Splash Orp roo with red feathers??!!

[KKluckers]

Quote:
Its actually really common for blues to have the rust on them. Especially, if it is a blue to black and blue to blue breeding.

Does that make him also "tainted" for bbs breeding? Just curious...
I was actually hoping to cross my blue with buff first... not for the purpose of red though, because I saw these crazy blue/buff orps all bizarrely patterned, like half/half... I dunno, they were just awesome looking.. can't wait to try!
Here's one of his rusty spots
http://lh3.ggpht.com/bodyflight.net/SOuMJLDbj7I/AAAAAAAABO8/cB7k68Z94S8/s400/000_0107.jpg

Honestly, If you have something else for breeding I would use that. If not, just cull ruthlessly.

 

[DawnSuiter]

I rehomed my alternate just a week ago to byc member KingsCalls. I gave him the one with the good lacing, don't think there were any spots. Why? I dunno... I had a feeling that I should keep the one that was solid grey from the start... well... he's still useful and his baby girls will lay plenty of yummy eggs

Next season I will get two girls from the boy I gave to KC so it was still a good trade out.

Thanks for the tips

 

[Kev]

The red/"rust" is not a gene. He's not pure for the black and/or is missing the extra genes that help make for a solid bird. As a result, the red(or white if the bird is silver based) is 'leaking through'.

It's basically similar to the situation where a black bird is crossed to a non-black bird and the progeny hatch out and grow up black.. but show some leaking at maturity. Black star hens is a very good example of this.. and often roosters appear solid until they acquire the mature roo plumage, it often shows up first on the wings and seems to 'spread' to the saddles and possibly the hackles also.

It's not possible to progressively breed more red to make a wheaten.. Wheaten is a specific mutant gene. For all we know, this bird could be pure birchen but not pure for the extra genes that help make him solid black, so extra red selection still would only lead to birchen type birds with a lot more red.. "Black Copper" Marans are in reality a gold based birchen- without the extra genes necessary to make for a solid black chicken.

It's also often for the hens in a 'genetically impure for solid black' line to remain solid black, despite not having all the important genes.. while the males show it much more readily.

 

[DutchChic]

Quote:
LOL...I gave my alternate splash roo to my mother. I checked him Sunday while I was there and he has no red coming in....go figure! I was attached to my boy from the time I got him...the favorite out of the whole bunch.