BluePiedProject
Kick Off
In the fall of 2005 I asked around for some bluepied Holle Croppers. Aim was and is to keep the BlueBarredPieds alive. There are not much birds in this coloring anymore. In the beginning of the breed the Blue barred pieds must have been the most popular color. Ever since Worldwar II numbers in this color dropped, until they disappeared completely. Gerrit Roozendaal from Kampen brought them back in the eighties, breeding them back from crossing pied colorings with blue barreds. Some breeders picked up the bluepieds as well, but since Gerrit Roozendaal died, there's no breeder focussing on this color anymore in Holland. In Germany there are some birds left with good coloring and marking, but these birds are all too small. In Austria, mr. Arnold Tuider is probably the most presisting in this coloring.
Our goal is to bring back a small strain with some new blood so this coloring won't disappear anymore. Historicly the color belongs to the Holle Cropper, and it is a beautiful sight to see a BlueBarredPied in the right coloring and marking.
First birds lend from breeders to start off with
In the first breeding season 2006, 5 youngs were bred from the 2 possible combinations, with the birds we had available from our breedingfriends. After the breeding season we had to return the old birds and selected the youngsters. Only 1 pair stayed after a strict selection. See pictures below.
First problems where there to be solved as well. Wingdecks were not "clean" and the bars show a glimpse of bronze.
Breeding season 2007 The pair from 2006 were first mated together, to make sure there would be some bluepieds again this years. 4 Youngs. 3 of them overmarked, cloudy wingdecks and bronzed blue bars. One of them without the typical crescent and roses, but a glimpse of bronze in the bars as well.
After the 4 bluebarred pieds, the cock and hen were both paired to a bluebarred. We hope to breed youngs with some white flights, get the wingdecks clear and keep the bronze out of the bars. But most important, as any crossing should be, is to try and improve the type of the birds. In my opinion the original birds are not round but oval, lacking depth in brest, and the birds are a little too long. These matings gave 5 youngsters, only 1 with the wanted white flights, and 4 blue barreds, they all had white asses, backs and showed some white on the belly. From these 5 the hen with white flights and a bluebarred cock stay thusfar, waiting what moulting does with the birds, and giving them time to grow out until the next breeding season.
Breeding season 2008 In 2008 we formed 2 pairs to try and breed back blue pieds from the crossings we made in 2007. The first pair was the bluepied cock from 2006 9350-06 and the white fligted blue hen bred in 2007 5311-07. This pair gave us 5 youngs. Amazingly they all were blue pied. There was not one with colored flights in the wing. Only thing missing were the wingroses. The birds show only 1 or 2 white feathers in the wing deck, instead of the recommended 10 to 12. The bronzed wingbars didn't return. No problems with the eyes, the wingdecks all were clearly blue. The second pair was a blue barred cock from the crossings of 2007 5315-07 with a bluepied hen from 2007 5287-07. Unfortunately they only produced one young, a bluebarred with white back and white feathers around the ass. The quality of this bird was very poorly, so this one was sorted out immediatly. Our plan for next season will be difficult. Only 2 of the young cock birds will stay together with the first pair we used this year for breeding. Possibilities we have are: crossing with a black pied hen, or crossings with a strawberry whiteflight hen, bred this year from an all white cock and black hen. From the past I know redpieds where used to improve the whites, so I hope some of the pied markings are still left in the strawberries. Certain is that the remaining other 2 breeders in Holland can't help us with any blue pied hens. We will keep you posted
Breeding season 2009 This year 9350-06 and the white fligted blue hen bred in 2007 5311-07 were put together again, sadly the four youngsters were of poor quality so none of the young birds stayed. Another pair used to improve the form of the bluepieds were cock bird8764-08 and blackpied hen 3401-06 were mated up. The youngs from this pair were of better quality than the other pair. Since we are in need of hens we had to be very brutal on selecting the cockbirds, only one stayed, no hens from this pair. This puts us in a difficult position. This way we won't be able to produce highquality bluepieds in the next few years. For 2010 we will have to aim for classy formbirds and slowly bring back the barred factor back.