Splash Orpington??

[speckledhen]

Also, where produces a splash? Is a splash a true breed just like lavender?

No. Splash is genetically a black bird who carries TWO blue genes. If you breed splash to splash, you will get a splash bird. If you breed splash to black you'll get all blues. Splash to blue gives you some splashes and some blues. I'm sure someone will put up the formula for breeding blues in a minute.

Blue is the gene you're working with. Blue fades out black. Blue is genetically a black bird with one blue gene. One more blue gene and you have splash. Some folks call it "blue splash" but that confuses me. It's blue or it's splash. Both are genetically black birds.

When you breed two blue birds, you can get blues, blacks or splashes. That's what I loved about the blues, the surprise of what the chicks were. There are all sorts of shades of blue as well, from very light to very dark, almost black. I love the blues. I have BBS Orps, Ameraucanas and Plymouth Rocks.

 

[keesmom]

No. Splash is genetically a black bird who carries TWO blue genes. If you breed splash to splash, you will get a splash bird. If you breed splash to black you'll get all blues. Splash to blue gives you some splashes and some blues. I'm sure someone will put up the formula for breeding blues in a minute.

Here is that formula

black x black = 100% black
black x blue = 50% black, 50% blue
black x splash = 100% blue
blue x blue = 25% black, 50% blue, 25% splash
blue x splash = 50% blue, 50% splash
splash x splash = 100% splash

Breeding splash x splash over a long period of time will wash out some of the "splashing", making the birds look more like whites.

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you, Cindy! I knew someone would be less lazy than I, LOL. Yes, breeding splash to splash will wash it out over time, but it does give you splash every time, which I guess is breeding true, so to speak, which I think is what she was asking about in comparison to lavenders.

I personally love blues, however, I'm not all that partial to most splash roosters. I like the ones who are not too black, but that is entirely personal preference. Cetawin's cockerel, Thor, out of my Suede, was one I liked quite a bit, but he died suddenly at only 10 months old so we never go to see him in his full glory.

 

[donrae]

Probably splash, just not as spotty. I've had a few guys like that, more of a solid color. I don't know if one is more "desirable", since splash isn't usually a recognized color, but at least he doesn't appear to have red leakage all over, so the breeder must have paid attention somewhere.

 

[speckledhen]

Probably splash, just not as spotty. I've had a few guys like that, more of a solid color. I don't know if one is more "desirable", since splash isn't usually a recognized color, but at least he doesn't appear to have red leakage all over, so the breeder must have paid attention somewhere.

They can get that sun bleaching/fading thing, then there is the red leakage. Suede would fade as he got closer to molt, then molt in those gorgeous blue fresh feathers again. Splashes are so variable, I'm not sure how they could ever come up with a standard for them, really. I guess you could arbitrarily say spots are good, streaks are bad or vice versa, but you can't control what comes out of that egg with the splashes.

 

[MelissaBA]

I'm still saying he's splash, Melissa. I've seen so many different variations of splash and most folks know not to mix the lavenders with the blues. If they do, you get a blue carrying lavender, generally, if I remember my genetics. I've had a lavender bantam hen. The color is even throughout the body. He may carry lavender, depending on what the seller did with the birds, but I'd breed him as if he's in the blue/black/splash family. Some of my splash males had slate legs, some had white legs (different lines) so they can be all over the place.

Hopefully, you have him quarantined for 4-6 weeks so you can be reasonably sure he's not carrying anything. It's not perfect but it's a minimum you can do to keep your flock safe from disease.

I do have him separated from my other birds. I learned that lesson the hard way one time already! Thanks for everyone's help! I have a black orpington hen I am going to breed him with soon!

 

[speckledhen]

I do have him separated from my other birds. I learned that lesson the hard way one time already! Thanks for everyone's help! I have a black orpington hen I am going to breed him with soon!

Awesome! You'll have some gorgeous blue chicks in no time, then.

 

[MelissaBA]

I sure hope so!! Thanks!

 

[MelissaBA]

One more question...what causes the "red leakage" you were speaking of?

 

[speckledhen]

One more question...what causes the "red leakage" you were speaking of?

I'm no genetics guru so can't say what actually causes it other than maybe the base color showing through because what is supposed to keep the base from showing is not present. My friend has a big sweet Blue Orp rooster with red bleed-through in his hackles. Nothing wrong with him otherwise, but the red passes on to the progeny most of the time so if you're breeding to the Standard of Perfection, you can't use a rooster who shows that. I had a black Ameraucana rooster with lots of gold/silver bleed through, again, it passes on.