The "Legacy" Varieties

[Peggy Taylor]

Clear hackles in the Wheaten color....irregardless of the breed...is an ongoing concern in the breeding pen.  I will put up with a fault or two (if not major) on a male if he has clear hackles and decent type.  Sometimes you go with the one with the least faults. Compensate with the hens if possible.  I've dealt with the same problem in the Wheaten Marans for years. When I have a young cockerel show up with what appears clear hackle color he goes in the grow out pen until I can see what he's going to do and that means I keep him until he is at least 6 months old. Trying to breed to the standard is not for the faint of heart !

Change begins with the individual breeder......I had a very smart friend tell me many years ago when we were showing South African Boer Goats and basically had the same "preference" problems with them in one form or another that she could not breed a goat to suit every judge so she was just going to raise the best animal she could that best fit the standard, not worry about what anybody else did, and let the rest take care of itself.   I have kept that in mind for a lot of years....I can't breed a bird to suit every judge out there SO I am going to breed the best bird I can that fits most closely the standard and let the chips fall where they may. I never have followed "trends" very well.   Type first and foremost followed by color and size whether it be LF or Bantam.

Just for the record....I am against any change in the standard to "accomodate" these larger birds.

Please don't anybody take offense.....I know this is an Ameraucana site but I need to ask a question:
Birdcrazy....do you raise Black Bantam Wyandottes ?  I've been looking for some good ones. If you do, we will have a private conversation about them.  Thanks.

Everybody have a blessed day...
Peggy

[Susan Mouw]

Great points, Peggy! 

I learned, long ago, with the dogs (less so with the horses) not to breed for what is popular or what a group of judges want.  I get a picture in my mind of the goal (SOP) and that is what I breed to. If judges don't like it, oh well, move on to the next one (judge, I mean, not breeder stock )

I've really set myself on this goal of clear hackles and being able to reproduce it consistently. I'm not there yet, but each year, I see improvement.  I don't even keep a hen with speckles in her hackles anymore, because I know where that leads.

Over the last five years with the wheatens and blue wheatens, my stock is now consistently producing good tail sets, nice wide bodies, overall decent type...now if I can just get the black out.

[Peggy Taylor]

There's always a new (or old) challenge waiting for us !!!  I have some hens that have more black speckles in the hackle than I want but their type is so good that I am using a really clear hackle male with the hopes of raising some good clean hackle pullets that can replace the hens.....one step at a time!

[Susan Mouw]

I've seen pictures of your bantam wheaten cockbird and I don't see a drop of black in his hackles! 

Is it not an issue in the bantams like it is in the LF?

[Birdcrazy]

Please don't anybody take offense.....I know this is an Ameraucana site but I need to ask a question:
Birdcrazy....do you raise Black Bantam Wyandottes ?  I've been looking for some good ones. If you do, we will have a private conversation about them.  Thanks.

Everybody have a blessed day...
Peggy

Yes Peggy, I still raise Black/Blue/Splash Wyandotte Bantams

[DeWayne Edgin]

I noticed the past few years that if you keep the lightest colored pullets, you get less black specks on them. I have my Wheatens looking much better than they did when i started. Out of all of the pullets i kept last year, not one of them have black specks on them. I did however find nice clean roosters to use to help my line out though.


Now i am trying to improve size on my Silvers. It is funny after reading all of the comments about Large fowl being to big but my Silver line needs help with size. I am waiting on some eggs that was sent to me to hatch and i am thinking they will help my size issue out.