Black Bantams

[Mike Gilbert]

We have been a little shy of photos lately, so thought I might post this pic of my gold based black bantam pullet.  She has not been shown but will be mated with the nice little black cockerel acquired from Russ at Lebanon in October, which I believe is silver based.  My long range goal is to produce a gold based line of black bantams.   Hopefully those genetics will optimize the black and green sheen.  Time will tell.  Obviously she had not been washed, so is not shown to her best advantage.  Click to enlarge.

[John W Blehm]

I've also been thinking about crossing a few bantam varieties this breeding season to work on gold based blacks also. 
It is surprising that so far most of my orders for chicks are for bantams.  Usually I would guess 80 to 90% are for LF chicks. 

[The Malcolms]

She is very nice!  This reminds me of a question I've been meaning to ask...
When a blue or black shows leakage in hackles and/or saddle feathers, does the color of leakage relate to them being silver or gold based?  Ex: gold leakage=gold based or silver leakage = silver based?  Could you safely assume full siblings are based the same even if they do not both have leakage?
PS...If yes to the above...would a black cockerel with silver leakage be an acceptable out cross to pure silver pullets or hens?

[Mike Gilbert]

You can tell mostly by leakage in the hackle or head, because leakage elsewhere could be autosomal (nonsex-linked) red or something else.    You would have to define what you mean by acceptable?    Why use a bird with leakage for any reason if a solid colored breeder is available?

[The Malcolms]

For example - I have noticed several people talk about crossing other varieties with black to improve comb and type.  Especially with silvers.  Do the blacks used with pure silvers need to be silver based? If so...I was guessing a black with no other faults but silver leakage in the hackle may be a good bet or his full brother without leakage if full siblings could be assumed to be based the same (either silver or gold). 
Just starting to give thought to genotype instead of just phenotype...

[Mike Gilbert]

Yes, for crossbreeding/outcrossing the leakage can be useful.    But since males can be split for S (silver) and s (gold) there are no guarantees on siblings.
Plus you would need to know whether the mother was S or s because she contributes 50% to her male offspring. 

[The Malcolms]

Very interesting.  Thank you for the clarification.  I will ponder this and may revisit this when breeding starts here in February.🐔🐔🐔🐔

[John W Blehm]

Yes, for crossbreeding/outcrossing the leakage can be useful.    But since males can be split for S (silver) and s (gold) there are no guarantees on siblings.
Plus you would need to know whether the mother was S or s because she contributes 50% to her male offspring.

This is why I always (realizing exceptions to every rule) use a male of the variety I'm trying to improve over a female of a different variety for outcrosses that include two varieties.  A silver male over a black female would produce pullets that are 100% silver (S), even though they will be black.

[John W Blehm]

I've bred some bantam blacks this year also, but they are going to be silver based due to the outcrosses used and the only options I had available.  I have a couple mostly black pullets that were hatched last year and are from a silver/lavender cross to be used to produce lavender silvers.  By putting lavender cocks over them I was able to hatch some pure blacks.  Since they carry lavender they could produce both blacks and lavenders.