There are three basic colors. They are listed in order of most dominant to least.
- Ash Red
- Black (more often called Blue or Wild Type)
- Brown
There are only 3 colors, but several factors can tweak what we see. Even though we call the wild type “blue” in fact it is an optical illusion and truly a blue bird, but that is just too hard to explain so I’m calling that group “blue” even though it is a misnomer.
Various colors and what they really are “under the covers”
| Reds | Blues | Browns |
| Ash Red | Blue | |
| Red Bar | Blue Bar | |
| Red Check | Blue Check | |
| Yellow | Black | |
| White bird with red grizzle | White bird with black grizzle | |
| Spread Lavender | Dun | |
1) Brown cock x blue hen = all blue sons carrying brown; all brown daughters
2) Blue cock x brown hen = all blue sons carrying brown; all blue daughters
3) Blue cock x blue hen = all blue sons; all blue daughters
4) Blue cock x ash-red hen = all ash-red sons carrying blue; all blue daughters
5) Ash-red cock x blue hen = all ash-red sons carrying blue; all ash-red hens
6) Brown cock x ash-red hen = all ash-red sons carrying brown; all brown hens.
7) Ash-red cock x brown hen = all ash-red sons carrying brown; all ash-red hens A footnote from Frank Mosca: “in females sex, dilute and color are always passed down together” Page break
Red Bars
Red Checks
Blue Bars
Blue Checks
