THE YOKOHAMA - An Oriental Idea made Occidental
(in pattern)
The Red-Shouldered Yokohama of Europe, the UK and America
are direct and indirect descendants of the Minohiki of Japan. The red-breasted, creamy-white hackled,
yellow-legged bird was already recognisable as a type of Minohiki (see link
above) in pre-World War I Japan, at which time the first imports had begun
to arrive in Europe.
The first president of the German National Poultry Association,
Mr Hugo duRoi set himself at the daunting task of re-invigorating the very
weak, diverse long-tailed birds that had arrived in Europe in th 1800's.
Some went direction Phoenix (white ear lobes and single combs and willow
to slate legs), some went in the direction Yokohama (gamefowl type, yellow-legged,
no-wattles, cushion-walnut comb). Due the the extensive research of Brian Reeder on the Red-Shoulder pattern,
we now know that the Kennzeichen pearl-drop spangled breast pattern was
an addition made in Europe with the help of a type of Hamburg, as this pattern
gene is nonexistent in the Orient. See the link above for further details
about the genetic makeup of this poultry creation!
A fascinating bird and the task only of the more dedicated
in keeping the pattern and characteristics distinctive! Best results
are always from balancing weaknesses with strengths, lights with darks,
etc. and not by crossing two perfectly-marked and pigmented birds. The results
of this is usually a high percentage of over-marked birds.
This image above is of a Red Shoulder Yokohama from the
UK. It shows the slight influence of the nm (non-moulting gene) in the one
to two long, straggly feathers. The phenotype (that which is visibly seen)
is practically identical to the mainland European standard. The image below
is a Red Shoulder from the breeding programmes of Bruce and Caleb Jenkins, USA which has its provenance
in an import made to America by Mr Horst Schmudde in the 1970's.
Below are the results typical from a cross between a black
- usually a Sumatra, but also - and the Red Shouldered Yokohama. This is
a good way to revitalize the breed, as the Sumatra has much in common with
Yokohama in basic form and direction in feathering that we need in the Yokohama.
The blue that shows up in first generation crosses of
Red Shoulder with other breeds (typically Black Sumatra or Phoenix) is due
to the homozygous (pure-bred) Red Shoulders carrying the genes for blue
(written as Bl). This Bl gene lightens the black areas of the wild Red Junglefowl
pattern to a greyish, dilute-black colour. In the case of the Sumatra, the
extended black "E" is diluted to a grey.
The blue does not show up in the Red Shoulder Yokohama
itself because the Red Shoulder colouration is also pure for dominant white
(written as II) which supresses the expression of blue and black but not
red. When outcrossed, however, the "blue" shows up because the
heterozygote (diluted form, "mixed") only has one dose of red
and blue which allows the blue (Bl) to be seen, changing, the black areas
of E (extended black) and e+ (all Duckwing patterns with black breasts and
tails) to varioous shades of blue.
Birds circulating in America under the name Yokohama but
which have blue are not pure for dominant white and need to be bred to back
to a pure Red Shoulder to get back to the homozygosity. No true Yokohama
has blue or red in the neck, saddle or tail. On occassion, singular black
feathers show up, usually a good sign of good pigment reservers.
The breast markings sometime disappear completely in these
outcrosses. Because the spangling is a very important trait of the well-bred
pure Red Shoulder Yokohama, it must be regained like the pure white hackle,
in back-crossing to pure Red Shoulder Yokohamas. - This all seems a bit
complicated, but it does sink and make sense after a while of study. - thanks to the work of Brian Reeder on genetics. Below are three
examples of outcrosses with the Red Shouldered with Sumatra or E - extended
black, showing the effect of the blue gene Bl.
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