Red ticking in body fluff Wheaten Male

[Holiday Hatch]

I have an 8 month old Wheaten Cockerel that has a lot of red ticking in his body fluff.  I'm thinking of culling him.  Is this a reason to cull him?  Thanks for any comments.   Linda 

[Sharon Yorks]

I am not that knowledgeable about that variety, but I think I would take more into consideration before culling him, such as...how nice is his body type, size, comb, eye color, temperament, feather quality, & whether or not you have a better one to breed to. I was told you have to build your barn before you can paint it. If this bird has other qualities you "need" in your line, you may want to experiment with him to see if he throws the ticking onto his chicks. Do any of his hatch mates show the same ticking? 

[Tailfeathers]

I breed and show the WBS and I have to say I've never seen a W with any thing like that.   Maybe some of the other longer time breeders have?  I would say cull it.  Sharon is right that you wanna build the barn before you paint it but if you've got a mutant gene or maybe the result of a bad cross or who knows what it's best to eradicate it.  Not only that but whatever it is he has if you breed him, you're likely gonna wind up with that in numerous females.  And who knows what that will do.  With the ease of hatching eggs or getting chicks and the ability to sort the numerous cockerels, there is NO way I'd breed that bird. 

Keep in mind that if you hatch eggs, approx. 50% will be cockerels.  You'll always have plenty of cockerels to pick thru.  I just sold 40 and still have another 30-40 that I'm waiting to mature.  Hopefully, pretty soon I'll have a couple that I can keep for a few years.  That's where you wanna be so you can get rid of the cockerels earlier.  Breeding a bird like that might really cost ya in the long room.

God Bless,

Royce

[greeneggsandham]

I have an 8 month old Wheaten Cockerel that has a lot of red ticking in his body fluff.  I'm thinking of culling him.  Is this a reason to cull him?  Thanks for any comments.   Linda

Is this the same one you had posted at six months of age?  The chick with the splashes of color?

[Holiday Hatch]

Sharon, he does have qualities I like.  However, I agree with Royce.  I've never seen so much ticking either and wanted a second opinion.  I won't breed him.  Sharon, he's not the same cockerel I posted at 6 months old but he's from the same hatch and father.  The cockerel I posted at 6 months doesn't have the ticking and I'll keep him.  Thanks for the help.  Linda