# What color are these birds



## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

The parents are, Hen is ash yellow Cock is opal lace











The hen and cock are ash red










Thanks


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## rudolph.est (May 14, 2009)

Shadybug Lofts said:


> The parents are, Hen is ash yellow Cock is opal lace


This bird looks very light, and I almost thought it was a recessive white, untill I looked really closely, and saw that the shield was a very light cream. I would guess the bird to dominant opal ash-yellow T-pattern. (Which means the father is split for dilute). This bird could be male or female, since the mother also has the dilute gene. 



Shadybug Lofts said:


> The hen and cock are ash red


This bird looks like a sooty ash-yellow bar to me. Again this would mean that the father is carrying (split-for) dilute. It also means this bird is a female. 

Were these birds short downed? That is the easiest way to identify dilute.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I think both were short downed. The color on the top bird is a little darker than the picture shows. Its hard to get it to show in the pics. It looks almost pink to me


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

Here's a better pic I think.


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## rudolph.est (May 14, 2009)

Shadybug Lofts said:


> I think both were short downed. The color on the top bird is a little darker than the picture shows. Its hard to get it to show in the pics. It looks almost pink to me


Thanks, the new picture is much more clear.

Short downed definitely tells us that the birds are both dilute (assuming there aren't any other unusual genetics in your birds). Huntley's website says that dominant opal dilutes are naked (the have little to no down), so I guess that this also rules out the dominant opal theory. This only leaves strange combinations like barless or maybe reduced T-pattern or something similar, so I still like the dominant opal dilute ash-red T-pattern idea best. The bird might also change somewhat over time (I assume it has not gone through it's first moult yet since they look rather young), and could give us a better idea then. 

This is about the extent of help I can give in this regard. Sorry. Maybe Becky has some ideas too?

You might also post to the pigeon genetics group on yahoo if you would like to try that sligtly more 'involved' option.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I agree, ash-yellow opal t-pattern and sooty ash-yellow bar.


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