Breeding black to splash

[greeneggsandham]

I'm sure there is some genetic explanation that is still out of my reach. Different lines may produce better birds from chicks with the white chick down. I would keep all the darkest blue chicks regardless. I got my start from Paul by the way... Some of my Blue Andalusian chicks are so dark it's hard to tell them apart from the blacks until they are about a week old. And they have the white chick down on their chest and bellies.

I think it is a matter of learning what your own lines produce. Keep good records and take pictures along the way. In a few years you will have a pretty good idea how they will grow out when they hatch. 

Now that could be significant.  That's why I'm wondering what the color means.  I think it is interesting that the Andalusians, which are supposed to be carrying silver, have the white down instead of yellow.  Just wondering out loud here.  If that means silver instead of gold.

[Sharon Yorks]

Like everyone else here, I’m still trying to figure out the dos and don’ts and have been focused on how (and what) to breed in hopes of improving the blue Ameraucana. One thing I think is important when crossing blacks into the mix is to try and only use the blacks that have been hatched out of blues and carry the silver (S) gene. I also believe (but is not fact) that the blues you see that look muddy or dirty could be a result of them having a gold (G) gene parent. If you must combine them for some reason (if that’s all you have) there are ways around it.

When I first started breeding Ameraucanas, I started with a blue male and a black (G) female. Females will only take their daddy’s gene, while males will take a gene from both…so I was told. If you are trying to create a blue (S) pen, only keep the blue females from a cross like that (since she only has daddy’s gene) and only keep the black males from that cross if working towards your black (G) pen, then either cross the black back to his mother or a (G) female you’ve purchased from someone else.

I am currently trying a project using a black (G) male with a splash (S) female in hopes of getting the awesome qualities I have in a particular black male I got from Clif, into my blue pen. This male is as gentle as they come, has a straight comb, and is as wide as he is tall. I REALLY want his qualities added into my blues so I bred him to splash hen (that is out of a blue male that has really nice lacing/edging), so hopefully she carries that, too. Although all chicks will be blue, this chick (hoping it’s a male) carries both parent’s gene and then I will cross him back to a well laced blue and keep them all in my blue pens. I would not keep or breed back to a blue female out of this cross since she would only carry her daddy’s gold gene.

When breeding for good blues, I personally prefer to breed blues to blues since I can see what I’m dealing with, but I have also kept splash and black (S) if I like other qualities about them. This is just information (whether true or false) that I feel I have learned by trial and error and hope that it is helpful to others.

   

[Don]

Good info Sharon.  I know we've discussed it here many times that its best to use the females from crosses for several reasons.  One reason is the sex-linked genes of the Gold/Silver.  Its good to know there are ways to work with stock if needed and still get the benefits of the best genes.  I have to go back to the "Sellers" website to refresh in my mind framework of the genetic discussions.

[Cesar “CJ”]

Blues are basically a black bird with the dilution gene. So they should be Gold base as well.

I would imagine you would have to cross a blue or black to a silver to get the silver gene introduce.

[Cesar “CJ”]

Blues are basically a black bird with the dilution gene. So they should be Gold base as well.

I would imagine you would have to cross a blue or black to a silver to get the silver gene introduce.

I want to explain my post. For the longest time I and others thought that blues were silver base (S/S). Then someone clarified something I should have known that blue is a virtually a black bird with the blue dilution gene. So blues are most likely gold base (s+/s+)

It is said that the best blues are silver base (opinion of people) And for those who want to start a silver base blue line. You would have to breed a silver cock to a blue hen and only use the daughter since she will not inherit Gold from mom. And go from there.