The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club > Breeding
feathered legs in wheatens
Birdcrazy:
He's starting to show good color. Before you posted the pictures I visualized stubs. he has good color down to his toes. I guess that I will pass on the offer of shipping him. I hope he is one of a kind and no more pop up!
Susan Mouw:
Well, I think his ear lobe color would have been an issue without the leg feathering.
Unfortunately, he's not alone. I have two more in the hatch after him. Definitely something going on here...
After last year's disaster with clean faces and culling nearly everything, I was not real happy to see this issue crop up this year. Unfortunately, my "good" stock has aged out - the cock is shooting blanks and the hens lays every once in a while, but they're not viable.
Time to start with some reliable, reputable, and fresh stock in the wheatens, I think
Birdcrazy:
Sorry to hear that. Good luck with your replacement stock. Always something to work on.
Susan Mouw:
I have chicks coming from Paul - next week, I hope!
What would you do, Gordon? Keep the ones that don't show the feather legs (and otherwise meet SOP) - knowing they could be carrying the recessive gene...or toss 'em all? lol
Birdcrazy:
Sorry to say, but if it was me, I would take my losses and start over. I have seen other breeds that chicks would occasionally have stubs. It would not always appear in every hatching, but when it did, it seemed to always place them on your best chicks. That's almost like having a double curse. I think I would definitely get rid of the cock bird. If you have hens that are extra nice and want to take a gamble, I would keep them and their offspring separate and banded. If the problem reoccurs down the road, you would know which ones need to be culled. That way your new stock is not intermixed with them. If you only have 1 new cock bird you may have to rotate him in and out of the different pens. Time should tell.
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