# Opal Donek



## gingerpoo (Jul 31, 2008)

Just wanted to share a few photos of a opal donek male I picked up a couple weeks ago. I don't know if he performs yet, but have tracked down that he and possibly three others I have are from the son of Dr. Stone from Utah, who had done color breeding of Doneks some 30 years ago.

I'm knew to opal and wrapping my brain around genetics and wondering what I should pair him with if I end up with several good females to choose from down the road to keep this color going? He is currently paired with an almost all black hen, as she was all I had since I'm just getting into Doneks. They have a pair of eggs going now


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## indigobob (Nov 12, 2008)

Hello gingerpoo,

Dal and Howard Stone's Doneks were originally a combination of gimpel pattern bronze and reduced which they called "rosynecks". Your bird certainly looks like a blue chequer (reduced, gimpel-pattern bronze) "rosyneck. Perhaps they have recently added dominant opal to the "rosyneck" gene pool.

Assuming the bird in the photo' is reduced (sex-linked, recessive mutation), he will breed reduced daughters and non-reduced sons (who will carry reduced), they may be spread (black) or patterned depending on the genotype of the black hen. The young will probably have less bronzing on the neck than their father.

To perpetuate the "rosyneck" expression another "rosyneck" would be the preferred mate.

Dal and Howard Stone didn't fly their birds, they also developed frill stencil marked homers, due to severe hawk predation in the areas they lived. 

He is a beautiful-coloured bird, good luck with him.


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## gingerpoo (Jul 31, 2008)

Wonderful info- yes he's very pink around the neck- it stands out a lot from the front. I'd been calling it opal but your description makes a lot of sense. Opal was a guess on my part. I wasn't expecting anyone to know about Howard and Dr. Stone. Cool that their color project had a lasting impact.
I expect his young will probably not perform and he will be another pretty face in my loft. He's one of the most interesting colors I've owned. Thank you!


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## gingerpoo (Jul 31, 2008)

Not inserting correctly right now- will edit later

Here he is from the front.

http://flic.kr/p/qZ6mgb


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