Messages

856

Breeding / Re: Genetics of egg color

« on: February 09, 2017, 06:37:41 PM »

Hi Don,

Thanks for your response. I'm guessing that apparently only one of the hens was carrying the recessive trait that led to the pinkish egg, or there would be more of them. I tried to attach a photo of the egg color that I'm seeing from the other pullets, but it said the file size is too large. When I'm on a computer instead of my phone, I'll reduce the file size and submit it. I need to buy one of those handy egg color charts so that I can just say the number. I'll do that this week.  They range from faint sky blue to baby blue in color, with fairly good saturation of color overall. I agree with you, I think the pinkish color relates to the brown egg gene. I have heard of some self blues laying pinkish colored eggs.

Thanks for the help. Several people have encouraged me to keep the cock since he has good type. I think I'll keep him around and see what he produces this year. The hens that were in his pen last season were culled, and he has a new set of hens this year. I'll probably reduce the size of his breeding pen and mark all the chicks that hatch from his pen to monitor them closely for egg color. I have two other pens that I can work with during the mean time.

857

Breeding / Re: Genetics of egg color

« on: February 09, 2017, 01:48:04 PM »

Thank you for the feedback! Maybe before its all said and done, I'll have this genetics thing understood. Lol! Would you guys cull the cock from that pen, regardless of his type? I am breeding for show first and foremost, but I do want to keep egg color in mind along the way.

858

Breeding / Re: Genetics of egg color

« on: February 09, 2017, 12:16:14 AM »

Thank you Susan!!!

I am trying to be sure I understand completely. I used B to denote egg color.

I gathered from the article that egg color is simple dominant.

Since one of the pullets grew up to lay pink eggs, the cock would have to be carrying a recessive allele for non blue eggs (I'll name him Bb), as well as one of the hens in that pen (I'll name her Bb as well) thus creating the pink egg layer, right? I do not know definitively regarding what color egg the cock was hatched from, since he wasn't hatched here, although I'm sure it was from a blue egg because I know the breeder well.

The hens that were in that particular pen have been culled (due to age). But regardless, that would still mean that the cock is not completely dominant for blue eggs right? So he would be Bb instead of BB?

So how does an off colored egg layer happen from a pullet that hatched from a blue egg?

Is it because the offspring only receive one allele from each parent? So in the case of a Bb cock mating with a Bb hen (a hen that lays blue eggs but carries the recessive allele), there would be a 25% chance that the chicks inherit the recessive trait for non blue eggs (bb)?

Sorry if I am making this more difficult than it is. I am not well versed in genetics. Lol

859

Breeding / Genetics of egg color

« on: February 08, 2017, 04:18:39 PM »

Can someone explain the genetics behind egg color to me? I have been focusing on type the last three seasons, while of course only setting blue eggs, but this year I would like to focus in on egg color more closely. I have marked the eggs that are the deepest shade of blue, and plan to mark those chicks for identification later on.

Is egg color influenced by the cock, hen, or both? I read somewhere online that it is influenced by around 13 genes...I don't know if that is true or not. If anyone has any reading material that they can recommend, I would be appreciative.

Each year I hatch and keep several hundred chicks. Unfortunately, this season a wheaten pullet that hatched from a blue egg grew up to lay a pink egg. My bloodline originated from one of the directors, and they are definitely true Ameraucanas. The other pullets that I kept from that pen lay blue eggs. Do I need to consider culling the cock from that pen?  I raise for show and he has great type, so I would prefer not to. However, I do want to be sure that I keep egg color in mind. It is definitely a balancing act. Most of my pens are set up with one cock over five hens, so I can't say for certain what hen she came from. I would like to get my pen sizes smaller, say one cock to three hens, but that will involve building more pens, and I am trying to give my husband a little break from coop and pen building. LOL!

860

Breeding / Re: Blacks based on silver

« on: September 24, 2016, 08:16:20 PM »

Lindsay,  I don't have blacks but they are probably the most popular color so you should be able to find some close by.  I am not sure if most people will know for certain if they have complete silver based line.  Most breeding blacks prefer Gold based lines.  Though some blue lines are supposedly based silver because it offers advantages for better blue color.  So those breeders might use a black bird from their Blue/Blue crosses to reinforce their matings.  But it still allows them to stay inside a silver based line.    I am curious, what would you be using this bird to accomplish?

Hi Don,

Thank you so much for your response. I am looking for blacks based on silver to use in my self blue/lavender pens. I have been doing a lot of research on the lavender color and the genetics behind it, particularly in regard to leakage and the k gene. After speaking with a few breeders that have been working with the lavender color for several years, I have been encouraged to find blacks based on silver to use in those pens, as it is suspected that the straw colored (red) leakage that occurs in self blues/lavenders may be from using gold based black birds. Some breeders also feel that the slow feathering K gene may attach to gold based birds more easily, although it is not cut in stone. Anyway, most of my research is hypothetical at this point, and based on the experience of others, but I'd like to put the hypothesis to work, and test it.

You can use gold based blacks. Just use females. If you have a Self Blue rooster that you know is silver base, just breed him to the gold base black females. And ONLY use the daughters cause the daughters will only inherit the silver gene. You would have to cull the males.

Thanks Cesar! That is great to know.

861

Breeding / Re: Blacks based on silver

« on: September 22, 2016, 01:48:35 PM »

I expect you've already talked with Harry Shaffer about the Self Blues and gotten his suggestions.  It seems like he mentioned that he would rather use Blue to reinforce the Self Blue.  I think most folks are afraid that they will bring in Lacing or edging into the Self Blue.  But if I recall correctly, Harry felt that the Self Blue should be Silver and Er based (birchen) for best results.  So when crossing to improve the color he felt that the Blue was the best option.  I don't know if he sees increased leakage when he crosses lines at first.   I think I remember that Sharon York was keeping a line of blues with Silver based separate from her Black line.  You might contact her to see what she has or might offer in hatching season.  She might offer her black chicks from her blue line.  And I think Susan got some Blue eggs to hatch, but I am not sure what she might have at this time.  Maybe a few others will jump in if they have something to offer in this vein.  Self Blue breed true but in my opinion are not the easiest to breed either. But they really are beautiful when they are right too.  Good luck and enjoy!

Hi Don,

Thank you for the advice. I will get in touch with Sharon. I admire the work that she has done with the breed. Yes, I have spoken with Harry. He has been very helpful. I agree about the perception of self blues. It seems that from what I gather, they can be frustrating at times, but I reckon anything worth doing, is worth doing right. Lol I enjoy a good challenge, and working with chickens brings me 100% joy. Thanks again.

862

Breeding / Re: Blacks based on silver

« on: September 22, 2016, 12:20:27 PM »

  If I remember correctly silver based blacks will have slate shanks and gold based blacks will have black shanks.

Thank you for your response Paul! You are always so helpful.

863

Breeding / Re: Blacks based on silver

« on: September 22, 2016, 12:18:59 PM »

Lindsay,  I don't have blacks but they are probably the most popular color so you should be able to find some close by.  I am not sure if most people will know for certain if they have complete silver based line.  Most breeding blacks prefer Gold based lines.  Though some blue lines are supposedly based silver because it offers advantages for better blue color.  So those breeders might use a black bird from their Blue/Blue crosses to reinforce their matings.  But it still allows them to stay inside a silver based line.    I am curious, what would you be using this bird to accomplish?

Hi Don,

Thank you so much for your response. I am looking for blacks based on silver to use in my self blue/lavender pens. I have been doing a lot of research on the lavender color and the genetics behind it, particularly in regard to leakage. After speaking with a few breeders that have been working with the lavender color for several years, I have been encouraged to find blacks based on silver to use in those pens, as it is suspected that the straw colored (red) leakage that occurs in self blues/lavenders may be from using gold based black birds. Anyway, most of my research is hypothetical at this point, and based on the experience of others, but I'd like to put the hypothesis to work, and test it.

864

Breeding / Blacks based on silver

« on: September 22, 2016, 12:45:52 AM »

Hi everyone,

I am in search of blacks that are based on silver. Can anyone help me? Thanks for your time.