Splash breeders, any breed

[halo]

Is there anyone breeding strictly splash (of any breed). If so, have you gotten down to a second or third generation, and if so, does the color change, or does splash just stay splash? Do you lose the blue feathers? Do you ever have to cross back with another color to keep the splash looking splash?

 

[MissPrissy]

I do have a splash pen. I have a splash orpington cockeral with blue and splash pullets.

Just a refresher - Blue is a dilution of the black gene and as a result blue, black or splash can hatch from the pairings (unless you have an exclusive splash pen as you are suggesting).

Blue x Blue = 25% Black (no blue gene) 50% Blue (one blue gene) 25% splash (two blue genes).

Black x Blue = 50% Black and 50% Blue

Black x Splash = 100% Blue

Blue x Splash = 50% Blue and 50% Splash

Splash x Splash = 100% Splash

Everything I have read (in books about Orpingtons) is that you need, as breeder, to keep some black introduced into your breeding lines to keep the blue color strong and with good lacing. I have to presume in working with the splash orpingtons as there is no standard of perfection that it would benefit the coloration to periodically introduce black into your breeding lines for the same purposes - to keep good color.

 

[tadkerson]

Quote:
I do not breed splash and I have never seen any research that would indicate any changes over time in the biochemistry behind the splash color. The splash gene will not change how it works over time.

The genetic make up of a flock can change over time. If every one of the birds you are breeding have the same genes then you should not see any changes. If some of the birds are not pure for certain genes, then what happens is called segregation. The genes that do not make a bird splash can segregate into specific birds and you may get birds that contain red, lemon or straw coloring mixed in with the splash. If recessive white is carried by a male and a female, you may get white sports; this is another example of segregation.

A person would breed to a black to establish the pure genes so segregation does not occur in the future.

Tim

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I had a Splash Orp pen started but changed my mine to work with something else.

 

[The Farmers Wife]

I have Blue Splash Marans.................I have not seen weakening in color over time...........I do only hatch the darkest eggs to improve egg color and keep only the birds that have the deep colored splashes that I like and the heavy feathering on their shanks... but I don't breed blacks or blues into them........

 

[halo]

This is interesting stuff. Im going to be making a pen with a splash plymouth rock roo and some splash plymouth rock hens. Both were the product of blue x blue. Thats why I was wondering if a second or third generation would change into maybe the bird being completely white without the blue feathers. If introducing black, that would result in blue birds, and Im not sure how that would help the splash coloring.

I am growing out some blue plymouth rock chicks that are a cross of a blue roo and barred hens, and the lacing is just gorgeous. I was thinking it was the barring gene doing that, but perhaps it is indeed the black from the barred hens. Im also going to put my splash roo in with some barred hens to see what coloring I get; obviously I know I will get all blue, but I want to see if the splash will give a light blue and the barred hens contribute the lacing.

 

[BamaChicken]

I did have a completely splash silkie pen and the color was the same in the chicks but I haven't done a second generation.