The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club > Breeding

Tardy feather growth

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Lee G:
Mike, this is my first year working with the silvers. I purchased them off another breeder as adults last summer. I will ask the breeder and see if she recalls how they feathered in...as for why I went with an outcross within the breed, I was simply working with what I had available. :)
There are not that many pure strains of Ameraucanas up here in the great white north, let alone ones based on sex linked silver.  So when the opportunity presented itself to purchase a mature silver flock (and descendants of birds originally imported from John) I jumped at the chance. Am I going about this the wrong way? I realize it will take me a few generations to breed out wildtype (e+), but I figured outcrossing between the varieties will also help me to improve my silvers, as well as help keep type true.

No doubt finding a strain based on silver and test mating would be the easier road, but I don't think they exist here in Canada. And the majority of blue poultry I’ve seen (including my own flock) lack the necessary pattern genes to ever achieve true lacing. (Not without going outside the breed.) The best I can hope for is nice edging, which well pretty enough, isn’t the real deal. And I do want the real deal, and am slowly working towards it....

The formula I have down for lacing is: the pattern gene (Pg)  melanotic (Ml) and Columbian (Co) in homozygous form; on either birchen (ER) or extended black (E), and preferably sex linked silver (S)

I've been following along with Christie's progress and would give my right toe to get my hands on a pair Blue Andalusian's like she is working with. Unfortunately I've found no breeders in my country or any willing to import into Canada....and so I trek on with what I have available.

I am considering using SL Wyandottes, but the yellow skin, brown eggshell genes and rose combs are making me hesitate. And for good reason, ugh...Just not a lot of other options...do you have any suggestions? I would love to hear some others if so. Thank you  :)

Mike Gilbert:
I would not do the SL Wyandotte cross, as it would be such a long, tedious road back, and you would be dealing with unwanted recessive genes for many years, each one needing test mating of all breeders to totally eliminate them.   For example, there are up to a dozen or so brown eggshell genes alone, and some are no doubt recessive.  My suggestion would be to keep looking for the Andalusians.   Maybe put a wanted ad in Feather Fancier?

Lee G:
Thank you for the suggestion Mike. I will try placing an ad in Feather Fancier. 

Last year I inquired about the subject with a Canadian poultry judge who travels in show bird circles, and was disappointed to learn she knew of no one raising exhibition quality Andalusians in Canada.  Or any Andalusians for that matter. Not surprising, as their large single combs would not do well without heat in the winter. Funny enough, I did manage to find a pair in my home province, but they were from hatchery stock and hardly had edging, let alone true lacing. The cock also leaked gold, and the hen never laid a single egg in all the months I had her. On processing day I discovered why. She had a 1/4 inch thick layer of yellow fat coating her organs.  :o It was pretty gross. Never seen anything like it, and hope I never do again. I doubt she would ever have laid again either.

'Long, tedious road back' is exactly why I keep putting the brakes on using SL Wyandottes. And yet the inner (stubborn) scientist in me wonders what if... ::) I believe I have the time and am more than willing to commit for the long haul. And I'm fairly certain I could find a single combed version, because I often see them for sale as culls. If enough chicks were hatched to select from, it may not be as tedious a process as I imagine...the trick would be knowing what to look for and excessive test mating of each generation. There were be tons of culls though. Good thing we like to eat chicken around here!  ;D

Another option I was considering was ordering 100 chicks from a hatchery, growing them up and hoping there is something in the mix I could use...definitely a gamble though....and unfortunately I missed my window for this year. Besides, I'm out of space in my grow out pens anyway.

Thanks again for your help Mike. :) It's nice to get another opinion on the matter.

Max:

--- Quote from: Mike Gilbert on June 27, 2014, 01:54:02 PM ---My suggestion would be to keep looking for the Andalusians.   Maybe put a wanted ad in Feather Fancier?

--- End quote ---

I got a start of Blue Andalusians this spring from Dick Horstman for my lacing project. So far they look pretty good as far as lacing goes but it is still too early to judge. You might try him...

Lee G:
Thank you Max  :) I appreciate the lead. 

And I have to say I think it's wonderful that so many of us our working towards real lacing on our birds!  8) Because nothing is more beautiful in my mind than a sharply laced blue in good condition...well, except for a large flock of such elusive blues running on the green...now that would be a stunning sight to behold!  :D

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