As I have been reading thru old posts I have found a lot of info on Brown Red Ameraucanas. I am wanting to work on improving size in this variety among other things. I have decided to just start with seeing if I can up the size within the variety but If not the I will use Blacks to start.
To quote John from another post in regards to outcrossing to black to iprove size in BRs.
\"I would use blacks for this. As you said some blacks may already be split for extended black and birchen at the e-locus. Brown red birds are birchen/birchen at the e-locus. Now keep in mind the \"birchen\" gene at the e-locus is different than the name \"birchen\" as it applies to the silver & black variety by that name. The birch and brown red varieties are genetically the same, except for one is silver were the other is gold in color. To make the silver/gold sex-linked thing work for you use a brown red cock over black hens and all the pullets will be pure for gold. If they inherit birchen at the e-locus from both parents they will be good brown reds. If the black hen used was actually split for birchen, at the e-locus, and carried gold, as opposed to silver, some of the cockerels could be pure brown reds also. The other way is to use a black cock that shows some gold (red) in his hackle or on top his head near his comb over brown red hens.\"
Can anyone who has been with the breed along time tell me what was involved with the development of this color variety (what birds were used to create the color etc...)
Also should the legs be slate? (I do not have my SOP in front of me and I can\'t remember) Mine are Black or at least I think they are.
To quote Mike Gilbert
\"Yes, there is no reason a good black could not be used to increase the size of the brown red large fowl. One would have to be careful about not losing the orange lacing on the breast of the brown reds. I have not heard anyone mention interest in a blue version of brown red, but in some breeds there is a lemon blue which is nearly the same. Modifiers were used to lighten the orange of the brown red to a light yellow, hence the name lemon blue. The dominant Bl gene alone would help to lighten the orange, but other modifiers would probably be needed as well. For the next year or two I am going to concentrate on improving color and size in my line of brown reds without an outcross. If it proves necessary after a couple of breeding seasons I may give it a try then.\"
Do you have any suggestions for recovering the lacing should we loose it in the crossing of the blacks and BRs if I decide to go that route? Also I would be very interested in a Lemon blue Ameraucana. I have briefly discussed lemon blue with a friend who is much more into genetics than I am and he says that it is not as simple as crossing a Blue to a BR. What additional work would be needed?
Last question does the BR Ameraucana have Di/Di (Dominate dilute)? I have read the the OEG and MGB have this but the Cochins do not.
Any other thoughts would be great. Thanks
My birds (The pictures are not that good, sorry)
I am VERY new to all ofthis so if I have made a mistake please let me know.
Thanks again, Adam
