Mount Airy Lofts
43 posts
Feb 10, 2005
7:48 PM
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COLOR BREEDING IN ROLLERS
By Roger O. Baker, Rosebud, Ark.
I know… As soon as this subject is mentioned… the writer is going to be classed as a fancier that raises Rollers for colors instead of performance. Well, some do and some don’t! I DON’T! Yet I do like recessive Red as well as Ash Red, etc. Also Yellow and other dilute colors and markings such as badges and beards, etc.
The most interesting color that I have ever fooled with is the colors that you get from the REDUCED gene.
Here is my story.
In 1958 I received the gene from Carl Grafe of Cuyaboga Falls, Ohio, in the form of a black self roller cock with a real light horn colored beak. The color was the shiniest black that I had ever seen. I mated the bird with a black hen also with a horn colored beak. They produced one pair of youngsters: one was a clack self and the other an odd color that I called a blue lace. All feathers except neck feathers were the color of a light blue bar (without the bars) and all of the main feathers were laced with a dun color.
Just about that time I also knew very little about genetics. (And at this time, not much more). But with the help of Mr. Frafe and Joe Quinn, I maintained the reduced gene in some of my bloodline. And from then on, I have produced some of the most beautiful colored rollers that I have ever seen.
Yes, it takes a lot of time and patience. And for the first few years, they were not the best performers. But after I got the color right and understood how to keep it, I have produced reduced colored that will not take the back seat to any strain as far as performance. But as for show… As in other performing rollers, their type is lousy.
In the past I have shipped this gene to all parts of the country. And it has been crossed into other colors such as Blue Check, Red Check, Recessive Red, and even a Mosaic. And had produced Reds, Yellows, Blue lace with a pink on the breast and blue lace with a dark or light bars.
Yes, I also fly these reduced birds with my other rollers to see if they continue to perform as well as the others. If not – they taste just as good in the stew pot.
Yes, you can get color and keep performance. Try it you’ll like it.
Just thought I put it up for all to read about the history behind one of the Blue Lace Lines out there.
Minnesota Flying Roller Group Librarian/Secretary
Thor
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