Eye color?

[dak]

At what age can eye color be accurately judged?  Clare

[Mike Gilbert]

That can vary, but I would guesstimate about 6 months of age in most cases.   I think the final eye color develops a little sooner when the birds get out in the sunshine on a regular basis for some reason.

[dak]

Thank you Mr. Gilbert.

[Anne Foley]

We have Black LF and 4 months is sufficient for eye color.  However, longer is always better for evaluation if you have the space and can wait.

[Mike Gilbert]

Anne, are your birds raised indoors, or do they get outside during the grow-out process?   Have you noticed if it makes a difference with the blacks?   My friend and neighbor Bob Walchak raises his black bantams indoors and I help evaluate them from time to time.   The only blacks I raise are out of my blue bantams.

[Anne Foley]

Young birds at our place go outside at about 8 weeks unless there is a weather problem.  They are never grown to adulthood indoors so I can\'t give you an opinion on eye color development indoors vs. outdoors.

[dak]

My guys are 6 weeks and outside with supplemental heat at night.  Black, blue and lav so I\'ll see when they change.  Right now they look pretty green/ brown

Not to change the subject but I have a lav cockerel with no real tail feathers yet at 6 and 1/2 weeks  Is this the slow feathering gene I have been reading about?  The rest of my birds, including the other lav, have about 3 inch tail feathers at this point.

[Anne Foley]

In my experience, slower developing birds are a good thing in large fowl.  It usually means that they are going to be bigger.  The ones that fill out and look \"finished\" earlier than the rest tend to be the smaller ones.  In our black LF, the tails are one of the last items that we can evaluate because of the length of time it takes for them to come in.  I am not sure if the tail issue of yours is at all related to a slow feathering gene but my opinion is that I don\'t think so.  Looking forward to hearing your future report on eye color development!

[John]

slow feathering gene

I think Anne is right and promote \"slower developing birds\" as a plus...not a negative or problem.   Non-hybrid breeds mature slower and more naturally than the production layers and meat birds.  This is \"a good thing\" and not the same as the slow feathering gene that I\'ve seen in LF silvers.
With the lavender tail, it may be the poor feather quality issue that is associated with the lavender variety.