Ameraucanas Black to Blue?

[kenya]

OC You need to introduce black into your breeding of blues if you want to maintain that beautiful dark blue, if you do not introduce black every 3rd generation or so you will eventually fade the blue. Are your black's based on blue(result of BBS breeding) or are they true blacks.? If based on blue you will probably have less bleed through, but either way if your black girls are as nice as you say you will get some fabulous babies, yes you will have some culls but the genetic diversity you are introducing is worth it. The young will be stronger and likely grow faster and larger.

[Ontario Chick]

I just want about 6 lovely Black pullets without being 'punished" for it.
See, I knew I forgot something, there will also be Blue pullets, (she said hopefully) and I haven't thought about that at all, PTO comes to the rescue again!
I am 99% certain he is silver based and if he is there really shouldn't be a problem. Last famous words.

[Ontario Chick]

OC You need to introduce black into your breeding of blues if you want to maintain that beautiful dark blue, if you do not introduce black every 3rd generation or so you will eventually fade the blue. Are your black's based on blue(result of BBS breeding) or are they true blacks.? If based on blue you will probably have less bleed through, but either way if your black girls are as nice as you say you will get some fabulous babies, yes you will have some culls but the genetic diversity you are introducing is worth it. The young will be stronger and likely grow faster and larger.

My blacks are second generation from F1 Black to Black, but silver based.
I have read the theory of the third generation introduction of Blacks to keep the Blue dark, but genetically speaking it actually doesn't make much sense.
It's still an outcross and has to be treated as such, so I feel a bit guilty about it and may be complicating my life unnecessarily?

[windwalkingwolf]

Aren't you long overdue for a 'year of the pullet', OC? Maybe this is your year, and come fall you won't have enough young boys to choose from. Only one way to find out, better get the incubator cleaned up and running to test it, then it'll be at the ready :D

[Ontario Chick]

I could sure use one of those, but 2016 is the year of the Monkey, perhaps it will help?
Don't need any new boys these guys should last another couple years.
The incubator is clean since last year when I put it away, so it's always ready, can't say the same thing for me.