Brown-Red Sport

[Beth C]

It's pouring rain here, around 4 inches expected, I believe someone said, so a good day to go through pictures. Here are a couple of my little sport I hatched this year. I'd heard people talk about brown-reds cropping up out of black, but I'd never gotten one until this season. I knew something was off from day one because she hatched solid black, but was still surprised. She is a lavender split. I'm not planning on using her in the lavender project - I'd like to hear some of you guys with a greater understanding of genetics than I have weigh in, but I would think it would produce more of the brassiness I've been fighting for the last 4-5 seasons, and I don't intend to sell her, since I don't want to risk anyone trying to breed her as a brown-red, so at this point she is an attractive addition to my aging layer flock. Sorry for the lousy pics, not a very cooperative subject:

[John]

I don't intend to sell her, since I don't want to risk anyone trying to breed her as a brown-red,

I don't breed brown reds any more, but I would think she would be a good candidate for a brown red project.  If an when lavender shows up you could just sell them as backyard/meat birds.
I haven't had a brown red show up from my blacks in many years, but that is were my first ones came from and I had one hen that was a real beauty.
I suspect some lavenders with what appears to be a lot of silver/gold leakage are birchen based and I've sold them as meat birds when they've shown up here.

[Beth C]

Interesting. I suppose I could test-mate for lavender. This is the first one I've gotten, and I haven't introduced any new blood since the original blacks from Wayne and lavenders from Harry, so I was really shocked when this popped up. I've since sold both parents, so not sure I'll ever see another one, but if I wanted to do a brown-red project, would I need to obtain a male or could I get there breeding to black?

The leakage has given me a fit. I like using split males, since it's more obvious on black. Seeing improvement but still a ways to go. Anxious to see what crossing with the birds from you and Paul will produce.

[Mike Gilbert]

Beth, if you wanted a brown red line you should have bred this pullet back to her father.  You may have obtained as many as 50% brown reds from that mating.   No all ideally colored of course, but brown reds nonetheless.  I know, I know:   20-20 hindsight.

[DeWayne Edgin]

Would a brown red rooster work with her to get more brown reds? Also how much does she weigh? She may be usefull for adding size to a flock. 

[Mike Gilbert]

Would a brown red rooster work with her to get more brown reds? Also how much does she weigh? She may be usefull for adding size to a flock. 

Yes, a very good chance.

[DeWayne Edgin]

I would buy her if she is for sale! I would raise her chicks seperate as a project. Think about it and let me know Beth please. By the way how is her egg color? My blacks laid the bluest eggs of all, is she laying yet?

[Beth C]

Mike: Yep, sold him before she hatched I think. Good news is he went to a breeder and not auction. I can see if he still has him and if so maybe we can figure something out. Otherwise, guess I'm in the market for a brown red male.

Dewayne: Good question. I pulled her out of the pen tonight so I'll dig out the scale. She hasn't started laying yet, so not sure on egg color. She's a split and my lavenders run the full range, so anxious to see. For now I think I'm going to hang onto her and see if I can find a male but if not I'll let you know. If she can be used to make more brown reds it would be a shame not to breed her.

[jerryse]

You could use her with a black and then back to her son to get more brown reds .

[Beth C]

Thanks, Jerry - that's what I was hoping! I can set her up with a black a lot quicker than any other option and hopefully get some chicks on the ground until I can find a brown red male. If I breed to black, will the offspring be solid black or tinged with gold? Would I then select for the male (assuming they were equal in other areas) with more gold? I'm going to play with the calculator but I'm betting you can answer quicker than I'll find it.

[Mike Gilbert]

Crossing with a black might work.   I've done it and been disappointed with the results, but maybe it was the particular black that I used.   I do know I don't intend to try it again.