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Need some advice with breeding
John:
--- Quote ---you could have an E based bird that doesn\'t show silver/gold but could have it and pass it on?
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All chickens have silver (S) or gold (s+) or a combination (S/s+, split as some say) and they would look more silver (white in my eyes) since it is dominant. So regardless of the primary pattern gene (E, ER, eb, etc.) all have it and pass it on whether you see it or not.
You actually want the blacks to carry gold (s+/s+) to have the best black color with a green sheen.
--- Quote ---And if you have an ER based bird that doesn\'t show silver/gold, you have a keeper?
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Yes, if you want a solid colored bird, like black. If you want a brown red bird you want them to have and show gold, just as if you want a birchen colored bird you want them to have and show silver.
--- Quote ---And I assume this applies to blues and splashes too?
--- End quote ---
Yes.
greeneggsandham:
Thanks for that info. That\'s good to know.
Well, John, if they all carry it and you are trying to produce blue and splash males, and the best blues are from ER matings, how in the world do you avoid the leakage? Same question for the splash cockerals, how do you suppress it in them? Or is this leakage problem in blues and splashes just a matter of hatching a bunch of them, growing them out, and hoping you get one or two good ones? I hope not. :( I don\'t have the space for that.
And as far as determining whether your blue, blacks or splash are E or ER based, is there an app for that? Is it strictly based on leg color?
John:
--- Quote ---how in the world do you avoid the leakage? Same question for the splash cockerels, how do you suppress it in them? Or is this leakage problem in blues and splashes just a matter of hatching a bunch of them, growing them out, and hoping you get one or two good ones? I hope not.
--- End quote ---
Breed from the best, year after year. Remember the name of the book Michael recommended is: START WHERE YOU ARE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. I don\'t want to sound pessimistic, but unlike raising chickens breeding takes a lot of dedication. If there are birds with the characteristics you want then it can be done.
Check out the KIP calculator and see what some genes do. Read - and study - the genetics websites that are linked to above. Do some searches on this forum using some key words to get more input.
--- Quote ---And as far as determining whether your blue, blacks or splash are E or ER based, is there an app for that? Is it strictly based on leg color?
--- End quote ---
I don\'t know of any sure way to tell, especially since the phenotype of both is pretty much the same at hatch. The leg color is just a guess of mine.
greeneggsandham:
Ok, well thanks for all your help. I have been doing searches on this website and I got some info, but usually the talk is of another color or doesn\'t quite address my question or is over my head. It\'s disappointing that pics don\'t show up on seaches either. But you did clear stuff up. I do cull quite a bit every year also and keep my best. Looks like I gave up one of my best blacks because he was small with eye issues. But I have a son off of him. The size was better, the eyes somewhat, now I will wait a little longer and see if he is leak free like his dad. Thanks again.
John:
--- Quote ---I do cull quite a bit every year also and keep my best.
--- End quote ---
...and start culling as day-old chicks. Look at the photos of chicks on the ABC site and compare. Some E/E and ER/ER chicks look the same, but if the chick is completely or almost completely black chances are it is ER/ER or E/ER.
This can save on brooder space and feed.
Keep culling every few weeks or so.
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