Slate leg color

[Holiday Hatch]

I have Wheaten and Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas.  Is the slate leg color supposed to be a dark slate color or a pale slate color?  I have one hen with pale slate legs, and the rest have darker slate legs.  I read a post from Mike Smith that said leg color doesn't turn the right shade of slate until about 3 months of age and some don't turn the right shade at all.  My 2 month old chicks have pale slate color legs now, but the eggs they hatched from came from a hen with pale slate legs and a cockerel with dark slate legs.  Maybe the hen is one of those that didn't change to the right color?  Thanks for your help.  Linda

[Mike Gilbert]

Don't know who Mike Smith is - is he a member of ABC?   The standard for wheatens just says the shank color is to be slate.  It does not say dark slate or light slate.  Personally, it is one of the last things I would worry about, as there are many more important issues with the wheatens to be concerned with.  But each breeder will have their own priorities.

[Tailfeathers]

Hi HH,

So glad to see another WBS breeder! 

I don't think I know Mike Smith either but, if he breeds WBS, tell him to pipe in as well.  Like many characteristics listed in the SOP there is room for subjectivity and personal preference.  Personally I prefer the darker slate legs but not as dark as on some Blacks and Blues I've seen.  Sort of hard to describe.  I have something in mind but I can't bring it to words right now. 

I also would agree with and echo Mike's comments.  There are soooooo many things that the WBS need to have improved that leg color would be the last thing I'd be concerned with.  In fact, it's so low on my list of priorities that I can't even remember when the leg color on the chicks do finally get their full color.  I keep saying every year that I am going to make a week by week photo journal of my chicks but I've yet to do it.  Other things take priority. 

Speaking of priorities, again I echo Mike.  The great thing about chickens is that you can develop your own line with specific traits that have characteristics which can distinguish your birds from others - thus making your line easily identifiable.  Each breeder has to establish their own priorities and plan their breeding program accordingly.  Perhaps you want a certain leg color to be part of your line.  I would suggest looking at your flock as a whole, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, and then deciding how you want your breeding program to progess from there.

God Bless,

[Holiday Hatch]

Thanks again for all the help.  My sincere apologies; in my original post I meant to say I read a post from Paul Smith (not Mike Smith) that talked about leg color changing to correct slate color at about 3 months old.  Linda