Barred cochin bantam rooster darker hen

[Rowdytrike]

Can I change the colour of hen by breeding to lighter like rooster I read that males have 2 genes hens 1 but I see online paler not dark like black barred can i make females lighter pic added of pair

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

There's not really another variety you can breed to to make your females lighter without also making them mixed color rather than Barred. My understanding is that barring on fast feathering birds tends to be smudgy and uneven like that hen, while on a slower feathering bird it comes in more crisp and even, making even hens look a bit lighter. This has been my experience with Barred birds I've owned as well. Regardless of feathering speed and crispness of barring, the females still only have one barring gene.

Unfortunately, unless you have another Cochin you know is slow feathering to breed the trait into your Barreds, it would be a major uphill battle to try to breed in the trait from another breed of chicken and then breed back to Cochins for the proper Cochin type and traits. You could select for the cleanest barring in both your males and females and likely over time produce cleaner barring in your Cochins as well. There is no quick fix for it, though, and you're looking at generations of selection and breeding regardless of how you go about it.

 

[Rowdytrike]

There's not really another variety you can breed to to make your females lighter without also making them mixed color rather than Barred. My understanding is that barring on fast feathering birds tends to be smudgy and uneven like that hen, while on a slower feathering bird it comes in more crisp and even, making even hens look a bit lighter. This has been my experience with Barred birds I've owned as well. Regardless of feathering speed and crispness of barring, the females still only have one barring gene.

Unfortunately, unless you have another Cochin you know is slow feathering to breed the trait into your Barreds, it would be a major uphill battle to try to breed in the trait from another breed of chicken and then breed back to Cochins for the proper Cochin type and traits. You could select for the cleanest barring in both your males and females and likely over time produce cleaner barring in your Cochins as well. There is no quick fix for it, though, and you're looking at generations of selection and breeding regardless of how you go about it.

Thank you very much I've got a perfect us import barred hen I try add that instead thanks

 

[nicalandia]

Can I change the colour of hen by breeding to lighter like rooster I read that males have 2 genes hens 1 but I see online paler not dark like black barred can i make females lighter pic added of pair

Those look Cuckoo instead of barred. Cuckoo females can be that dark(like Cuckoo Maran),

But Barring can be bred to be light and dark. Just look at the Light Barred Rock and Dark Barred Rocks from Australia/New Zealand.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Just look at the Light Barred Rock and Dark Barred Rocks from Australia/New Zealand.

Interesting, I'd never heard of those. I had heard that some European countries bred for single-factor barring in their males, but had no idea anywhere had such a difference in the females being lighter or darker like that. Took me a bit to find example pictures, but the difference is there. Being that there is some variation in lightness or darkness in Barred Plymouth Rock females here as well, is this is still a matter of selection for that or is there a different barring gene that they're working with over there?

 

[nicalandia]

Being that there is some variation in lightness or darkness in Barred Plymouth Rock females here as well, is this is still a matter of selection for that or is there a different barring gene that they're working with over there?

It could be both, there are multiple barring allelic mutations, so when you find a light one you just can keep breeding towards that.

 

[Rowdytrike]

Those look Cuckoo instead of barred. Cuckoo females can be that dark(like Cuckoo Maran),

But Barring can be bred to be light and dark. Just look at the Light Barred Rock and Dark Barred Rocks from Australia/New Zealand.

Thank you so much

 

[Rowdytrike]

Those look Cuckoo instead of barred. Cuckoo females can be that dark(like Cuckoo Maran),

But Barring can be bred to be light and dark. Just look at the Light Barred Rock and Dark Barred Rocks from Australia/New Zealand.

I try cross it

 

[Rowdytrike]

I try cross it

 

[Rowdytrike]

Some of my cochin bantams