Topics

1

Breeding / Red ticking in body fluff Wheaten Male

« on: October 24, 2014, 07:32:48 PM »

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 

2

Breeding / Wheaten Cockerel at 6 months

« on: August 19, 2014, 04:01:39 PM »

March 3 of 2014, I posted "Dark Color Splashes in Wheaten Variety Down" under this heading.  Mike suggested I toe punch this chick and see how he turned out.  Attached are a week old picture of the chick and pictures taken of him today as a 6 month old Cockerel.  Any comments from members would be appreciated.  He's turning out quite nicely I think, but would love to hear what other people see in him.   His comb is three rows of points but a little taller than I hoped for.  Thank you - Linda 

3

Breeding / Coloring on Wheaten Pullet

« on: June 24, 2014, 04:07:56 PM »

Does anyone have any comments on the coloring of this 6 month old Wheaten Pullet?  There's more red/brown color than I've seen in any other Wheatens.  I'm thinking of culling her but would like some opinions since I've not seen a lot of Wheaten Pullets/Hens to compare her to.  Thank you - Linda

4

Breeding / Wheaten Cockerels

« on: May 02, 2014, 02:27:10 PM »

Hello again, I'd like some opinions on this if anyone can help me please.  I have a 4-1/2 month old LF Wheaten Ameraucana Cockerel that I thought would turn out nicely.  However, a fellow breeder just mentioned that the cockerel looked like he had "roach back".  When I run my hand down the cockerels back, the spinal column isn't smooth.  The spinal bones seem to separate at one point allowing the slight break where one vertebrae isn't as tightly knit to the other vertebrae.  It's hard to explain in words.  I've never seen it in any of my chickens before.  I was going to breed him, but if this is genetic I don't want to use him.  I'm attaching the best photo I have of him.
The only other cockerel I have to use now is one we've already discussed in a previous post "Body feather color".  I've attached a recent photo of this one also.  He has too much red in his tail but his chest is filling in.  He's got very clean hackle feathers.
I was going to sell this latter cockerel today to a guy who just wants a pretty rooster.  Now I'm having second thoughts because the clean hackle feather cockerel may be better than my 4-1/2 month old with the back issue. 
With either one, I don't think I have a cockerel good enough to sell any chicks from this year.  Should I get rid of both of these cockerels and wait for something better?  Is the back issue likely genetic?
Any advice?  All other cockerel possibilities I had are gone now for one reason or another.  I have two Wheaten Cockerels that hatched Valentines Day this year that were sired by my Blue Wheaten Cockerel who did very well in the Stockton Poultry Show this year.  Maybe I should wait for them to grow up.  Thanks for the help.  Linda

5

Breeding / Phenotype

« on: April 23, 2014, 12:37:32 PM »

I've learned from previous posts that the dark spot on a Wheaten chick's head is the correct phenotype for a Wheaten chick.  Would the phenotype marking be the same for a Blue Wheaten, and a Splash Wheaten?

Where is the best place to read/learn about Phenotype 1, 2, & 3?   I've come across these on the Forum but don't know what they mean.

Thank you - Linda

6

Breeding / Body feather color

« on: March 12, 2014, 05:55:35 PM »

Here's another one of my color questions.  This Cockerel is supposed to be Wheaten/Blue Wheaten Ameraucana but his body color looks dark gray.  He's not from my stock.  He's a cross between stock from one person on the Ameraucana Breeders List, and stock from another person who raises purebred Wheaten/Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas, but isn't a part of this group.  I like this Cockerels personality but I don't think the color is okay.  I've found a home for him but would appreciate any input about his coloring before I let him go.  Thank you - Linda

7

Breeding / Dark color splashes in Wheaten variety down

« on: March 03, 2014, 12:29:35 AM »

I tried to post this a few days ago but the photo was too large and I haven't figured out how to decrease the image size on this camera yet.  Last weekend some chicks hatched that should be Wheaten/Blue Wheaten or Splash Wheaten.  One of the chicks had about 4 tiny little splashes of very dark, almost black feathers on it's back.  I'm sure this isn't a good thing but could someone tell me what it might be from?  One of my Wheaten hens has black feathers in her hackles and I just learned at the Stockton, CA Poultry Show that this isn't desireable.  Maybe the chick is from one of her eggs?
One more question I have is about the little dark spot on top of the head on this variety.  I remember it being mentioned on the Forum and I think it's desireable but what does it mean?
I've been reading the Genetics Mini Series and some other sources to try and get a better understanding of chicken genetics but I've got a long way to go.  Thanks for the help.  Linda

8

Breeding / Breeding Procedure Question

« on: January 23, 2014, 06:20:11 PM »

The way I started my flock is as follows; and I would like advice if this is good or bad policy.
I started with hatching eggs.  From that hatch, I separated out the cockerel from the pullets and put them into two groups.   
I got eggs from second breeder and kept only one cockerel to put with the pullets in the above group.
I got eggs from a third breeder and kept one pullet which I put with the cockerel in the above group.
I was working with stock from 3 different breeders.
Out of the chicks I got from the above crossings, I've taken the best cockerel from one group and plan to cross him with the pullets from the other group.
Is this crossing procedure too closely related?  Would I be better off bringing in an outside cockerel and do line breeding in the future?   
Thanks for the help - Linda

9

Breeding / Double Mating

« on: December 30, 2013, 05:55:33 PM »

Hello fellow club members.  Recently there were a few posts about double mating.  Could someone please tell me what is meant by the term Double Mating?  Thank you - Linda

10

Breeding / Wheaten/Blue Wheaten Feather color

« on: October 12, 2013, 08:01:00 PM »

I have a Blue Wheaten pullet with rather dark blue feathers in her tail.  She has blue feathers in her wings.  I don't yet have an APA Manual to look this up.  Is she still a Blue Wheaten if her tail and wing feathers are darker blue than what I see on Blue Wheaten Female on this website?  Is there a color variance
in Blue Wheaten Females, or is this not meeting the standard?  I tried to attach a photo but it wouldn't work.  I don't know if you can help me without the photo.  Thank you.  Linda

11

Breeding / Feather color on Blue Wheaten Cockerel

« on: October 02, 2013, 01:05:36 PM »

Members of the Forum have told me before that Wheaten & Blue Wheaten Cockerels are late to mature.  I'm trying to cull a few of the ones I have that are 6 months old.  Is this still way too early? 
A couple of the Cockerels have some red/gold feathering among the gray feathers in the low back abdomen, beneath the wing. (I don't know the proper term for this area)  Is this feather color okay or a disqualifier?  Will the feather color change to gray later on?  Thank you for the help - Linda

12

Breeding / Swirling Hackle Feathers

« on: July 29, 2013, 09:18:44 PM »

I have two Ameraucanas with hackle feathers that swirl around to one side.   It reminds me of a cow lick in peoples hair.  One of them is a cross beek Wheaten pullet from last years hatch of purchased eggs.  The other is a young Wheaten cockerel from some of my eggs this year.  They aren't related.  I don't use the cross beek's eggs for hatching, of course.  I'm culling the cockerel.  Can anyone enlighten me on this feather pattern?  Thank you - Linda

13

Breeding / Hackle color - Wheaten/Blue Wheaten Ameraucana cockerel

« on: June 28, 2013, 06:24:15 PM »

At about what age does the correct reddish/gold color in the hackles show up on a Blue Wheaten Ameraucana or a Wheaten Ameraucana Cockerel?  I'm trying to pick out a cockerel to keep from the 3 months old or younger cockerels .  All of them seem to have some black in their hackles.  Do these feathers also change color with age like the beards do?  Or should they have lots of the red/gold color in them at this age?  I don't know what are the most important things I should be looking for in a young cockerel?  Any helpful suggestions would be much appreciated.  Thank you - Linda Ferguson

14

Ameraucana Marketplace / Shipping 7-1/2 week old pullets

« on: June 10, 2013, 03:59:55 PM »

This is my first shipment of any chickens.  Next week I'm shipping three 7-1/2 week old pullets Express Mail from Northern California to a very cold climate.  Any advice on what to put in their box with them?  I'm planning on a quartered apple or two, and maybe some orange wedges?  I don't want it to damage the box  because it's not allowed, but I don't want them to get dehydrated.  Thanks - Linda

15

Breeding / e-locus genes

« on: May 30, 2013, 01:34:35 PM »

Does anyone have a suggestion on a book or source for me to learn more about e-locus genes?  It would be nice to know what you're talking about when these initials and symbols show up in posts on ABC Forum.  Thank you - Linda Ferguson