Who's the daddy...

[Bear River Farm]

Hello all,

We need some help.  Walter put his black bantam cock in with a black hen and a splash hen.  This way we know who the parents of each chick are (blk/blk=blk and blk/splash=blue).  Good idea right?  Last week we hatched a splash chick from that pen.  Only the three bantams in there.  So who are the parents?  Any ideas???

[Birdcrazy]

Are you positive that the black cock is truly black? Blue can come in several shades. I have had some blues so dark that they appear to be black until closer inspection. If he was actually a blue, blue/splash should equal about 50/50 blue/splash.

[Bear River Farm]

We got the cock as a cockerel not a chick so I suppose he could be blue.  In our darkest blues we can still see lacing in the sun and they do not seem to have the green sheen that the blacks do.  This cock is very green and shiny.  Do you still think he could be a blue? 

[Mike Gilbert]

The chick could also be a light blue instead of splash.  I'm not so sure you can tell 100% from the chick down coloring.   And black or blue chicks first wing feathers are often white.   

[Bear River Farm]

Thank you both for your input.  Good point Mike.  We will keep on eye on the little one and see what we get.  What is the opinion on light blue in Ameraucanas?  I know our very light blue cochins never score as well as their "normal" blue companions...

[Birdcrazy]

That seems to be the trend in wyandotte also as far as showing blues. I have seen great lacing on the wyandottes sometimes be more of a factor than base color.

[Mike Gilbert]

Thank you both for your input.  Good point Mike.  We will keep on eye on the little one and see what we get.  What is the opinion on light blue in Ameraucanas?  I know our very light blue cochins never score as well as their "normal" blue companions...

The lacing and lack of black ticking in the blue areas are more important than the exact shade of blue, which is quite variable.   It needs to be a nice, intense, even shade of blue in females - but can be darker or lighter.  Males will have darker color on top and lighter underneath.   That said, I think most prefer a fairly light shade which gives a nice contrast to the lacing - if there is lacing.