Lavender breeding

[Blue Egg Acres]

I think it\'s time for me to trade my wheatens/blue wheatens in!

[Mike Gilbert]

Barb, that would be like Luke Skywalker defecting to the dark side.   Keep the faith!    Feel the Force!

[Guest]

aww that first picture really draws you in... \"the force is strong with this one... you will cross over to the LAVENDER side.... \"

**insert mechanical breathing effect**

[Beth C]

Stunning! I need another variety like a hole in the head, but I can\'t resist!

[Blue Egg Acres]

Barb, that would be like Luke Skywalker defecting to the dark side.   Keep the faith!    Feel the Force!

LOL B)

[verycherry]

Anyone experiencing feather problems on their Lavenders?  

I found some information online just now that was very interesting, but it was on another forum so I didn\'t think I should post the link.  

Anyway, some breeders recommended breeding Lavender to splits ONLY, never Lavender to Lavender to avoid the feather problems, brittle feathers, \"ratty tail\" and the little marks on the hackle feathers of the males.

[Guest]

Anyone experiencing feather problems on their Lavenders?  

I found some information online just now that was very interesting, but it was on another forum so I didn\'t think I should post the link.  

Anyway, some breeders recommended breeding Lavender to splits ONLY, never Lavender to Lavender to avoid the feather problems, brittle feathers, \"ratty tail\" and the little marks on the hackle feathers of the males.

Thats really interesting. I for one would be really interested on the outcome of this.  I have not heard of this before. Thanks!

[John]

 

feather problems, brittle feathers, \"ratty tail\"

One guy told me a while back that he has a theory about adding the slow feathering gene to improve feather quality.
I don\'t have any plans of getting into a project like that to find out.

[verycherry]

feather problems, brittle feathers, \"ratty tail\"

One guy told me a while back that he has a theory about adding the slow feathering gene to improve feather quality.
I don\'t have any plans of getting into a project like that to find out.

No, not something I want to do either.  I\'ll let him be the guinea pig...or rather his chickens.  Breeding to blacks and splits sounds like a better plan to me.

[Guest]

It sounds like you shouldn\'t/can\'t breed the lavenders to lavenders? Do you have to breed to splits? On the bantams you can breed lavenders to lavenders. They breed true. I guess I just expected the large to also.

If anyone has an idea I\'d be much appreciative.
Thank you for your help.
April

[verycherry]

April, it\'s not that you can\'t breed Lav to Lav, just that some breeders don\'t recommend it because of feather problems that can go along with the Lavender gene.  Unless you experience feather problems breeding Lav to Lav, then I wouldn\'t worry.

Oh, and they do breed true like your bantam Lavenders.  Whether big or small, if you breed two Lavenders together you will get Lavender chicks.

I had one Lavender chick hatch before I left for work.    I hope to find more when I get home.

[grisaboy]

some breeders recommended breeding Lavender to splits ONLY, never Lavender to Lavender to avoid the feather problems, brittle feathers, \"ratty tail\" and the little marks on the hackle feathers of the males.

This is a common problem in lavender birds.  I have seen this in self blue (lav) Old English Games.  The ones I raised had a thin, twisted tail and a shoulder patch on the wings that looks like it never quite got through molting.  The good news is that it can be bred out.  The Old English Game breeders have developed strains that are virtually free of this problem and I have seen a lot of nice self blue D\'Anvers without feather problems.  I have only seen this trait in males, but of course it is carried by the females too.  So you have to track which hens are throwing males with this trait and get rid of them as well as the males with this trait.  This trait is pervasive and can\'t be eliminated by breeding to blacks.  The splits can look perfectly normal but produce lav offspring with this trait.  If you are not seeing it in your birds now I wouldn\'t worry about it. Select your lavender males for GREAT tails and watch for birds that don\'t feather out completely after they molt.

Curtis

[Mike Gilbert]

Thank you Curtis for sharing your knowledge and experience with lav birds.    Poultry breeding is not difficult if one is satisfied with any or mediocre results.   To me the joy of being a fancier is the continual striving perfection, all the while  knowing perfection may never be achieved.  But marking the progress from generation to generation, setting goals via plans A and B and sometimes C, and monitoring results leads to new knowledge and a sense of accomplishment.   As they say, life/happiness is more of a journey than a final destination.   Those of us who are believers know our final destination, and it doesn\'t have much to do with poultry breeding.   Have a great Sabbath  today.

[verycherry]

Thanks so much Curtis, great information!

My Lavender rooster has such nice feathers that I don\'t anticipate a real problem but will definately keep an eye out for it and cull accordingly.

Lavender and B/L split chicks

[John]

This trait is pervasive and can\'t be eliminated by breeding to blacks.  The splits can look perfectly normal but produce lav offspring with this trait.

Once again you gave a logical answer based in genetics.
I sometimes avoid putting my two cents in right away hoping others will diplomatically jump in.
Sherry also had a prefect reply/answer to a April\'s post.  I just want to echo her words without adding to them.

it\'s not that you can\'t breed Lav to Lav, just that some breeders don\'t recommend it because of feather problems that can go along with the Lavender gene. Unless you experience feather problems breeding Lav to Lav, then I wouldn\'t worry.

Oh, and they do breed true like your bantam Lavenders. Whether big or small, if you breed two Lavenders together you will get Lavender chicks.