Ron, thanks for the question & John, thanks for the links to those two threads. I thought I\'d add a little bit from my experience with the WBS Variety in case anyone is interested.
First, I have both Wheatens and Blue Wheatens from Paul. No adult Splashes - although I did get some Splash of my own this year. I have two #10 BW hens that give me both the largest eggs and the best production. Almost an egg a day. I\'d have to say I get between 5-6 eggs per week with them. However, their egg color is the poorest of all the ones I get. I am guessing that is because they also produce more often. They also lay an egg that is very roundish.
I have a #13 Wheaten that is giving me absolute fits. She hasn\'t given me an egg in three weeks now. This past Saturday I noticed a bunch of feathers in the breeding pen. (Yes, I\'m still breeding! Don\'t ask!! Ugh!!!!) So, I\'m not exactly positive if that\'s the whole reason she\'s not laying or not because I\'ve been trying to breed her to all my roosters since February and I have rarely gotten more than 2 eggs over a 10-12 day period to set from her. However, she lays my deepest blue egg. It is smaller than the #10\'s, and more narrow in shape. Sort of torpedo shaped.
Then I have a #15 BW that gives me an egg almost as blue and about the same size. I\'m lucky to get 1 egg a week from her.
Finally, I have a #6 Wheaten that gives about the same color of egg as the #15 BW but it is much more oval shaped. Her production is pretty much the same as #15 BW.
My birds started laying one day prior to their 25th week birthday. However, I just got an email on the 17th from a gal who got chicks from me and she said she just got her first egg and the pullet won\'t be 5 months old until the 25th!
As I mentioned earlier, I put all my roosters over all my hens this year. The primary reason I did that is because I don\'t have a clue as to what I\'m doing! :rolleyes: The other reason I did it is because I figure I can figure out what I have as a rooster by what they do to the egg color. Any rooster that darkens my light eggs gets to stay. Any rooster that lightens my darker eggs - well, you know. They make for good chicken and wild rice suppers.
My hope is that by then keeping only the largest eggs with the deepest blue colors, I can then combine that with type, color, etc. and get some improvement in the overall flock. Since I\'m no geneticist, I would GREATLY appreciate any and all wise counsel on anything I can do to expedite the results in my efforts.
God Bless,
