please help me choose a roo

[Guest]

i have a dilema. i ended up with one wheaton hen this year and 3 roos. two of them, great birds, but from same hatch/parents (blehm birds). the third roo from a different breeder (hamid) but from a blue wheaton line but is a regular wheaton.

which roo would you use and why?

Would using the blue gened roo create to much diversity in their offspring? or would crossing them produce all blue gened offspring? or possibly no blue genes at all?

[Mike Gilbert]

Blue wheaten versus wheaten is the last selection criterion I use.   Can you post pictures of these birds?   I\'m sure there are a lot of different aspects to consider.   By the way, if that third rooster is a regular wheaten, he has zero capability of producing blue wheaten offspring when mated to wheaten females.

[Guest]

that was my thought sort of  too. but wanted someone elses opionion on whether the blue would pop out later since he came from a blue line.

I will try and get photos of them today.

[bantamhill]

Wheaten x Wheaten = 100% wheaten
Blue Wheaten x Wheaten = 50% wheaten and 50% blue wheaten

If the goal is to produce more blue wheaten, then I would be looking at those two cockerels and evaluating them for type, comb, ear lobe, clean blue breast and slate legs. The best would go in with the hens to produce a batch of chicks.

If you are looking to improve/develop your line of birds I would compare the three cocks for type, comb, ear lobe color, clean breast color and slate legs. The best would then go in with the hens for line improvement.

Consider doing both. Most of us have started with what we had and moved forward from there.

Michael

[Guest]

i want to make sure i\'m getting this right. I have a roo that was supposed to be a blue wheaton but he looks more like a traditional wheaton. does he carry a blue gene (dilute gene) that can be past on or no? Because if he carries the blue i don\'t want to do that. i\'d rather just pick from the other two.

thanks for your patience with me.

there heading for the roosts so i should be able to get photos soon.

[Guest]

first roo lighter beard.

second roo darker beard the roo 1

third roo that came from blue wheaton parents

[Jean]

I would use the cockerel in picture #2.   He looks like he is of nice size, he has nice green sheen on the black feathers, and a nice comb.

There are lots of other factors to consider, but that is the one I would pick from your photos.

Choose offpsring that have the least amount of striping in the hackles for breeding.

Jean

[Tailfeathers]

Thought I\'d add just a quick comment as I did not see anyone address the beard color.  I have two BW cockerels and two Wheaten cockerels.  I was concerned about their beards at first but have noticed that what was once a light beard has now turned almost totally black.

God Bless,

[Guest]

thanks for that note on beard color. i have been using that as part of my judgement call too. i prefer the darker color (ie black)

On another note i did notice that roo\'s 1 and 3 both have partly brown tail feathers. were as roo 2 has solid black. is this something to be picky about too?

[Jean]

I think the wheaten and blue wheaten variety cockerels take the longest to fully mature.

Those feathers on the face should turn the correct color soon.  I usually do not cull for color on them until they are around 8 months old.

[Guest]

wow. i had no idea it might take that long.   maybe i\'ll wait until spring to make my selection.

[John]

Terrisa,
Whether one or both of his parents were blue wheaten doesn\'t matter...if he is \"wheaten\" he does not carry a \"blue wheaten\" gene.