Wheaten Cockerel at 6 months

[Holiday Hatch]

March 3 of 2014, I posted "Dark Color Splashes in Wheaten Variety Down" under this heading.  Mike suggested I toe punch this chick and see how he turned out.  Attached are a week old picture of the chick and pictures taken of him today as a 6 month old Cockerel.  Any comments from members would be appreciated.  He's turning out quite nicely I think, but would love to hear what other people see in him.   His comb is three rows of points but a little taller than I hoped for.  Thank you - Linda 

[Mike Gilbert]

Nice muff coloring for only 6 months of age.   Would like to see a much cleaner hackle.   Looks decent.

What's the story on the brown-red looking females in the 3rd photo???

[DeWayne Edgin]

I have a Wheaten rooster that is over 2 years old and his muff and beard are still pretty white! Heck i want one like yours.

[Holiday Hatch]

Mike - The brown-red looking females in the third photo are a cross between Wheaten Ameraucana Cockerel and Black Copper Marans Hens to get olive egg layers. 
Thanks for the comments on the 6 month old Cockerel's muff and beard Mike and DeWayne.  A cleaner hackle would be good.  Linda

[Mike Gilbert]

Mike - The brown-red looking females in the third photo are a cross between Wheaten Ameraucana Cockerel and Black Copper Marans Hens to get olive egg layers. 
Thanks for the comments on the 6 month old Cockerel's muff and beard Mike and DeWayne.  A cleaner hackle would be good.  Linda

You could probably breed those hybrids to blacks and develop another line of brown reds.  Egg color might be an issue for a few years, but it is doable.

[Holiday Hatch]

Mike - Thanks for offering the suggestion of developing Brown Reds.  I do like the looks of the pullets you mentioned, but I'm in an urban neighborhood where I have to keep the roosters to a minimum out of respect for my neighbors.  LF Wheatens are my favorite and I'm going to concentrate on them.  I always appreciate your insight.  Linda

[Lee G]

Hi Linda, I hope you don’t mind if I add my thoughts...
 
I really like your cockerel’s shape… and his feather width and sheen! Wow. Do you mind if I ask what you feed your birds?  He has a nice shaped head as well from what I can see. Comb is a bit bulky…does it have an S curve? I have a few hens like that, and their sons always seem to inherit the S. His tail set could be slightly lower to my eye too, but not much. (could also be the angle of the pic)
And please feel free to tell me I’m out to lunch. 

[Holiday Hatch]

Lee - Your comments are very much appreciated.  Thanks for commenting on his shape, I like that about him also.  I get their feed direct from a local mill in Modesto, California.  modestomilling.com  They sell only organic feed.  I raise all chicks on "Organic Chick Starter & Poultry Grower Crumbles" and then switch to "Organic Layer Pellets" when pullets are of laying age.  The Cockerels continue to get supplemental "Organic Scratch".    It's excellent quality feed, a little pricey but well worth it to me.

Comb is a bit bulky…does it have an S curve? I have a few hens like that, and their sons always seem to inherit the S

I agree it's a bit bulky.  'S Curve' is a new term to me but I have another Cockerel that probably has a slight S comb now that you mention it.  This 6 month old we're talking about I wouldn't consider to have an S Comb, but his comb takes a slight turn to one side at the tail end of his comb.  Maybe that is an S Comb.
You may be right about the tail set could be a bit lower. 
He's a good sized male.  So far he's the best one I've grown out this year.  There's a dozen more in the process of maturing.  Last year I didn't have any  Wheaten Cockerels I liked.  This year I'm pleased to have this one and plan to keep at least one more out of the younger ones. 
Thanks again for the comments; this is a great learning experience for me.  Linda

[Tailfeathers]

Linda, for a 6mo old bird, I think he's showing a LOT of promise. 

Starting from the head and working down and back, here are my thoughts.

Yes, as already stated the comb is a bit bulky but given the hole bird, that is such a minor deduction, I wouldn't be too overly concerned with it.  Especially since you have nice full muffs & beard and it's almost full-colored already.  I still have yet to get a full-colored bearded bird.

Hackles are looking pretty clean already too.  Nice length of back.  Nice wide feathering as someone already stated.  He's carrying his wings pretty good in most of the pics.  And I can't quite tell but it looks like his upper primaries are lacking any brown to complete the wing bay?

Legs have nice color and thickness and station.  The tail is just a little too hard to tell yet.  It's still a bit sparse and the sickles aren't formed well enough to see how much it'll put them tail down which will help with the white fluff that's showing and making for the obvious break in the topline.  Also seeing very little red in the tail which is something I personally don't like to see at all. 

God Bless,

[Lee G]

Well, the high quality food (and care) are definitely showing. He really is lovely… and oh so shiny. Lol

Linda, I am learning too.  The S curve is not an official term to my knowledge, but something I noticed within my flock and have been trying to breed away from. I like a nice, tight pea comb, low to the head and straight as a board. Unfortunately, the hens do not agree with me. They seem to be most attracted to males with the biggest, reddest headgear….who usually turn out to be the most hardy and vigorous of specimens. Hence why I’m still dealing with the S curve, lol…

Here is one of my breeders with the S in her blob of a comb. She has other obvious faults, but don’t tell her that. She is top hen and coveted by ALL the roosters, so probably wouldn't believe us anyway.  She’s also a good layer, extremely fertile and has wonderful hatchability in her offspring.


Some of her blue split sons, showing the S curve to varying degrees.




But as Tailfeathers said, combs really are a minor point in the end. Especially considering your cockerels other attributes.

I can't wait to see him again around 12 months, all grown up and filled out! 

[Holiday Hatch]

Royce & Lee - Thank you both for your recent comments.  First of all Royce thanks for sharing your detailed critique of the  6 month old from head to tail.  All the details will help me judge birds in the future.  The wing bay comment was especially helpful.

And I can't quite tell but it looks like his upper primaries are lacking any brown to complete the Wing Bay?

I've never known what to look for in the Wing Bay.  So the last few days, I've read the SOP on Wheaten Ameraucana Wing Bay and examined this Cockerel and some other Cockerels around here, and compared them to pictures I can find.  This 6 month old Cockerel does have brown/bay coloring on each of his primaries.  From your comments it sounds desirable for the Primaries to be visible and frame the Wing Bay when his wing is at rest. 

Lee - Yes I've seen that "S Comb" in some of these birds.  A Cockerel I brought in from outside my flock last year has a comb like the one in your second picture.  My females don't have it, but some of the Cockerels have that slight curve at the tail end of their comb. 
Thanks again for all the help as I continue to learn more about what to look for.  Linda

[Mike Gilbert]

Actually, when a bird is holding his wings up properly it is the exposed edge of the secondaries that form the wing bay.   If the wing is droopy, then yes, the primaries will show too, but if the wing is held in the right position they shouldn't.