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Wheaten chick colors

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Guest:
Greetings fellow Ammers!
In Wheaten and Blue Wheaten I have had chicks that are all white, all yellowish and both these colors that have spotting on the back.  Anywhere from one or two flecks to almost what I call \"chipmunk\" striping.  Can any of you experienced breeders or genetic geeks ;)comment on how this turns out in the finished birds? One thought,-and I\'m ignorant,-is could it have to do with lacing? thanks

John:

--- Quote ---comment on how this turns out in the finished birds?
--- End quote ---

Sure, but you may think I sound like a smart alec...they turn out with the colors and patterns of their parents.  
Here is a link to a photo of chicks on our ABC website:  http://www.ameraucana.org/scrapbook_files/wheatenb.jpg
Your chicks should look very similar to the ones in the photo.  You will notice a bit of a dark stripe on the tops of their heads.  Also note that wheaten, blue wheaten and buff chicks take several weeks before their legs turn dark.
There are also photos of adult birds on the Photos page of the website.

Mike Gilbert:
I have noticed that the wheaten chicks from my bantams that do have spots in their chick down seem to have better tail and wing color when they are grown than the  chicks that are hatched with no spots.    Years ago John Wunderlich mailed me a setting of wheaten O.E.Game eggs.   I didn\'t order them, didn\'t care much for the O.E. then or even now.   But I hatched the eggs, and every chick had spots.   They grew up to be very nicely colored.    John was the premier breeder of wheatens back in those days and I think he knew what he was doing.    These days I am selecting my female wheaten breeders for as much slate undercolor on the back as possible, as it seems to prevent them from losing their tail color when they go through the adult moult.

Guest:
Now  Mike come on..without OEGB\'s there would be a whole lot less birds at most shows in many cases not enough for a show to break even.  I\'d have to say without them the  poultry hobby wouldn\'t be the same.

Mike Gilbert:
My apologies Chris.    Actually I never met a breed of chicken I didn\'t like.    I have raised a few O.E. in the past, but don\'t care for the part about cutting off the combs, earlobes, and wattles.    I\'m not squeamish, just don\'t care for it.   I think it gives the O.E. an unfair advantage at shows because comb and lobe faults in the males have been removed.   As far as the birds themselves go, I think the breeders have gone for the \"cute\" look as opposed to being miniature games.   Have seen pictues in P.Press of O.E. males with tails that would make a Rosecomb bantam proud.    Now that\'s all the criticism you will hear from me.   I still think it\'s great so many admire and show them.    But I\'ll stick with improving the Ameraucana bantams as my hobby.

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