CSU - Chicken State University- Large Fowl SOP

[WallTenters]

I could get you photos of the adults but probably not matching chick photos. We evaluate feathering at one week of age fast vs medium vs slow. We had hoped that the fast feathering cockerels would have improved patterning but just not finding that to be consistently true.

 

[WallTenters]

Well Chris this cockerel may be a good example, on his chick eval sheet he was marked "very fast feathering" and yet here he is with very tight, straight narrow bars in his saddle area and even if you look at his tail feathers they are much straighter than they should be. If you took his saddle area markings and spread them over his whole body he would be barred not cuckoo.

And trust me there are many more much worse than him I will see about getting some photos tomorrow morning if I have any of the bad ones left out in the coop.

 

[Chris09]

Well Chris this cockerel may be a good example, on his chick eval sheet he was marked "very fast feathering" and yet here he is with very tight, straight narrow bars in his saddle area and even if you look at his tail feathers they are much straighter than they should be. If you took his saddle area markings and spread them over his whole body he would be barred not cuckoo.

And trust me there are many more much worse than him I will see about getting some photos tomorrow morning if I have any of the bad ones left out in the coop.

Nice looking bird and he is still "Cuckoo" just a better Cuckoo patter than most.
When I click on the picture and enlarge it I can still see the fuzzy "V" barring common to the Cuckoo pattern in a Dominique and faster feathering Barred Breeds.
He may have other genes in play giving the short tail and closer barring pattern in the Hackles and Saddle feathers but that gene doesn't seam to affect the barring in the wing Bay and Bar area.

Chris

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
Is the V barring bad in cuckoos? I know it is in Barred breeds.

 

[1muttsfan]

I was looking more closely at my Basque rooster this morning, I can see exactly what you mean about the v-shaped and wider bars. Thanks again Chris.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

I believe if I read my history correctly that the "straight" barring in barred rocks of today is a result of a cross EB Thompson made many years ago to a line of White Leghorns. Had it not been for that cross (or one like it somewhere down the line) barred rocks would still be "cuckoo" in pattern as well

 

[DraigAthar]

Is the V barring bad in cuckoos? I know it is in Barred breeds.

It is not bad in Dominiques, in fact it is desirable. You're looking for anything BUT straight barring in Doms. You want either V-shaped, or staggered barring. Not sure about other cuckoo breeds, though.

 

[Chris09]

Is the V barring bad in cuckoos? I know it is in Barred breeds.

V barring is a good thing in Dominique but is a bad thing when it comes to Barred Plymouth Rocks.

Chris

 

[Chris09]

I believe if I read my history correctly that the "straight" barring in barred rocks of today is a result of a cross EB Thompson made many years ago to a line of White Leghorns. Had it not been for that cross (or one like it somewhere down the line) barred rocks would still be "cuckoo" in pattern as well

Scott, it would have had to be a different cross.
Leghorns are a fast feathering breed and they are very hard to get good barring on.
I read on a British Leghorn sight that the reason for some lines of better barred Leghorns was do to crossing Plymouth Rocks into them. (the cross slowed the feather growth down some)

Here is a UK Leghorn that shows the V Shape barring and barring much like the Dominique.

Chris

 

[cluck-cluck]

After looking at all these Rocks, Wyandottes, Dominiques, etc... that poor leghorn looks down right emaciated! LOL