Self Blue (Lavender) Silkie Thread

[catwalk]

Birds carrying one lavender gene will not be apparent. It is a recessive gene. Think of it like putting a regular light bulb into a three-wat socket. One click (gene) will not turn on the light, but two clicks (genes) will. Therefore, lav split will not LOOK like it's carrying the gene. I have two black Silkies that are split for lavender, but even though I know it, I can't tell.

 

[Brody's Broodello]

Quote:
Exactly! That was my point when I posted the pics, I know the background because I bred the birds. But it has been my experience, with my stock, that the Split Lavs, that do and will, produce the Lavender color, have chipmunk stripes when born, then molt out to Blue or Black or Splash etc. The Split/Blues that I have, have gone on to molt lighter as they aged. The color on them is not a true Blue, in the normal sense, and can easily be seen when put next to a "regular" blue. I think the key for people to understand is exactly like Sonoran said:

"Lavender is a recessive gene, and it is not leaky--if a bird carries one copy (split), you will only know it from breeding records, not from appearance. If you breed splits back to their lavender parent or to each other you will get some who are lavender. However, that does not turn OFF other colours genetically present--blues and splash will still have the characteristics of blue or splash; appearance will be closer to blue or splash than to lavender."

This exactly explains the "purple tinge" hen and others that I have in my breeder pens.

Thank you Suze for putting this out in such and easy way for others to understand, you explained it much easier than I have been able to.

 

[Sissy]

This has been a very interesting thread.
I just stumbled on to,
I have a black hen n black roo, But I have to look closer
and see if they may be blu. they are 4 months old.

 

[Brody's Broodello]

Quote:
Check the under color, especially near their bottoms.

 

[TurtleFeathers]

I was hoping one of you would chime in on this thread - anything I know about genetics tells me that lavender does NOT leak, but *I* didn't want to be the first to say so...

Loved the description comparing it to a lightbulb!!! PERFECT!!!

But can someone tell me the purpose behind mixing lavender and blue? I would think that would muddy the waters for BOTH colors, wouldn't it? Or is there something about enhancement that I'm not aware of?

 

[bacres]

Quote:
See I also thought that it would mess up your blue coloring but from what I am hearing it shall not mess up the colors B/B/S just make splits that look exactly like a B/B/S? Is this correct?

 

[josh44]

Is't Lavender considerd another shade of Blue ???
How Do you enter them at shows.

Thanks BYC

 

[Brody's Broodello]

If it's Lavender you enter it as that, if it's blue you enter it as Blue.

 

[trisha19]

Is it just personal peference what to breed lavender to? Like I hear alot of people say to only breed a lav. to blk, and not to breed the lav to blue or splash. I just picked up my lav. chicks today and the breeder went threw and showed me all the birds they had there and knew what every silkie was color wise (or split with.) So interesting all the differant shades they are working with. My plan was to get some blk lav splits to mix the lines.

 

[bacres]

Quote:
Did he breed blue and splash to his lavenders? What other colors did he breed to his lavenders?