I do hope you keep up with the progress reports. I have followed the ABC forum thread and I understand about the problems with passing out project birds. I do want to be on the top of your list when it is time to distribute eggs or birds though! If your type is as good as I think from looking at your pullet pics, you should reconsider keeping a good male. Why not post a few pics on the ABC forum and get some advice from other breeders that have been where you are with a project? Sometimes in a project like this, you get too concerned about perfection and worry that it will never be good enough? I don't mean to sound like I am giving advice, you certainly don't need it, and especially not from me! ..lol...just trying to be a sounding board ????I am not the only person working on this project Plus I am in the middle of trying to figure out what to do next. I will not be sharing project birds. It can come back to bite you. You need to be careful who you "give" your hard work to. I have a goal, and someone else can take that, and misrepresent the birds. Not saying any of you would. I just want to see it through more, before I share.
I am only using female birds that are crossed so far. I am thinking I am soon going to have to keep a male to breed back to, and then start culling, culling, culling. I figure 2-3 more years.
There is a man in NJ I think, he has Sumatras. He is way a head of me.
The blue Andy hen. Is she from a hatchery? The reason I ask, is because they will cross other breed in sometimes to increase egg production. So they could have used a recessive white bird, with columbian, or as suggested birchen in the background.
I will post pics as I go. That is usually in the fall.