Lavender Orpington crossed with others

[Miri]

Hi everyone! I have a lovely little flock of lavender Orpingtons (three hens and a roo), as well as a sassy blue Ameraucana hen. We'd like to add a couple of other birds to our flock, but we're wondering how the genetics would work and what the possible offspring would look like. I know how the lavender gene and the blue gene work within Orpington, but not sure how they work when you outcross into other breeds. For instancei a lavender is technically a diluted black, but will offspring of a lavender always carry one copy of the lavender (split to lavender) even if crossed to another breed? I also know any crosses would be mutts!

I'll considering getting a few blue or Splash Orpington hens, and/or another Ameraucana, probably a wheaten. Other possibilities are Patridge chanteclere and gold laced Wyandotte. Does anybody have pictures of offspring of these varieties crossed with black or lavender Orpingtons? (Since for all intents and purposes a lavender is technically a black unless bred to another lavender, I'm assuming the offspring would look similar than those of a regular black).

Here are some photos of my little flock.

Thanks!

 

[Cyprus]

You've pretty much got it down pat.
If you outcross the Lavs to anything but dominant white, the offspring will be black with leakage.
Lav outcrossed to dom white = white with black leakage
Blue x Lav = 50% blue, 50% black

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Your ameraucana looks lavender to me. What makes you think she's blue?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

In my opinion you want a black Orpington. Black aids in deepening the Lav color. A better looking bird than pale grey in my opinion. Offspring will be black split with Lav. Those back to Lav will produce a deeper color Lav and black split to Lav offspring.

Using an Orpington would also get you moving in right direction to improve you're stock. If that's something you're interested in find a breeder that has blacks. Use the best to standard lavender Cock or Hen and make the cross. Select the best F1's and breed together. This will produce Black, Black split to Lav and Lav offspring for F2 generation. Backcross the F2 Lav to F1 Blacks. This will tell you which black color F1 birds are split to Lav and produce nice birds. Also backcross the F2 Lav to original black Dam or Cock to improve and set quality of stock. This backcross will produce all black split to Lav chicks and get you started with a good line breeding program.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Just to add yes all offspring from a lavender will carry one copy of the lavender gene.
And lavender is lavender no matter the breed its the same gene and works the same way even when crossing breeds.

 

[Miri]

Your ameraucana looks lavender to me. What makes you think she's blue?

Hmmm... I didn't realize Ameraucana came in lavender too. She is significantly darker than the others, though. I just assumed but I think I'll call the breeder and ask him. I was only buying the Orpingtons but the breeder told me he wanted me to take her too as they all grew together. I'll email him and confirm because now I'm second guessing!

 

[MillersFarm]

Lavender is not a recognized color but ameraucanas do come in lavender.

Lovely birds you have btw~

 

[Miri]

In my opinion you want a black Orpington. Black aids in deepening the Lav color. A better looking bird than pale grey in my opinion. Offspring will be black split with Lav. Those back to Lav will produce a deeper color Lav and black split to Lav offspring.

Using an Orpington would also get you moving in right direction to improve you're stock. If that's something you're interested in find a breeder that has blacks. Use the best to standard lavender Cock or Hen and make the cross. Select the best F1's and breed together. This will produce Black, Black split to Lav and Lav offspring for F2 generation. Backcross the F2 Lav to F1 Blacks. This will tell you which black color F1 birds are split to Lav and produce nice birds. Also backcross the F2 Lav to original black Dam or Cock to improve and set quality of stock. This backcross will produce all black split to Lav chicks and get you started with a good line breeding program.

But why not a blue? Blue has black gene in it so I could get both types of breeding, lavenders on one side and blues on the other (keeping them separate)

 

[Miri]

Lavender is not a recognized color but ameraucanas do come in lavender.

Lovely birds you have btw~

Thank you!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I'm of opinion Blue and Lav should not be mixed. You'll run into difficulty wondering if a bird is Lav or very pale and non laced blue. A very pale non laced blue is a DQ. Lav is Lav. See what I mean?

Blue must be guarded against losing lacing. Most breeds of blue are in need of improved lacing. If you want to breed blue then by all means do it. I would not be crossing them with Lav. If you found a good quality body type black from a blue flock there is no reason not to use it. I suggest a true black variety as the body type, conformation to SOP will be better than you'll find in the Blue variety. This all is on supposition body type and working toward the Standard are a goal of yours.

The main point is Blue and Lav are not one in the same. Completely different gene. Blue must be laced. A non laced blue is not a Lav, it's simply a very poor quality blue. You have Lavender already. If you got a hold of nice Black stock you'd have diversity of color and be improving your Lav not only in color but body and tails.