David
Plant gives a good overview of breeding the Birchen Pekin....
The breeding
of the Silver Birchin requires using the stock that possess
the clearest distinction of silver top colour with the required
standard black striping in neck and saddle hackles as per
the Australian Standard. One needs to avoid as much as possible
using birds that possess lacing on the chest that comes down
to the full extent of the chest. Standard requirements dictate
that lacing should only be on the chest half way down. Clear
distinct lacing with a fine silver edge to each feather is
the most desirable free from a silver shaft or any smearing
or mealiness. Birchins must be crow winged and have no silver
colouring on any part of the primary or secondary feathers.
Foot feathering should be solid black and the remainder of
the body ground colour should be glossy green-black, Birchins
of a good silver top colour are often mixed with mealy grey
lines to dilute the visible silver colour in the Mealy-Grey
where a 50/50 coloured bird is produced to back mate to the
Mealy to dilute the excess of visible silver or “over
colouring” in the mealy |
Above:
Birchin Male showing good Chest Lacing bred by R Harrington,
Australia |
When
“over colouring" or “over lacing” occurs
in Birchin progeny one could use a black breasted birchins free
of lacing to balance the colour or experiment with a solid black
to dilute the silver component. The silver being the dominant
colour not a lot is lost in a Birchin X Black mating. If under
lacing or under colouring begins to creep in the ideal partner
for that birchen would be mealy grey that possesses a good distinct
silver edging to the ground colour feathers. Be extremely cautious
in using Birchin females that are laced on the back or shoulders
& use with care.
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