Ameraucana Forum

The Official Ameraucana Forum => Breeding => Topic started by: Lyne Peterson on April 26, 2015, 09:25:28 PM

Title: Black gold
Post by: Lyne Peterson on April 26, 2015, 09:25:28 PM
Is anyone working on Black Gold in standard size?  I'm feeling pretty discouraged about my lack of progress. Granted my lack of progress is mostly due to moving so much, but I'm still discouraged. I'm getting tired and thinking about disbanding my breeding pens.
Lyne
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: Cesar Villegas on April 27, 2015, 03:15:24 PM
Black Gold? Can you be more specific?
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: John W Blehm on April 27, 2015, 04:05:30 PM
Black Gold? Can you be more specific?

Texas tea. Well the first thing you know ol...oops, wrong subject.  ;D
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: Mike Gilbert on April 27, 2015, 04:34:58 PM
They are basically an overlaced plus shafted version of brown red, with the gold portions a couple of shades lighter than brown reds.   Genetically, they are the gold version of Silver Sussex.
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: Suki on April 29, 2015, 10:48:16 PM
Oh like the sexed linked Black Stars?
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: Lee G on May 03, 2015, 11:02:31 AM
They are basically an overlaced plus shafted version of brown red, with the gold portions a couple of shades lighter than brown reds.   Genetically, they are the gold version of Silver Sussex.

I've always wondered why silver Ameraucanas were made on the silver duckwing pattern instead of birchen like silver Sussex. Was it just a personal preference kind of thing? ???
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: Mike Gilbert on May 03, 2015, 01:36:45 PM
They are not silver duckwing, they are silver.   As in Silver Leghorns or Silver Dutch bantams.   Silver duckwing males do not have hackle or saddle striping.   Ralph Brazleton first bred them up in bantams, and Jerry Segler got some from him.   That was long before they were known as Ameraucanas.   We are probably talking the 1960's or early 1970's.
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: John W Blehm on May 03, 2015, 02:28:03 PM
They are basically an overlaced plus shafted version of brown red, with the gold portions a couple of shades lighter than brown reds.   Genetically, they are the gold version of Silver Sussex.

I've always wondered why silver Ameraucanas were made on the silver duckwing pattern instead of birchen like silver Sussex. Was it just a personal preference kind of thing? ???

Here again some terms we use have more than one meaning. 
When it comes to varieties "silver" and "silver duckwing" are similar, but different as Mike pointed out. 
When it comes to e-locus "duckwing" is used interchangeable with wildtype (e+) and the males have a silver or gold wing triangle.  Birchen (the e-locus gene, not the variety) (ER) is often referred to as crow wing and the wing triangle on the males is black or the ground color of the bird.
Mike pointed out the difference to me decades ago at a show, where I had entered what I thought was a bantam silver but since he didn't have the silver/white wing triangle he was really a birchen (the variety that is based on ER).
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: The Malcolms on May 03, 2015, 02:49:20 PM
They are not silver duckwing, they are silver.   As in Silver Leghorns or Silver Dutch bantams.   Silver duckwing males do not have hackle or saddle striping.

Could the same breed have both silver and silver duckwing varieties? Do the females have different patterns also?
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: Mike Gilbert on May 03, 2015, 07:14:10 PM
I am not aware of any breed that recognizes both silver and silver duckwing.   The females of these two varieties are nearly identical.  That's just off the top of my head, so somebody please correct me if that is not correct.
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: Lee G on May 04, 2015, 10:36:33 AM
Oh, I see. Thank you for the correction.  And for explaining the differences between silver and silver duckwing. Back to the books (and the field) I go!  :)
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: Mike Gilbert on May 04, 2015, 01:57:05 PM
Don't feel bad.   Duane Urch, APA judge and my former District APA Director, still advertises his as silver duckwing, and they are silver.   I don't know why, because one look at the males identifies them as silvers. 
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: Lee G on May 30, 2015, 11:07:13 AM
Don't feel bad.   Duane Urch, APA judge and my former District APA Director, still advertises his as silver duckwing, and they are silver.   I don't know why, because one look at the males identifies them as silvers.

Thanks Mike. I'm just seeing your reply now, and no worries! I want to be using the right terminology for the varieties I'm working with. :) I've been mostly offline for a few weeks due to our old computer dying of hard drive failure. I guess a decade of use is pretty good for a 2005 Compaq, but man oh man, our new machine is like the difference between night and day. I'm so excited now I'll be able to take real good photos of my flock (and children)  hehehe 8)
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: John W Blehm on May 31, 2015, 05:13:20 PM
Quote
When it comes to varieties "silver" and "silver duckwing" are similar, but different as Mike pointed out. 
When it comes to e-locus "duckwing" is used interchangeable with wildtype (e+) and the males have a silver or gold wing triangle.  Birchen (the e-locus gene, not the variety) (ER) is often referred to as crow wing and the wing triangle on the males is black or the ground color of the bird.
Mike pointed out the difference to me decades ago at a show, where I had entered what I thought was a bantam silver but since he didn't have the silver/white wing triangle he was really a birchen (the variety that is based on ER).

Here is a photo to show what is referred to as the "wing triangle".
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: Suki on May 31, 2015, 07:28:20 PM
Thanks John.  I appreciate the photo.
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: Holly Frosch on June 01, 2015, 03:49:40 PM
Our hands are pretty full with the brown reds, but the black golds do sound interesting. I'd say take heart! Don't give up! But ... I understand that it is a lot of work. Lol.

Do we have something along these lines in this pullet (she's from this year's March hatch)? Lighter than our brown reds, she's pretty striking - would like to see a black beard, though.
(http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag93/hollyfrosch/IMG_4926_zpsi3kvtnih.jpg)
(http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag93/hollyfrosch/IMG_4986_zpsbywuzl6c.jpg)
(http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag93/hollyfrosch/IMG_4988_zpsgvgrgbqq.jpg)

One of our 'oopses', her mom's out of brown reds and I believe dad's a blue birchen (Andalusian in his background - pea comb, but beardless with white earlobes). Here's her brother:
(http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag93/hollyfrosch/IMG_4994_zpsrximnuq5.jpg)

No plans on using these guys, just curious.
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: John W Blehm on June 01, 2015, 04:10:51 PM
These photos are of a couple pullets that were close to black gold 10 years ago.  I had one that was very nice, but died.
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: Mike Gilbert on June 01, 2015, 06:03:11 PM
All the above birds appear to be black golds.   Black gold is just the gold version of Silver Sussex coloring, and there will always be some variability in its' expression.
Title: Re: Black gold
Post by: Suki on June 01, 2015, 07:14:51 PM
They are pretty but the way the APA has gone because of its own mistakes, none of that is going to happen anytime soon.  What a shame.  A pity that there is isn't another poultry standards body.