# Need Color Help Please



## Melanielynn4 (Aug 21, 2015)

Hi I am new to pigeons. I have a pair which I thought were both chocolates. But I am second guessing myself now and think only one is chocolate but have no clue what color the second bird (Hen) is. I attached a picture of her. Please any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Melanie
New Melle, MO


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## Melanielynn4 (Aug 21, 2015)

*Color Help Please*

Here is another angle of her and her mate eating.


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## indigobob (Nov 12, 2008)

Hello Melanie, your hen looks like an indigo chequer, the cock also looks like an indigo chequer but a slightly different expression. This could be due to the presence or absence of colour modifying genes. If you post photo's of the youngsters when they have feathered, it may help with the parental identification.


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## Melanielynn4 (Aug 21, 2015)

*Offspring Color Help*

Here is one of the offspring of these two birds. What color is this? Thank you so much for you input!


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## indigobob (Nov 12, 2008)

I'm not sure of the colour from this photograph. It will be easier to determine once the baby is bigger. Post another photo' when it has left the nest.


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## Melanielynn4 (Aug 21, 2015)

*Grown up still wondering what color he is*

Here he is grownup. What would you call him? He is molting in some darker feathers on his wings and chest area. Thank you for you help.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Very beautiful birds!


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## Chuck K (Jan 12, 2013)

*color*

The youngster looks like an Ash Red. I suspect your cock bird isn't the father of this youngster. Do you have other birds in with them? Indigo can express as a bird looking very close to Ash Red but I don't think they usually have the flights and tail feathers washed out to such a degree as this young bird. The bird appears to carry the indigo from the mother judging from the gray coloration of the head.


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## indigobob (Nov 12, 2008)

It is homozygous indigo and T-pattern chequer, that combination does resemble ash-red except for the slightly bluer head.


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## sev3ns0uls (Jul 2, 2011)

i have not been here for a while but i have to agree with indigobob. Yes this is not ash red. non of the parent are red bird. Baby a blue velvet with the modified indigo and slate. 

Its hard to judge from the above image of the parents. The father looks like a blue check velvet grizzle with indigo and slate added. Thou, it could be opal too. 
Mother is a t-check with indigo and slate.


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## Chuck K (Jan 12, 2013)

*Indigo or Ash Red*

indigobob is probably correct after all his username is indigobob.  However, let me explain why I believe that the bird may be Ash Red carrying indigo.

The one telling feature for an Ash Red verses the homozgous indigo is the color of the tail feathers. In every example I have seen the tail on the indigos will wash out to a light gray. It doesn't wash out to white like this bird appears to have. The OP never answered my question about do they have Ash Red in the loft where this bird was bred. An answer to that question, and a picture of the tail spread open might help identify the genetic make up.



sev3ns0uls said:


> i have not been here for a while but i have to agree with indigobob. Yes this is not ash red. non of the parent are red bird. Baby a blue velvet with the modified indigo and slate.
> 
> Its hard to judge from the above image of the parents. The father looks like a blue check velvet grizzle with indigo and slate added. Thou, it could be opal too.
> Mother is a t-check with indigo and slate.





indigobob said:


> It is homozygous indigo and T-pattern chequer, that combination does resemble ash-red except for the slightly bluer head.


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## earlofwood (Jul 1, 2012)

I am not familiar with indigo but I noticed in the picture of the young squab that it has dark feet. Is this indigo or is it the dirty gene showing?


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## Chuck K (Jan 12, 2013)

earlofwood said:


> I am not familiar with indigo but I noticed in the picture of the young squab that it has dark feet. Is this indigo or is it the dirty gene showing?


Some one else might know more about the color of the feet, but I have never heard of Indigo having an effect on the foot coloring. The only gene I am aware of that does have a effect on foot coloring is the gene for Dirty. The feet on squabs will be black or very near to black in the nest, and turn red as the bird matters. This bird does not show the Dirty gene.


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