| Subject: Lavender Cochin Project |
Author:
Tom Roebuck
[Edit]
|
Date Posted: 23:20:22 09/11/08 Thu
In Europe, Lavender (Self-Blue) Cochins are fairly common, but you just can't find them in the U.S. Importing birds or eggs is next to impossible. However, some hatcheries advertise Self-Blue Cochins. This spring I stumbled upon a pair of Lavender Cochins (thanks John) at a swap meet that were being sold as "Gray" Cochins. They are Cochins in that they have feathered legs and single combs, but as far as type they basically look like single combed Wyandottes with bunny tails. The color on the other hand is excellent, although the male was very sun burned and quite yellow. He's molting right now and the new feathers are a nice self-blue color.
I wanted to post the results of what I did with them as far as breeding matchups, and what my plans for next season are. I also asked Dan Honour a few questions relating to leg color and what to expect using lavender splits in the future generations. I will no doubt have to cross back to Blacks a couple times to get the type right, but the end result will be worth it. I'll post some photos of the birds when I get a chance, but thought that maybe some of our friends abroad might have some input on the Lavenders.
Email to Dan Honour:
Dan,
I have a dozen of my lavender cross cochins. They are all black (as expected), and one is a frizzle (ckl). All females have Black/creamy colored legs. The frizzle ckl has the same color legs. The other ckls have yellow legs. I have birds from 4 different matings that make up this small group of youngsters (the youngest group of 4 is still too young to sex). My plan is to cross these together not mating brother to sister. I should see approximately 25% LAvender chicks so plan to hatch at least 100 if I can.
Discussion topics:
Leg color? What should it be according to a standard? Of all the other recognized LAvender (Self-Blue) varieties I've looked up the standard calls for Blue/Black/Slaty Blue legs. If this goes the same for Lavender Cochins, they would be the only variety not having a yellow/dusky yellow leg. Is it possible to even have yellow legs on a Self-blue fowl? do the genetics allow for that? If you force the leg color to yellow, do you compromise the Self-Blue genetics? The two SB birds that I started with have light slate leg color,althought they had leg mites pretty bad so now their legs are mostly white. I have to note that the hen lays like a champ!!
anticipating 25% Lavender in the f2 birds, what would be a good approach for the f3 matings? I would like to mate f2 progeny X f2 progeny from different matings to work on color, but can I also go f2 Lavender X Black again to improve type without sacrificing color. Looking down the road at the f3 progeny if I did an f2 lavender X Black cross, am I correct in assuming that an f3 Self-Blue X f3 LavXBlack would yield 75% lavender chicks with much improved type?
Dan's Response:
You are on the right track and it was a good move to use your good typed Black Cochin bantams,keeps type and feather quality uppermost during this process. You can surely tell the lavender chicks at hatch .I have not done the punnet square,but off the top of my head,lavender x lavender split blacks should equal 50% lavender. The project I am working with is very similar in many respects.I have not decided if they should be Leghorns,Phoenix or Minorcas,however they have produced willow legs as well as slate from the start.Since both Leghorns and Cochins are yellow legged perhaps you should in later generations stick with willow or yellow.I would think since black leghorns and black cochins can have yellow legs it is possible,however you realize they often are double mated As the standard is not right for breeding.The pullet breeder males are those with the whiter undercolor,sometimes white in tail sickles,just to get the yellow legged females.The male line has dark undercolor and females with dark dusky yellow legs.I AM NOT A FAN OF DOUBLE MATING BUT,but that is what is required to get dark fowl with yellow legs.It would have been better to have allowed dark legged females or willow legs in both sexes. You can breed from willow legged female to get yellow legs,but yellow legged males can carry willow hidden (it is sex linked). Willow x willow breeds willow.Watch the tail and wing bows on lavender males,try to have wide feathers in both these sections and watch especially for the constant pin feathers in the wingbows.It can be broken but requires you raise out the lavender MALES until nearly mature.Red turn to gold with lavender and does not effect silver,these will segregate with all lavender.To get rid of silver only use black,lavender or black red males (sex linked).You were also wise to have started with several matings to avoid close inbreeding,so now you can breeed closely with superior specimens within this group.
Follow-Up email from Dan:
Tom ,I do not know if I answered all the things you asked,I am thinking I missed a few. Here is a English Leghorn site with lavender leghorns English type,huge combs and tiny whip tails. http://www.theleghornclub.com/PhotosLavender.htm
It does show the yellow leg color.These sites (this one and Australian leghorn club) also show pullet breeder black leghorns with white in tails. Self blue/lavender often do not show the dark brown/black eyes in slate legged breeds,being light brown or red.In Leghorns and Cochins most all varieties call for reddish bay eye color.You are right in going back as many times as need be to good typed blacks for improvement.It just takes time to get the splits and then the % lavender. If you get gold in hackles of lavenders,some will come all lavender if you breed enough,then it is selection. After having a chance to think about lavender x blk-split,yes it is 50% lavender 50% split carriers of lavender.They all (chicks) get one lavender gene from the lavender parent and the have an equal change to get a black gene or a lavender.two lavenders =lavender and one lavender one black = blk split carrier.
We thought this would be an interesting topic to post.
Enjoy!
| | Replies: | |
|
