The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club > Breeding

A tinsel blue?

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greeneggsandham:
I need some opinions and answers here.  I haven't been breeding as long as some of you.  It has taken some years to get my blues males without leaking and my two year old blue cock was my first.  I would say the cape on my blue cock is a flat dark blue or black, no beetle green and he's a bit on the dark side.  The female a little less dark blue.  Here are some pictures of the male offspring from this mating, about 17 to 18 wks old.  It may be hard to see in the pictures, but the guy shines like tinsel on a christmas tree!  I haven't seen this before.  It is quite striking, imo.  I have viewed him in sunlight, shade, and even under a flashlight.  I  don't see any beetle green, just a shiny, glossy black?  Blue? 
Has this been seen before?  What could cause it? 
My concern is, is it a fault?  I have another young blue male from a different hen also showing a bit, but not anywhere near as much as this guy.   I think I will go try to pull some individual feathers from him to get a closer look.

Jean:
I think that is silver leakage.

greeneggsandham:
Well that is interesting.  It's unlike anything I've seen in leaky blues before.  There doesn't appear to be any color involved in this.

greeneggsandham:
I've went and picked some feathers from the one in question, a black and a splash.  First pictures are from the blue, one hackle, one saddle feather.  Then shots of the two feathers at a different angle. 
Also added a black saddle feather to the mix and took two pictures at different light angles.
Last picture includes a splash saddle feather to show the white.

So, this seems to have something to do with the way the feathers catch the light.  I just don't see any color in the feathers that points to leaking. There is color involved in leaking right?  I've read that the purple sheen and green sheen on feathers has to do with feather structure and how they catch the light.  I am wondering if this is similar.  And I'm still wondering if this is considered a fault?

Lee G:

--- Quote from: Jean on August 29, 2014, 02:11:18 PM ---I think that is silver leakage.

--- End quote ---

I think it's silver leakage too...maybe enhanced and/or diluted by the sun? Because I've seen the same kind of effect on a splash cock, only his feathers were outlined in rusty gold. I'm going to try and find a pic...

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