Iridescent feathers

[AlisonDS]

Is there any instance or breed where the hen might have greenish iridescent tail feathers?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Lots of them do. Barred Rocks, Australorps, Black Sex Links, Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire, etc.

Depending on the breeding, it is not uncommon at all for feathers, here and there, to have that black, but green tones, especially in the sunlight.

 

[hdowden]

most black birds have those iridescent feathers and in the right light they could even look purple and blue as well

 

[Slinglings]

My black jersey giant has beautiful green/purple iridescent feathers on her back and tail.

You can see a little of it on her sides here:

 

[debid]

SS pullet with VERY green tail feathers.

 

[gruffy]

I know this is old but thought I'd ask if you could breed chickens to be more iridescent? Is there a specific breed that would be shinier?

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

I've wondered the same. After asking around it seems that all iridescent chicken breeds call for a green sheen even though blue, purple and violet colors can be found. Sumatras have really nice green iridescence (and blue is seen as a fault and many claim that a Sumatra with blue iridescence is under stress), Ayam Cemani have nice blue iridescence and there are some pacific and South American breeds that are purported to have some Green Jungle Fowl in their ancestry that are "violaceous". Of course, Green Jungle Fowl are incredibly iridescent (and Bekisars, the hybrid of green and red Jungle Fowl are extremely iridescent purple/violet).

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

I had a breeding project where none of the birds had any iridescence in their bloodline (for quite a few generations anyway) and I had a lot of black birds show up with some iridescence. I crossed those birds to try and get something else and got a few chicks with even more iridescence (this photo is of the hen) so I'm crossing a pair together to see if I can get even more. I also have Sumatras crossed to Ayam Cemani and so far none of them seem to have more iridescence than the parents but perhaps after another moult. At any rate at some point they will all be crossed together.

 

[lilmillefleur]

what a pretty girl!

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

Green Jungle Fowl:

Bekisar (hybrid of Green Jungle Fowl and Red Jungle Fowl):

Violet (violaceous):

Blue:

Green: