Author Topic: 2 young Lav cockerels not sure which one to keep, advice please  (Read 5671 times)

mustangsaguaro

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2 young Lav cockerels not sure which one to keep, advice please
« on: September 13, 2012, 07:10:49 PM »
I have 2 young cockerels that I planning on replacing one of my 2 older males w/ for next year. I only have 2 to choose from. I know not a big selection but can only work w/ what I have.  But my question is I am not sure which one to keep.

One of the cockerels was very slow to feather in, his tail feathers are actually still coming in. He had siblings that were sold as day old chicks to other people and some of those siblings had the same issue w/ their tails of feathers coming in very slowly. All of these siblings were males as well. None of them females. One cockerel is about 3mos old while the other is closer to 4mos. It is the 3 mos old that was very slow to feather in. My gut tells me to use the other male and either find a home or cull the one w/ that had the slow feathering. What would you do cull or find a new home where they just want a nice male and don't intend on breeding or showing?  Or would you look at other characteristics as well between the two? 

I will try and get pics of the 2 boys in question tonight and post pictures tomorrow so you all can critique and let me know which you think is the better bird of the two.

Thanks

HappyMtn

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Re: 2 young Lav cockerels not sure which one to keep, advice please
« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2012, 08:09:02 AM »
Slow feathering is a common issue in the lavender roosters. If possible, I would hold onto both of them until they are old enough to tell who has better type. Correct tail set and minimal fretting (better feather quality) are just a couple things you could focus on.   

mustangsaguaro

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Re: 2 young Lav cockerels not sure which one to keep, advice please
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2012, 11:54:45 AM »
Attached are a few pics I took this morning of both birds. That aren't the best pics. Trying to get a pic of a moving bird is difficult.



The below pic is of the one who was really slow at getting his tail feathers in



What do you think of these 2. If you need more pics I can try and get more.

Thanks

HappyMtn

  • Guest
Re: 2 young Lav cockerels not sure which one to keep, advice please
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2012, 04:07:30 AM »
Hmmm. I can't tell them apart from the pics.

How are the combs? One thing to watch for in the lav roosters is loss of definition around 4-5 months. The 3 rows will suddenly turn to a big blob.
Do you have another roo to use as a back up in case something happens to the one you keep?   

John

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Re: 2 young Lav cockerels not sure which one to keep, advice please
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2012, 06:50:25 AM »
Kim,

That 2nd one looks as much like a pullet as it does a cockerel from here.  Maybe an outdoor photo would be better for comparing.

philipu

  • Guest
Re: 2 young Lav cockerels not sure which one to keep, advice please
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2012, 03:28:53 PM »
Kim, I tend to agree with John, the second lighter color in photo, I can't see any male saddle feathers on
the bird, where I can on the first photo.
With my limited knowledge looks like a male and a female.
phil

Mike Gilbert

  • Guest
Re: 2 young Lav cockerels not sure which one to keep, advice please
« Reply #6 on: September 17, 2012, 04:53:33 PM »
Given the curling tail coverts I would expect the second bird is a young male.   If he is, I really like the small, tight comb.   But I would be a little concerned about those white shafts in the wing primaries.
« Last Edit: September 17, 2012, 04:55:23 PM by Mike Gilbert »

mustangsaguaro

  • Guest
Re: 2 young Lav cockerels not sure which one to keep, advice please
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2012, 05:33:55 PM »
Hmmm. I can't tell them apart from the pics.

How are the combs? One thing to watch for in the lav roosters is loss of definition around 4-5 months. The 3 rows will suddenly turn to a big blob.
Do you have another roo to use as a back up in case something happens to the one you keep?   

I do have 2 older roos. One I am keeping and the other I am replacing w/ one of these 2 younger ones.

Kim,

That 2nd one looks as much like a pullet as it does a cockerel from here.  Maybe an outdoor photo would be better for comparing.

I will try and get a better pic of the 2nd one and post it.  But yes he/she does look like both sexes. But I am pretty sure it is a male Trying to get a pic of a non moving bird is pretty difficult but I will try.

Given the curling tail coverts I would expect the second bird is a young male.   If he is, I really like the small, tight comb.   But I would be a little concerned about those white shafts in the wing primaries.

Thanks for pointing out those white shafts. Something I did not notice until you pointed it out. It could also have been the light in the coop where I took the pic. But I will take a look at this bird tonight and see if it was due to the lighting in the photo.

These birds are a month apart in age. The top pic he is 4mos. And the bottom pic is a 3-3 1/2 months old.

Thanks again for the comments it really helps.

John

  • Guest
Re: 2 young Lav cockerels not sure which one to keep, advice please
« Reply #8 on: September 17, 2012, 05:35:04 PM »
Quote
curling tail coverts I would expect the second bird is a young male
I noticed that too and from the photo that was the only part that implied cockerel to me.  I wish I could make out the comb better...it looks a bit too big for a pullet, but very nice for a cockerel.

mustangsaguaro

  • Guest
Re: 2 young Lav cockerels not sure which one to keep, advice please
« Reply #9 on: September 17, 2012, 05:44:45 PM »
Here is another pic  of the one bird in question about sex. The head/neck still look pullet to me in the pic but the tail definately says male. This is the bird that took forever for his tail feathers to come in.



Because the pics are so large on that first pic at the bottom of the post there is a slide bar same on this pic I have posted you will get a better idea of those tail feathers.

mustangsaguaro

  • Guest
Re: 2 young Lav cockerels not sure which one to keep, advice please
« Reply #10 on: September 17, 2012, 06:05:50 PM »
But I would be a little concerned about those white shafts in the wing primaries.

After seeing this comment I went and took a look at the birds I could get a hold of easily (as everyone pretty much free ranges during the day). The other cockerel I have pictured here has those same white shafts too. You couldn't see it the way the angle of the pic was taken.  And 2 of my 3 Lav hens have it too. My 2 roosters are not as friendly as the hens so I will be taking a look at those 2 guys tonight when they get locked up for the night.

I take it the white shafts is an undersirable trait? Does someone have a photo they could post of what a good shaft in a Lav for the wing primaries should look like?

Thanks again