Virginia

[ki4got]

I love my buff orpingtons so much that when a "chicken" person near me got back into chickens and picked up some blue orpingtons I called dibs on some chicks before they hatched I had to come do some research here though because the person he got them from says his have always bred true and always produce blue offspring. While I am not at the point of being able to pay what the other chicken guy paid for just two pullets alone I can definitely buy chicks at his price. Can't wait to see them grow up to be great layers.like the buffs.

sorry to say, blues do NOT breed true, unless you breed a splash to a black. splash is the only 'true breeding' variant that carries the blue gene. blue to blue, you get 50% blue, 25% black and 25% splash.

Self blue on the other hand, does breed true because it's a recessive mutation that requires 2 copies of the gene to display. also known as 'lavender'.

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

Here it is as I understand it.
I have learned this from so many others.
And I believe I saw a flow chart a year or more ago so someone would have to go back and find it and I give that person the credit for this because I looked at it several times over a period of time as I talked to others with BBS. And if anyone wants to add to this, Great. I surely hope this is correct because I have put a lot of stock in this.
Blue + Blue = Blue Blue Black Splash
Blue + Black = Blue Black
Blue + Splash = Blue Splash
Black + Black = Black
Splash+ Splash = splash Barely to heavily

 

[ki4got]

Here it is as I understand it.
I have learned this from so many others.
And I believe I saw a flow chart a year or more ago so someone would have to go back and find it and I give that person the credit for this because I looked at it several times over a period of time as I talked to others with BBS. And if anyone wants to add to this, Great. I surely hope this is correct because I have put a lot of stock in this.
Blue + Blue = Blue Blue Black Splash
Blue + Black = Blue Black
Blue + Splash = Blue Splash
Black + Black = Black
Splash+ Splash = splash Barely to heavily

you're correct... I had replied to her post tho, that said something about a line of blues that breeds true. ain't gonna happen unless you're breeding a splash to black, or breeding Self Blues, which are another mutation entirely.

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

Karen, Thank you for your inquiry.
Sorry, I promised a friend Calico Cochin Bantams if I did not hear back from the husband and wife team I swapped with at the Chicken Swap last month. They did get many predominately white with gold, red and black speckled Cochin Bantams as well as Phoenix Bantam chick off springs of Boggy Bottom Bantams and Toni Marie Astins flocks that I had and I know they got from me. atleast 25 of the 1 week to 8 week old chicks still requiring heat lamps. I want to let go of more 1-4 months old chickens as well as their parents. Yes, my seed stock.

They were going into what I am getting out of.

I am going in a different direction than before. Just birds I am going to use for eggs and meat and precious few gorgeous to look at. Different path than before. Before I had mostly gorgeous well bred show quality birds and a few utility birds. Now, I am in reverse mode. This summer I started planning to move my beauties out and heavy egg layers and meat birds in. Phoenix Bantam require a diet strong in Catfish Fish food and grasses, grasses and more grasses. Not a mouthful of dried corn. I mow and dump fresh mowed grass bags in their play yards and they eat from the fresh cut grasses quite often. I will not be doing that with the Orpingtons and Bresse.

 

[stephienoodle]

Anybody near Waynesboro/Charlottesville/Richmond have any hatching soon/less than a week old chicks of a frequently broody breed that they'd be willing to sell or swap? My son's favorite hen only hatched out one baby from her clutch yesterday, and after candling last night I don't think there will be any more. She was willing to take the chicks from my brooder but they're a bit old and wouldn't take to her. I'd love to give her a few more babies.

 

[suyoder]

One of our first bantam eggs... Had to post!

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

One of our first bantam eggs... Had to post!

Awwee, proud mommy.

 

[2lilchkns]

I have 8 hens and 4 nesting boxes. For reasons that elude me, they all seem to like the same one. On several occasions, I have opened the coop to find two hens crammed in a single box-- one perched on the other's back-- while three other boxes are sitting there empty. Why do they DO this? It's can't be for comfort-- it's hot in there!

(If you look, can see that my speckled Sussex is sitting on top of another hen)

 

[Maggiesdad]

Well, obviously the first bird in got the good spot and no other spot will do! I've had 4 australorp girls in the same nest - what a traffic jam! And a fifth one raising holy heck because the line is too long...

 

[DCchicken]

Well, obviously the first bird in got the good spot and no other spot will do! I've had 4 australorp girls in the same nest - what a traffic jam! And a fifth one raising holy heck because the line is too long...

I love when that happens. I have one hen I call "Drama Queen" because if the box isn't empty and ready for her, she will let everyone in the neighborhood know.