black youngster plumage

[faith valley]

We have a group of 8 week old Standard Black Ameraucanas (hatched from a breeder, not mutts) and I have a question about their plumage. At this age, should they be entirely black? 10 of them still have a white covert feather here or there, or they have a white tip on a couple primaries, or 2-4 completely white primaries.  Will these go away in their juvie molt, or is this a common \"black bird\" issue that you try to breed away from?

I know with the white crested black polish, you have white primaries that will molt out to solid black ones at that juvie molt.

Thanks

~Patty~

[Mike Gilbert]

Those white feathers should go away when they molt and grow adult feathers, but no guarantees.   I have little experience with the standard size blacks and blues, but many years of experience with the bantams.  Keep an eye on them as they mature.

[faith valley]

Thanks, Mike,  I was hoping to hear that bit of advise.  We have just the 13 of them and only planned to keep 5 or 6 for breeding, but have a long list of folks waiting to get the ones that we \"pass\" on. Would you believe that of the 13, only 2 are males, the rest all hatched female?  Kind of a nice problem to have.

~Patty~