Blue Silver?

[John W Blehm]

I mentioned "silver blue" in a post, above, and since I believe it is basically the same as the birchen variety but with blue in the areas that normally are black, "blue birchen" may be a more appropriate name for it.

[Russ Blair]

Hoping to post a picture of a Pullet from last years hatch, keep your fingers crossed

[Russ Blair]

Whew who thank you Suki I couldn't of done it without your step by step instructions lol. This will be the first of many pictures you guys better be ready lol. Oh just an update, I am really impressed with the improvements I saw in last years F-3 hatches. I have a couple Silver pullets that way 6lbs plus from this hatch that are currently under a Blue Silver Cock that sired them. The egg size and color are also a huge improvement as well. I am really excited to see what this years F-4 finish into, I have a three pens of them this year. First pen is of a Blue Silver Cock over 3 of the largest Silver Pullets from my Blue Silver project, every one of them are at the 6lb mark or more. Second pen consists of my best Blue Silver Cockerel over 2 Silver Hens (Blue Silver mating) that are just under 6 lbs. Then finally the third pen has three Blue Silver Pullets (which unfortunately did not get the size improvement of that the Silver Pullets got) with a huge Silver Cockerel (from Blue Silver cro ss) and the biggest pure Silver Cockerel being rotated over them.

[John W Blehm]

Hoping to post a picture of a Pullet from last years hatch, keep your fingers crossed

Also keep in mind that since the size limit on attached images is 128kB so if you keep them close to that size, without going over, they will be BIGGER when clicked on than images that are reduced too much.

[Mike Gilbert]

Hoping to post a picture of a Pullet from last years hatch, keep your fingers crossed

Good looking bird Russ.   How is the shafting on the back and wings?   Does not look like much from the photo. 

[Russ Blair]

Very minimal on the Blue Silver Pullets but Silver Pullets still express it unfortunately

[John W Blehm]

Very minimal on the Blue Silver Pullets but Silver Pullets still express it unfortunately

The contrast between black/dark gray to white is needed to really determine how bad the shafting is. 
It is the same situation with wheaten vs blue wheaten and black or blue striping in the hackles.  You need to breed from wheatens that show the most contrast between colors to try to eliminate it.

[Mike Gilbert]

 
Actually, I didn't have much trouble seeing the shafting back when I first created the blue silvers.   It's one reason I decided not to stay with them.

[Russ Blair]

Here's another Blue Silver Pullet that caught my eye. Not sure if it's possible to put lacing in the breast of the females or not but I like the way this one is looking. So I figure there is only one way to find out and that is to try.

[Russ Blair]

Here's the three Blue Silver Pullets. The shafting is very minimal to almost none. I will get pictures of the Silver Pullets tonight to show how different the shafting is.

[Mike Gilbert]

Here's another Blue Silver Pullet that caught my eye. Not sure if it's possible to put lacing in the breast of the females or not but I like the way this one is looking. So I figure there is only one way to find out and that is to try.

The APA standard seems to be silent on the subject of female breast coloring in Silvers.   But here is a quote from Bantam Standard (page 248 of my 2011 edition).   Under color of female silver:
Breast:  Salmon, shading to gray under body, free from shafting.       Then, on page 249, defects are listed.  Quote:  "Reddish cast in female secondaries - lacing or frostiness in female breast feathers.

So it appears the object would be to produce as even a salmon color as possible in the female breast feathers.    That has always been my understanding, but I had to look it up to be sure.

[Russ Blair]

This is the best looking Silver Pullet (from blue Silver project) that is 1 of 3 in with the Blue Silver Cock. The other two are not this nice but have substantial size, type, and egg improvements compared to my pure silver line. You can see she still has some shafting that is evident.

[Russ Blair]

Here is the pen containing Blue Silver Cockerel over the two biggest and only Silver hens (from blue Silver project) I used last year for breeding. The shafting is more pronounced in these hens which are F-2's than the F-3 pullets in the other pen with the F-2 Blue Silver Cock. I think after I hatch enough Blue Silvers I may use these Hens, and the other Silver Pullets to start another silver line. If I can keep the size and type but reduce the shafting I may have a nice by product of my endeavor lol.

[Russ Blair]

So it appears the object would be to produce as even a salmon color as possible in the female breast feathers.    That has always been my understanding, but I had to look it up to be sure.

Well that will make my job easier, but now what about males? I invisioned the Males eventually having lacing in the breast. Much like a Blue Wheaten Male is supposed to have, is this obtainable without putting lacing in the females as well? Or is it impossible to do with e+ based birds?

[Mike Gilbert]

Since Blue Silver is not in the Standards yet, you are free to make them any way you want.  The ABA does recognize Blue Silver Duckwing, however, and for that variety the male breast color is just described as blue.   No mention of lacing.    Page 220 of my 2011 ABA Standard.