on black birds . . . they sort of look Birchen.

I think many Black Ameraucana are based on birchen with the " extended black " melanizer gene used to get a solid black feathered bird . As soon as you cross to a bird not carrying the extended black gene , red or gold starts bleeding through on the shoulders , wing bands , and neck/head ............... especially on males , due to their sexlinked vivid color patterns . Blue , in Ameraucanas , is not truely a color in itself ; its an incomplete dominate dilutant that dilutes only black . The Lavenders being developed in Ameraucanas is the result of a recessive dilutant being bred into the blacks ................................. but it also dilutes other colors and makes some beautifful birds on red/black patterned varieties .​

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

as we know I'm not very sharp at following the gene stuff, but for conversation sake let me add this:
RIRXWLH X BUFF AM (bought directly from John Blehm) = F1
F1 results:
all (males and females) - Buff, bearded, muffed, pinky/slate shanks (a few hens have yellowish toes), hens 50% sloppy pea combs & 50% sloppy straight combs, males all have large straight Combs. all have super friendly calmp personalities like the AM, laid earlier like the RIRXWLH but are laying only medium sized eggs (not happy with this). I have onlu kept this project going because I enjoy the personality of the roo so much; probably culling the project this year.

with the black (different project) you are right, the bleeding is much more prominant in the males.

 

[SteveH]

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If you're getting true single combs off this cross , it indicates your roo has only one copy for pea comb . However , if you see bumps on either side of what otherwise looks like a single comb , its actually a pea comb [ but a very poor one ] . Ameraucana are supposed to have white skin and slate to black colored shanks and feet ; they should not , but sometimes do , carry a gene for yellow skin [ another trait that I've been told is recessive ] . Yellow or green shanks and/or feet [ including the soles ] indicates your bird is carrying the yellow gene . As far as egg size , they may get larger in the second year of laying . I know that Buff Orpingtons were used to develope the Buff Ameraucanas , but John also used Buff Polish on his line in an attempt to get darker shanks . I prefer the qualities the Buff Ameraucanas carry from their Orpington ancestors LOL .

Well , I have to quit procrastinating and process a pullet for my dogs ; I found her this afternoon dead and still limber in 5 degree temps . Looks like she stuck her head between a steel fence post and wire gate , then broke her neck trying to get out .
Stupid chicken .

Its too cold to dress her out there , guess I'll do it the bathtub where I can clean the mess up easier

 

[SteveH]

Still procrastinating

Katy , thought this might interest you .
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=438392
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=439985

 

[Illia]

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Y'know, I kinda figured she's been bidding because of that.

I'll say, I have been lurking on this thread and find it very educational and interesting, loving the pics. . . And I'd certainly love to help add to the collection of projects going around. I for one and certainly in the middle of this:

+

After these two join, I'll keep a barred pullet from them, who should lay decent brown eggs, and cross an Araucana to make sex-linked, green egg laying meat birds.

(the Araucana I chose over Ameraucanas for many reasons, and boy do I love going on about why I'm doing my projects. I'm getting very obsessed with meat bird projects and the genetics behind them!)