Self Blue (Lavender) Silkie Thread

[keesmom]

If the bird is a pure lavender you can tell with the wing shafts. The shaft on the top (upper side) of the wing will be light and the shaft on the bottom (under side) of the wing will be darker. That will not be true in a blue or splash, or in a blue lavender or splash lavender. There is no way to tell if any bird (blue, black or splash) carries lavender other than a test mating.

 

[suebee]

I just don't know. I have a splash...pure splash, that has light on bottom shaft, dark on the top shaft of feathers. I'd like to see pics of comparison. And not the feather pic someone else posted with the print overlay, but side to side pic of shafts from a blue, a splash, and a lavender.
There are so many people selling so called lavender eggs and birds, when actually they're just splash but in a certain light they take on a purple hue. Like Bren & Co. says...you have to know the history. Many people selling these "so called" lavenders are just either uneducated to the actual genetics or just plain greedy. I see these auctions for "lavender splits" all the time....can you really trust what the seller is telling you? Comments Anyone?

 

[robin416]

Quote:
All I can tell you is know your breeder. There are very few that I would get lavender birds from because of the exact thing you're talking about.

 

[Elite Silkies]

Quote:
Well, really...... all I can say and know for sure, is that I know who to buy my birds from, so I don't have any worries. Yes, I know that a True lavender carries 2 copies. I also know that it doesn't matter what color to breed in the background, you can eventually get Lavender. Some colors are just harder to work with than others.

 

[robin416]

That is true, but its a heck of a lot easier to do if they are crossed with black if you need to improve type and feathers, etc.

But that comment was for suebee, she asked how do you know who to buy from since everybody and his neighbor is advertising lavender birds.

 

[keesmom]

Quote:
All I can tell you is know your breeder. There are very few that I would get lavender birds from because of the exact thing you're talking about.

Very true. Also some do have blue in their lavender line, and if you want pure lavender that is something to avoid.

 

[trisha19]

Personal opinion from me only get them from someone who you can trust and have been working on the lavender lines for awhile, and know what is behind thier lines. I was very upset to have 2 of mine turning out with splash marking's.( I would have been fine if I were told they could possibly have splash in the linesit wouldn't have been such a shock) I don't show my birds but when I want something I get it. I have limited space and now have to make another pen to put these 2 together and work on them and watch their offspring grow until I am satisfied with the results. I am an honest person and would never sell any thing that I am not sure of. Luckily I have 5 other lavenders that are from differant breeding lines.

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:
well I often sell my splits but I let peoiple know there is a 50/50 chance that they are infact carrying the gene and that only breeding will tell them for sure. I think if the seller is honest about the splits it is fine but to act like they all have the gene is wrong unless you have bred and can say for sure.

 

[BetsyOK]

If you breed a pure, true lavender with another colored bird, the offspring (lavender splits) WILL carry the lavender gene, but it will be recessive and not expressed. I don't understand how lavender splits can NOT carry the gene. Maybe I'm missing something here.

 

[robin416]

They can carry the gene. Where it gets complicated is using blue or splash. The colors are so close to lavender in color its very hard to tell them apart. Then when it comes to breeding for lavender you're working in the dark for which bird to breed to which.

I'm a little better at examples. I have lavenders and I have a split black. If I use that split black with my lavenders there will be no question at hatch which is lavender and which isn't. But if you use blue or splash you would just be guessing and you have a 50/50 chance of being wrong.