Lyne,
From the pics it looks like you have quite the project going there. I\'m glad someone has taken such an interest in the black gold project. Here are some comments based on what I can see in the pics. While striving for the proper color, don\'t forget about certain other important aspects of the breed. These are problems I have had to work out in my own stock so I suspect you might be running up against the same problems. In Ameraucanas, the eye color should be reddish bay, not dark brown or black. Watch out for white in the earlobes, especially the males - sometimes it\'s almost impossible to tell in the females, so I always make sure to use only males without a trace of white in the lobes. Keep a close watch on the beaks - making sure they are properly formed and not too long (commonly referred to as \"crow headed\"). I see some of your birds with great beaks and a few where the beaks are a bit too long. And finally, try to strive for more of a golden color in the males instead of orange. This will be one of the major distinguishing characteristics in the showroom between the brown red and the black gold varieties. Brown red males are to be orange and black, black golds are to be gold - colored and black. Of course in your blue golds the top color will be diluted to even lighter shades due to the dominant BL gene at work.
None of these comments should be construed as criticism, but instead as helpful hints. Thanks for all you are doing, and keep up the good work out there on the west coast. Will you be able to attend the national meet in Great Falls this October?
Mike Gilbert
