New Trio of Whites - I think its something in the water

[Susan Mouw]

I was so excited to pick up my first white Ameraucanas for here at Sand Castles Farm at the Sandlappers Poultry Show on 3/21/15. They weren't in the absolute best condition, but they were all white and I was happy to get them home.

The cockerel was one that had been recently replaced, as the one I had originally planned on getting had met with some unfortunate accident and had to be put down.  But the seller had saved eggs from the original cock for me, so I came home with not just the trio, but also a dozen eggs from those hens and another cock!

Not the best picture, but they started sand bathing as soon as they came out of quarantine

I left the eggs to settle until Monday, then put them in the incubator with my Monday set, plus one more that one of the hens had laid since I brought her home.  So, 13 eggs went into the incubator and, with tax season stealing my time and energy, 13 uncandled eggs went into lockdown last Friday.

Five of the 13 hatched, but I lost two - one immediately, and one within a few hours. Very disappointing, but still happy to get those three.





Cute, aren't they?  But, here's the kicker... I really believe it must be something in the water.  I've had a few wheatens/blue wheatens pop out of the incubator this year with feathered legs. I think I know where it is coming from, but I'm going to do some test breeding to verify.  But...look what one of the little whites has:



I see more test breedings in my future.

[Cesar “CJ”]

I heard that stubs pop up in whites from time to time

[Susan Mouw]

Yep, so have I...now.

It just seemed so strange that this is the first year I've seen it in my wheatens, then to have it crop up in my first whites...ugh. 

Of course, I was being facetious about it being something in the water. lol

[Paul]

  Stubs can surface out of any of the varieties of Ameraucanas.  RIR have been recognized for over 150 years and they also still have some surface.  They are in some varieties more than others.  Occasionally we get some out of our lavenders and wheatens.  Very seldom any out of the black, blue or splash.

  We did have some recessive whites to appear out of a pair of splash.  Guess we will start raising whites for 2016!

[Susan Mouw]

  Stubs can surface out of any of the varieties of Ameraucanas.  RIR have been recognized for over 150 years and they also still have some surface.  They are in some varieties more than others.  Occasionally we get some out of our lavenders and wheatens.  Very seldom any out of the black, blue or splash.

  We did have some recessive whites to appear out of a pair of splash.  Guess we will start raising whites for 2016!

Can I get on your list early for whites next spring?

[Don]

The whites deserve more people working with them, especially if they are out of the good black lines. Ann Foley supposedly crossed the whites she raised from Carl Fosbrink's line with blacks for improvement.  I am curious Paul how you know they are recessive whites rather than diluted splashes?   I suppose if you cross some back to black recessive white should throw Blacks and maybe whites if the blacks are carrying recessive white. 
But if they produce blues then they are dilute splash?

I think that stubs is one of the things that you might see crop up from time to time in many breeds.  I know the Jap bantams and Rocks both can have this happen often.  There are some that think any family of birds that produces Any "sport", (stubs, leakage, etc), should be disposed of in total as culls.  I know that there are things that crop up in time or especially when you cross lines.  The old breeders would say the "blood takes a long time to settle" after you cross lines regardless of breed. 

I'm sure that the black breeders have seen a lot of challenges over time.  I would be interested to hear how the variety has changed over time and compare to challenges today.  Not to hijack this thead, but maybe that is one of the topics one of the breeders might share sometime.       

[Paul]

I was planning on a couple test matings of the recessive whites to make sure, before selling chicks as whites.  Since presently we have five from the same pair of splash-chances are very good to have both pullets and cockerels.  I'm planning on pairing a cockerel with a black pullet, and a pullet with a black cockerel.  If a splash chick hatches from these matings-then the birds in question are recessive white.  I'm certain enough that they are recessive white, that we will be on the lookout for an outstanding white cockerel and a few good white pullets to get started for next springs hatching season.  However the test matings will be done first!

  I will be checking out Mary Laska's and Dorothy Haire's whites-for canidates for the pairings!

 

[DeWayne Edgin]

Hello Paul. Do you have any idea what the whites are that Wayne Meradith bred? I was wondering if they are recessive? Thanks

[Jean]

DeWayne,

Wayne's birds were recessive white.  My whites finally started laying again.  I had a light in the breeding pen out for a couple months because I had to buy a whole new fixture to get it back working again.  If you still want some split eggs from that pen let me know and I will get you some as soon as I get good fertility.

[DeWayne Edgin]

Ok thanks Jean. I have lots of whites now and the last batch of eggs from my whites all hatched! 100%. I do have have another question though. If a white chick hatches with gray down ( like a Lavender ) does that mean the whites are Silver based?