Splash Maran Roo + Rhode Island Red Hen = ???

[Alishye]

Bluebells?

I don't have any pictures yet, the chicks have just hatched and haven't fluffed up, I'll post pictures when they do. Not all of the chicks have hatched either - three to go! But I was curious if anyone knows if that cross produces Bluebells? The chicks appeared black when they first hatched, but now look dark & light gray.

I also have a Splash Maran + Leghorn mix and she hatched light yellow.

Thank you in advance for any help y'all can provide.

 

[junebuggena]

The splash Maran is extended black with two copies of the Blue dilute gene. Extended black is very dominant gene that will cover most other pattern genes. It will also cover that red base color completely. Your splash should produce Blue chicks with the RIR hen. The cockerels will have lots of red leakage as they mature.
Leghorns are dominant white. That means they are a solid black bird with the 'white' gene modifying black coloring, turning the bird white. Since the white gene only affects black coloring, and the splash rooster is basically a solid black bird, there is a good chance you will get white chicks from that pairing.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

My take on it is....

Splash roo with RIR hen, blue chicks. Red leakage may happen.

Splash roo with Leghorn (dominant white), all white chicks (yellow down).

LofMc

 

[Alishye]

Thank y'all so much for your help! So excited the chicks will probably be blue! Would they be considered Bluebells if so? I think Bluebells are so pretty!

If my Splash/Leghorn produces as many eggs as her Mama, I'll be happy! Well, if it's a she!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Well, from what I've read, Bluebells are popular in the UK, and are a hybrid mixture of RIR and the right color of Marans (splash or blue) to get the blue colored Marans/RIR hybrid chicks known as Bluebells.

If you had used a Cuckoo Marans, you would have ended up with speckled coloring (cuckooing) and would have created a Speckledy, again a UK hybrid. (If you had used the hen as the Cuckoo Marans with a RIR rooster, you would also create sex links.)

So, yes, with the RIR and Splash Marans, you've created a backyard Bluebell.

Splash is the only color that will consistently create blue. If you had used a blue feathered bird, you would have gotten 50% black and 50% blue (as the coin is tossed averaging).

LofMc

 

[Alishye]

I knew the original Bluebell was from Europe, but from what I read online I did potentially have the right birds to create one. But not the true Bluebell - a "backyard Bluebell" instead. Sounds good to me! Hopefully mine will be just as pretty! Thank you LoMC.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I knew the original Bluebell was from Europe, but from what I read online I did potentially have the right birds to create one. But not the true Bluebell - a "backyard Bluebell" instead. Sounds good to me! Hopefully mine will be just as pretty! Thank you LoMC.

I'm sure they'll be pretty.

I've got an egg (for a test project) under a broody right now which is Double Laced Barnevelder roo over Splash Marans....I *should* get a blue laced dark layer. If this goes well, I'll set more with the next broody as my Splash Marans is still pretty young and still laying smaller pullet eggs (not the ideal to set).

LofMc

 

[Alishye]

The splash Maran is extended black with two copies of the Blue dilute gene. Extended black is very dominant gene that will cover most other pattern genes. It will also cover that red base color completely. Your splash should produce Blue chicks with the RIR hen. The cockerels will have lots of red leakage as they mature.
Leghorns are dominant white. That means they are a solid black bird with the 'white' gene modifying black coloring, turning the bird white. Since the white gene only affects black coloring, and the splash rooster is basically a solid black bird, there is a good chance you will get white chicks from that pairing. 

You were right! Here they are all fluffed out and looking too cute!

 

[Alishye]

My take on it is....

Splash roo with RIR hen, blue chicks. Red leakage may happen.

Splash roo with Leghorn (dominant white), all white chicks (yellow down).

LofMc

I just posted a couple pictures of the chicks. You were right about how they would look!

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

You were right! Here they are all fluffed out and looking too cute!

They are adorable!