Laced Blues

[Suki]

John scribbled....If you are breeding blue to blue I would agree only chicks with gray/blue down will mature into blues ....


Yes you are right, that's a good clarification. My statement was far too broad.

Thanks Sue

[Justin Snyder]

OK, next question. Andalusian Blue were used, single combs. I test bred my cockbird and ended up with a few single from the cross. Should I test breed my pullets and keep only pullets with 2 copies of pea comb or is it type first like usual? Ideally we keep only blues so we can see lacing, but I have a splash that you can see the lacing so I kept her also. She is kinda cool looking.

[Mike Gilbert]

Combs are a pretty easy fix.  Usually you can tell by their shape.   I would concentrate more on type, docility, and getting white out of the earlobes.  Along with disease resistance and productivity.   Just my opinion. 

[Justin Snyder]

Thanks Mike, I ask because yours and so many others opinions are more relative and better informed than mine. 

[Justin Snyder]

And thanks for the details and specifics on what I am looking for.

[John W Blehm]

Combs are a pretty easy fix...

I agree with Mike that, that is normally the case and in the breeding being discussed here.  Basic single, pea and rose combs and the genetics behind them we can deal with, but duplex combs and both known and unknown comb modifying genes can bring in traits that can be very hard to breed back out.  I've experienced this with crossbreeding Polish with LF buff Ameraucanas and with bantam silver Ameraucana males that have pea combs, but with center ridges much higher than those on either side. 

[Max Strawn]

We are lucky that most of the traits we breed for in Ameraucana are dominant, such as the pea comb, beards and muffs. Andalusians share a lot of the same traits as Ameraucana such as slate shanks, white bottom feet. These have made it much easier and quicker to get back to good Ameraucana type. The hardest things I have dealt with are the white ear lobes and pinched tales in the females. You just have to hatch as many as you can raise and cull hard. I try to raise at least 100 blues every year and cull down to the best 10-15.

[Justin Snyder]

One more question, for now...
Are these likely silver based? Do we want to ensure they are silver based versus gold. Do I need to make an effort to keep gold based birds out?

[Max Strawn]

One more question, for now...
Are these likely silver based? Do we want to ensure they are silver based versus gold. Do I need to make an effort to keep gold based birds out?

I agree with Mike and John. The best blues will be Silver based. Yes, we should make every effort to keep Gold based birds out. I do not recommend crossing to a line that has been developed primarily for producing Blacks.