Cuckoo

Ronan · **Joined:** Sat Jul 03, 2010 6:39 pm **Posts:** 3

hello I would like to know what colours other than cuckoo can I breed over cuckoo bantams?

andre · **Joined:** Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:21 pm **Posts:** 612

Generally cuckoo is made on a silver-black background & the bar gene is on the sex chromosome. So:

If you mate any coloured non-barred rooster (except blue) over the barred hens, then the male chicks will be black and barred and the females will be straight black. Both possibly with some colour in the hackles.

If you mate a blue rooster over the barred hens, then half the male chicks will be black and barred and half blue and barred and half the females will be straight black and half straight blue. Both possibly with some colour in the hackles.

If you mate a splash rooster over the barred hens, then the male chicks will be blue and barred and the females will be straight blue. Both possibly with some colour in the hackles.

If you mate a dominant white rooster over the barred hens, then all the chicks will be white.

If you mate a recessive white rooster, its harder to be sure, but basically its likely to give male chicks that are black and barred and the females will be straight black. Both possibly with some colour in the hackles.

andre · **Joined:** Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:21 pm **Posts:** 612

Oh if you're talking about using a pure cuckoo rooster over plain coloured hens?

Then all the progeny will be barred and the same colours as I mentioned above for the reverse matings.

greenaus · **Posted:** Fri Jul 09, 2010 12:56 am

Thanks for explaining what comes from the Blue and Splash matings. I had been intending to ask about the Blue over cuckoo mating myself...eventually. I will also ask...in another message so as not to hijack this thread...about Blue over Light Sussex.

Edit: Done. Find it here

Ronan · **Joined:** Sat Jul 03, 2010 6:39 pm **Posts:** 3

I have a lavender, black, buff & white hens in with him but wasn't sure if I would get any more cuckoo, I can't thank you enough for going to so much effort to explain, thank you Andrew

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

After spending 14yrs developing and then also exhibiting the Blue Cuckoo - I can say that they are either Blue carrying Cuckoo or Blue Cuckoo with the occasional throw back exhibiting regular Cuckoo – if one exhibits faint barring FROM a Blue Cuckoo Blue Cuckoo mating it carries BC strongly but from a regular Blue [with NO Cuckoo in it] to Cuckoo mating = good luck coz you just screwed up the eye and skin colour = many are trying to recreate what can easily be purchased thinking “It will take 2 matings to get the Blue Cuckoo and save me the dollars in buying a few real ones” = nope! Took 14yrs to actually breed out the Black/Grey barring to get a TRUE BC – ‘true’ being the operative word here – but as in all things – so many just see dollar signs and if it looks like it “I’ll make money on it now and worry abt the complaints later” [acerbic answer I know but after so many years of seeing avarice ridden ‘breeders’ = I’m past it manners wise]
Remember – you first have to develop it [and this can take a little while] then you have to ensure it breeds true
#end of my morning rantings

Ronan · **Joined:** Sat Jul 03, 2010 6:39 pm **Posts:** 3

Thanks soozorps now I know a little about blue cuckoo and to be honest I had never heard of blue cuckoo but now I have

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

the cuckoo comes in a number of colours in Orps these days in both std and bantam - and other breeds are slowly starting to catch up = wont be long before all the breeds with Cuckoo in them have them in all the colours
# note that some breeds have no provision in the current APS for Cuckoo colours and they will not in the new one either and many breeds clubs refuse to even acknowledge Cuckoo

also note that a BC Orp won Best Overall Cuckoo [equivalent to Grand Champ Cuckoo] at the recent Orp Club National Show with a 99.9% pure Cook Cuckoo winning Res Champ and a Bantam Cuckoo pullet winning Champ as well
:-D

notice the big grin?

YUP they were mine :lol:

[with good competition frm other lines]

andre · **Joined:** Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:21 pm **Posts:** 612

Sooz, When you have a blue cuckoo from a line that is not bred for sharp barring ~ can you get very blurry-almost unbarred looking birds? Like a darkish blue shading into a lightish blue?

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

I will answer this as soon as I put the answer together and have posted it in all the forums I visit so that it is not poached =
I am NOT implying anyone here does this in fact I doubt any here would - but others do come in as guests and steal from time to time

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