Red Variety In The Making

[Tailfeathers]

I have a quick question. Think I know the answer but looking for confirmation or rejection just to be sure.

I put the keepers of the F1's from my Wheaten over Buckeye cross for the start of the Reds into a pen with my Ameraucanas to keep them safe.  There is a BW cockbird in the pen now.  I'm getting some bigger and greener eggs that I was pretty sure were them.  I figured I'd hatch them and if they turned out to be EE would just sell them as such.

Well, I just hatched a batch.  And some of them are looking like little Buckeyes.

So, with that intro, my question is:  Would it do any harm to keep those and use them in my Red project?  I'm guessing that the darkest "red" chicks didn't get the blue diluter gene similar to when one breeds a W to a BW?

Oh, and I just thought of another question:  If it's ok to keep them does it matter whether it's a male or female on deciding to keep?

[Mike Gilbert]

So, with that intro, my question is:  Would it do any harm to keep those and use them in my Red project?  I'm guessing that the darkest "red" chicks didn't get the blue diluter gene similar to when one breeds a W to a BW?You are probably right, but it won't take long to find out for sure.  Look at the wing and tail feathers to see if they come in blue or black

Oh, and I just thought of another question:  If it's ok to keep them does it matter whether it's a male or female on deciding to keep?

I would keep females, as then you will know for sure whether or not they carry the blue egg genetics and can eliminate those that don't.

[John W Blehm]

...I'm guessing that the darkest "red" chicks didn't get the blue diluter gene similar to when one breeds a W to a BW?

Blue (Bl) shouldn't dilute red (pheomelanin).  It only dilutes black (eumelanin) as I understand it, so I doubt it.

[Mike Gilbert]

...I'm guessing that the darkest "red" chicks didn't get the blue diluter gene similar to when one breeds a W to a BW?

Blue (Bl) shouldn't dilute red (pheomelanin).  It only dilutes black (eumelanin) as I understand it, so I doubt it.

Bl in blue wheatens clearly lightens the females' top color a shade or two lighter than their wheaten siblings.   And even the male hackles are lighter in blue wheatens than in wheatens as a general rule.   So I believe there is a slight amount of dilution in pheomelanin caused by the Bl gene.  Not total dilution of course, but partial.

[Tailfeathers]

Thanks guys!  Great point, Mike, about the tail and wings.  Never thought of that but I'd like to think I would've noticed it as adults.

And good point about keeping the females for the egg color.  Though I know at some point I have to pick a male.  I wil go back to the original post on the Red project when I get ready for that.