What's Up With Blue Cochins?

[speckledhen]

Well, you might call some of them gray, some lavender, some slate blue-there are all shades of blue, however, you wont see the iridescent sheen in a blue bird that you do in a black bird. The blue roosters saddle and hackles may have some minor shine, but not that glowing shine. As far as your other questions, blue is only a dilute form of black, so in a way, blue comes from black. That's as good an answer as I can give-genetics-savvy, I'm not. Someone else will have to get gene-technical here.

 

[countyroad1330]

So, they really can look blue? I'm confused *ha* The genetics is so interesting to me, but I don't understand all of it either.

Since blue is a dilute form of black, could blue eventually be produced with the correct breeding of black and white?

 

[speckledhen]

Dont really think so. White can be dominant or recessive and I'm not up on what white does. Need someone who knows more than me. I think Suede looks slate blue, especially the hackles and saddles, don't you? Not really gray at all.

 

[Blisschick]

Quote:
Blue Jerseys are actually a sport of white. Back in the 80's, Golda Miller had a white hen that showed up with some black feathers throughout her coloring. After a friend saw it, he borrowed her hen and worked on bringing out the blue gene, which took a few years to get the color right. No outside breeds were used to get the color (as far as I know). Blue is recognized now, from what I understand, but not splash.

The blue is a washed out black, making it look gray or charcoal. There's different shades of it, going from dark to "pigeon blue". In general, it does not have a sheen to it, but sometimes there will be darker streaks and splotches of more concentrated color, and these will have a sheen to them. The blue gene modifies the pigment structure is such a way that it doesn't have the usual sheen.

 

[Blisschick]

Quote:
Blue is actually gray, but you'll find that it's called that in many animals. I never understood this either.

You cannot get blue by just breeding black and white together. It is a separate gene that must be present to interact with black. Since it's a dominant recessive, it won't be hidden either. You will know if your bird has it or not.

 

[Blisschick]

Quote:
I = dominant white. It's not consistent and allows other colors to leak through, which is why some white birds are spotted with black and red. It inhibits black, but not completely, and also dilutes skin color. It also influences eye color, but no details were given on how it does this.

c = recessive white. Most breeds that are white have this gene because it produces a cleaner, consistent white without color leakage. Allows dark eyes. Down color varies. (This explains why some breeds have smoky chicks.)

From what I just read, some breeds carry both genes. There are also other degrees of expression for I and C, all of which are still pretty confusing to me at this point.

 

[speckledhen]

Hey, it's all confusing to me, Bliss, LOL! I just want to know the basics of my blues and my Barred Rocks, for the most part. Sometimes I pick up some more tidbits my brain allows me to retain, but not too many when we start with the gene designations and what does what to who, in the gene world.