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Very nice!

If you have a better choice of course avoid it, but personally I usually have bigger faults to eliminate than bad combs or off color eyes, earlobes or legs. Not my first choice for the show ring of course, but in truth, my highest priority in selection is improved production. I try to do both...

Don't worry, they out grow that. Then you have to worry about stepping on them when you try to walk through the pen.

You can kind of start to tell them apart at this age. The cockerels definitely look pretty ragged with a more checkered pattern. The pullets will be neater looking with full wings and a more regular pattern.

I think some of these are from me and some from a super nice guy named Kyle. He got birds from me last year and tried a hatch or two, then bought some chicks from me on April 23. I hope you like them!

There are records of a chinese pheasant being crossed with chickens in the early part of the breed, and there are modern examples of the cross, so it is possible. No one has had any genetic testing done that I know of.

I see he is in a awkward stage, so his looks should only improve! I sent the chicks to Montauk and can tell you they hatched May 6th. Likely he is a Silver since I only sent them 2 smokies. If you decide to breed them, you would want to avoid the white stain on his red face, and try to breed for...

Keep an eye on those! I hatched some like that too and I'm very excited about them. Mine have more mottling and they are growing up to be very light color. I'm hoping it's the key to getting the white heads on the females.

Is the barring pattern on the birds a factor in the charcoal color? Instead of a lace I am seeing a pattern similar to the Campine barring, more so on the males, but the females as well. Now though, I have that pattern on some birds that hatched with a silver chick coloration, except they had...

The pheasant connection is why I think the Smoky variety has merit. These are ringneck pheasant chicks. This is a chinese or golden pheasant, which were identified as the possible origin cross. Beautiful aren't they? I can see why someone would be tempted to cross them...

This is a cockerel from my line I think has some pretty good potential too. He was hatched out of my January chicks in August and is probably the best cockerel I have ever raised. Pure for Silver and so far no AR showing. He has been the biggest chick in the bunch since hatch. I think he has a...

In my current breeding pen we have the DJ cockerel I took to the show. Bentley Except for the wings, I think this rooster is pretty nice. I have since removed the rock cross and selected the best 8 from all my 2013 Jan - May hatch girls. I was able to remove all the light eye, yellow...

Here are some more pictures to share. This is a Johnston line cockerel I got from Curt. He is in with the two pullets I got from Denny and some of my newest generation pullets. Here he is with a Denny Johnston (DJ) line pullet (middle) and one of my Dark Horse Acres line (DHA) on the left. My...

Great pictures Curt! Those feathers are great, and I will attempt to do the same. My older show girls are finally finished feathering out after their molt, so I hope to get some good pictures of them. I agree that the AR probably exists in the reddish colored pullets. I have tried to eliminate...

Shafting is something you also see in Welsummers, so I think it's appropriate for Iowa Blues. Wellies have a stippled pattern too.

I saw some like that at Denny's. He is working on getting the heads to lighten up.

Actually I'd like to plan a trip over to the statue after the birds are released on Sunday so those of us with birds can pose with them :) It's pretty easy to find, right off Interstate 80, just west of where the show is held.

Very pretty! I'd like to see a picture of your cockerel when you get a chance.

I have a delaware from Jake's eggs and the huge difference between them is the puffy feathers the the Dellies have. They are a round shape and carry their tail very differently. IaBs have tight feathers and no big fluffy cushion. My Dellie also has bright yellow-orange legs. Have a look at the...

I find this thread a source of good information as well and Curt has done a great job researching the origin and history of the birds. I don't feel qualified to comment on comparison since I don't have any Sandhill birds yet, but I am looking forward to getting some! I am very interested to see...