Light Ameraucana Project

[Suki]

Which  generation is this Steve?

[Steve Neumann]

Well I have two lines I have created with different Columbian genetics to combine and compensate for inherent problems that I am encountering.  I didn't want to start the project with immature birds to ensure they were sound and in good health and productivity before building a variety around them.  Both lines are at F2.  One line was created with Blacks, one was created with Silvers.  I will try to get some more pictures today of my progress.

[Steve Neumann]

Here are some pics.  I was hoping to get more birds to select from, but it was a hot summer, and my hatch rate wasn't what I hoped. Of course the useful birds were a tiny fraction of what hatched overall.  I only got 3 birds with pea combs, beard and muffs, slate shanks that are Columbian marked.  The male has a hideous tail.  But a male with dark shanks is a male with dark shanks.  He has some other good qualities, and his color is great.  Hopefully bigger progress next year.

[Suki]

I got different results when I tried for Columbian, using Light Sussex, instead of a pure Ameraucanas.

[Steve Neumann]

Updated picture. 

[Suki]

Thanks for the update Steve.  Looks like they are coming along.  Is this the F2 group?


Sue Paolini
NePA

[John W Blehm]

Johnny Parks emailed me recently with some background on his bantam Columbian Ameraucana project that he has been working on for a few years now and some questions.  I prefer having questions and answers posted on our forum to get the most input, plus the posts benefit many others that check out the forum so here is my reply.

I've never bred a Columbian variety, but have had it (Co or maybe Db) pop up in some bantam silvers with white breasts and self buffs have both genes.
You may already know this, but here are some things to consider… 
Undercolour: (by Dr Okimoto)
"Wheaten has a cream feather undercolor. e+ and eb have a gray feather undercolor even in the presence of Co. eWhe+ Coco+ heterozygotes have the gray feather undercolor and birds that I have that are eWheb CoCo (I crossed a New Hamp to a Columbian Wyandotte) also have the gray feather undercolor, but it is lighter and looks more silvery than gray. If you find that your birds are eWheb and they have a white or cream feather undercolor they may have melanotic. Birds with melanotic often have a white feather undercolor, but this may be an interaction with some other genes because I don't think that they all have a white undercolor."
Both the Columbian gene (Co) and Dark Brown (Db) are Columbian type restrictors and it may be hard to tell one from the other in adult birds, but I believe the chick phenotypes may have some clues.
Why do you want them to be eWh?  Buff Columbian as in Wyandotte, Brahma, etc are eb Co.  It sounds like you are breeding silver Columbians, but other than the silver gene maybe they would be based on eb also.  Even so it looks like they could be based on e+, eb or eWh with the under fluff color your determining factor if it matters.  To reduce size I always suggest outcrossing with the smallest male possible and a silver Ameraucana male may be my choice.  They may not have the best Ameraucana type, but they are silver (S) and I believe e+ has white/silver under fluff.
Brain Reeder said…
"The most desirable Silver Columbians are those that are homozygous for Aph^I, and have no Mahogany or other red intensifiers, as these will be a clean white silver. Further, when such genes as Dilute (Di) and/or cream (ig) are also present on these Aph^I silver Columbians, as we have discussed in previous articles on obtaining clean white silver plumage, the effect is magnified and we see none of the brassiness that even some good, clean lines show when exposed to sunlight."
Silver (S/S) varieties based on e+ or eb or eWh alleles, with Columbian (Co)Phenotype = Genotype Columbian - e+/e+ Co/Co Mo/Mo Lav/Lav bl/bl Rb+/Rb+ S/S[/url]

[Johnny Parks]

Young columbian males that I culled and sold from the project this season.  Too tall for my bantam project.

[Suki]

Hi Johnny
Did they go to people who were interested in following this project?  Sue

[Johnny Parks]

Sue,
They were sold at an auction barn.  No way to know the interest for them.

[Suki]

Hi Johnny


Sorry to hear that, but I'm glad you're good with the decision.


Sue/the Commonwealth

[Steve Neumann]

Just wanted to post some update pics.

[Johnny Parks]

Keep up the good work, Steve!  Beautiful birds!

[Steve Neumann]

Just thought I'd share a pic of one of my nicer pullets from my February hatch.

[Steve Neumann]

A pic of one of my keeper cockerels.