With the increased number of colors we get an increasing number of birds in the blackshoulder mutation. With more colors looking alot alike it is probably going to increasingly come down to knowing your breeder and not breeding recklessly yourself.
Males that show blackshoulder tend to not to be so difficult to tell apart as they grow a bit older but when young they can be difficult to tell apart as well.
I try to put them into groupings when it comes to ID based on tail feathers but again unless you know your breeder well it's becoming increasingly difficult to give certain ID's beyond narrowing it down a bit.
Blackshoulder hens with black tail feathers
Hazel
Bronze
Bronze Creme
Blackshoulder Hens With lighter brown/tan tail feathers
Cameo
Peach
Indigo
Purple
Montana (has a more brick red tint)
Blackshoulder Hens with grey/dirty grey tails
Platinum
Opal
Taupe
Ivory
Charcoal
Raw Umber
These are some out of the first group. You get the idea with how closely they can resemble each other. In spalding birds all bets are off.
Males that show blackshoulder tend to not to be so difficult to tell apart as they grow a bit older but when young they can be difficult to tell apart as well.
I try to put them into groupings when it comes to ID based on tail feathers but again unless you know your breeder well it's becoming increasingly difficult to give certain ID's beyond narrowing it down a bit.
Blackshoulder hens with black tail feathers
- India Blue
- Violeta
- Steel
- Midnight (indistinguishable from IBBS hens)
- Prussian Blue
- Ultramarine
Hazel
Bronze
Bronze Creme
Blackshoulder Hens With lighter brown/tan tail feathers
Cameo
Peach
Indigo
Purple
Montana (has a more brick red tint)
Blackshoulder Hens with grey/dirty grey tails
Platinum
Opal
Taupe
Ivory
Charcoal
Raw Umber
These are some out of the first group. You get the idea with how closely they can resemble each other. In spalding birds all bets are off.
