Who do I breed to whom?

[WLLady]

either the blue (since that gave you some dilute blues you weren't expecting) but yes, the blue columbian as well........just 'cause.... :rofl1:
if nothing else, you could get some weird colour combos/pattern combos that will have you for the next generation....but will give you insight into what the parents are concealing in their genetics. (my inner chicken voice that i am trying to smother says "but you only need to do one incubator load of eggs!!! just one!). most of the other combos will give you some columbian and some not and some black and some blue and some splash in various proportions depending on the parents. the only "odd ball" combo would be that blue columbian over splash. which is completely counter productive to what you (I think) had goals with the blue and blue columbian projects. LOL. (sorry-i will go and be quiet now..... )

of course, you could always sell any birds that you don't want to keep..the spring sales should be a go ahead barring any more avian flu things....fingers crossed. oh wait, that means you need to start breeding and hatching now....LOL. :wink:

[Ontario Chick]

Thanks Kathy, I knew you would come up with a challenge.

[Ontario Chick]

This is a first Blue male worth breeding I have produced in 3 years, it just might have gone to my head, but at 6 month he looks promising even with the wonky comb...
at this point I think I will try him over his "grand-dams, to see if I can get some Blacks, although since he is silver based, blacks probably wouldn't be much good

Hamish

And the Blue Columbian although not as vivid as the Columbian is very pretty (not sure if it's OK to say that about a male?) so now I am a bit tempted...

McTavish

[WLLady]

they are both gorgeous birds. the blue on the columbian i think will always looks a little pale, simply because it's blue on white, not black on white. i think it's just in the way that we see blue...especially on a white background.

your blue boy is gorgeous. if you breed him and get more blues down the road with his type you can always clean up the comb in later generations once you have him passing his colour and type down. i love those sickle feathers.....i think you are right, he's going to get better as he grows up and once his tail is fully in he will be stunning :)

[kenya]

The blue is definitely your best but I would want to try the blue Columbian with your blue girls to see what you will get, I wouldn't bother with the splash girls it will hide far too much, you won't really know what you have as the splash will hide it.

[Ontario Chick]

I knew I would get a different view here and I really appreciate it.
I have been stuck in this "Blue Columbian to the Columbians" mode and couldn't get out of it, and after reading Kenya's post something clicked.
I knew the Blue was the best, and the Blue Columbian is carrying the type of his Columbian sire (not so good) with breeding him back to the Columbian hens, I wouldn't be improving the type at all, so really back to Blue hens makes much more sense.
Kathy, I love your flight of fancy, just not really sure I want to know what is being concealed, it's scary enough finding out what is clear right in front of me,...
I think sometime ignorance is bliss...

[WLLady]

LOL. like i said OC, i just can't resist the "what ifs". i could very definitely get a lot of breeding programs way off track in very very short order!

your birds are simply awesome OC. i do agree the blue is definitely the best. :)

[Ontario Chick]

They are still living in brotherly harmony, but getting closer to decision making time, before somebody is put out of commission and my decision will be made for me.
The Blue still looks the best and I think I will put him with the Blue hens (his grand dams) to see what happens there.
Then.....I think the Blue Columbian with the Blue hens like Kenya suggested.
I just thought if I post it, it's more likely it will actually happen.

[windwalkingwolf]

Whatever came out of your blue columbian pencilled, mossy hen (I think you nicknamed her Stephanie lol)? You hatched an egg of hers if I recall correctly... and I hatched two very similar from a similarly patterned hen. We were supposed to compare notes as they grew, but I think my notes would be useless to you...one of mine was killed and the other turned out a huge surprise.

[Ontario Chick]

What came out of her was 1 Blue Columbian hen, and 8 Blue Columbian cockerels, can't beet those odds.