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Post by gayle on May 10, 2012 19:40:24 GMT -5
This is a topic that has been reviewed forever amongst various breeders of black poultry. I've always been interested on the different methods breeders use to maintain the green sheen
There are various approaches breeders have used to maintain the green sheen or to obtain it.
It has been noted that old english game breeder would take their dull blacks and breed them to Black Breasted Reds( BBReds) to obtain the green sheen. with the belief that Mahagony contributes to the green sheen While others claim it is (s+) recessive Sex -Linked gold which contributes to the green sheen.
I had a cochin breeder tell me that (S) Sex- Linked Silver will contribute to the green sheen. I decide to give this a try. I had a black bird with a silver hackle. I breed it to blues and the solid blacks which I obtained from this breeding had the most brilliant green sheen I had ever seen.
And of course if your birds have the green sheen it can be maintained by select breeding.
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Post by gayle on May 10, 2012 19:55:55 GMT -5
Here are some various points I've pickup from different breeders and articles I've read. I haven't tested all of these approaches but maybe some of the other breeders on this forum have. If you have I'm interested in your info.
It has been expressed that if your bird is lacking a green sheen but has a sheen reflecting every color of the rainbow. In the breeding process the green sheen has been over shot. So breed this bird to a dull black and the green sheen will return,
If you bird is showing purple barring or puple sheen. It is questioned on whether this is genetics. Some people claim it may be from lack of certain nutients. Does any one have any info on this?
Now I'm trying to remember what to do if your black bird has a blue sheen, I'll have to look that one up.
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Post by gayle on May 21, 2012 11:26:14 GMT -5
Here are quotes from people who are well versed in genetics. If you have bird which have exceptional green sheen you better hold onto them for all its worth.
Originally Posted By: R. Okimoto
Originally Posted By: KazJaps
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aveca
Full Member
Posts: 137
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Post by aveca on Sept 20, 2012 12:27:08 GMT -5
Gayle..i had one blk orp cockeral last year with several feathers with very distinct purple barring .almost like it was drawn on the dark green....non of the rest of this orp group had this..all of the rest of this group had a rich green ...husband had hatchery australorps that had distinct purple sheen , while a show australorp rooster had only a rich green sheen..all of the birds were fed the exactly same feed..raised either shipped chicks or hatching eggs..i could only assume it was in the genes..but it would be interesting to see if there is a dietary reason.
That cockeral never appeared to be ill in any way..very livley and bright eyed.
A couple of australorp breeders were talking about this subject on thread in australian website several years ago asking where the purpeling was coming from..one of ray connor people that he worked with said as you did above..purple was caused by too much green in the breeding shed, choose flat black to dull black females corrects the problem..thought that was interesting..
Also some of the blue english have extreamly dry feathers..beautiful lacing and decent color..but i wondered why the blk orps were so soft in feathers while the blues were so crispy dry..i wondered if something was missing in diet? Or genetics. The english seem to ration their energy between putting on body mass and feathering very slowly. I just cant figure out why the feathers are this dry, easy to break.
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Post by gayle on Sept 20, 2012 16:09:14 GMT -5
Aveca
yes usually the best approach is to breed your purple sheen black bird to a dull black bird. If the green sheen appears thats great, but if the purple sheen keeps coming back it may be genetic or the chicken may have a metabolism problem which would be genetic also. I would not allow a purple sheen bird in the pen with my green sheen birds. I would keep them marked and separated, because if they are from a faulty genetic coding, you don't want your good green sheen birds contaminated with this fault.
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Post by gayle on Sept 20, 2012 16:41:02 GMT -5
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Post by gayle on Sept 20, 2012 16:45:08 GMT -5
I am also convinced that a bird has to really be black to hold a green sheen. The Blacker the bird the better the green sheen. Some birds if they are lacking or have a poor green sheen maybe need more black enhancers melanizers breed into them.
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Post by gayle on Sept 20, 2012 17:17:19 GMT -5
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Post by gayle on Sept 20, 2012 17:22:25 GMT -5
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Post by gayle on Sept 20, 2012 17:26:04 GMT -5
now as pointed out above many breeders stress that if your good green sheen birds start throwing birds with purple sheen. You have over shot your green sheen, and need to include some flat blacks in the breeding pens. Keep good records.
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aveca
Full Member
Posts: 137
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Post by aveca on Sept 21, 2012 8:15:52 GMT -5
excellent information Gayle..I gave away the barred cockeral this spring..I might be able to go to thier house and take a few pics..he doesnt have any hens, hes a big back yard pet....the bars are a perfect line not bled out.. very distinct purple lines..When I have a little more time Im going to finish reading this....I am really interested in possible feed and environmental impact also..all of husbands purple hens are free roaming egg layers , they are not in any breeding pen..they look very much like the last photo..
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Post by bamachicken on Sept 22, 2012 22:06:13 GMT -5
Gayle all my blacks have always had a great green sheen. Even the ones out of Blue to Blue breedings. I think it is in the genes.
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Post by gayle on Sept 23, 2012 19:11:11 GMT -5
Gayle all my blacks have always had a great green sheen. Even the ones out of Blue to Blue breedings. I think it is in the genes. Julie I agree
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Post by gayle on Sept 23, 2012 19:21:11 GMT -5
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Post by gayle on Sept 24, 2012 8:53:30 GMT -5
I recall another breeder expressing that baby chicks which had down which is black with the white , the penguin color down. Usaully had better green sheen when becoming adults, Then baby chicks which had solid black down at hatch. This is something which might need to be observed, to see whether this is an isolated incident or a possible absolute. But as the saying goes There is absolutely no absolutes.
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