CSU - Chicken State University- Large Fowl SOP

[NYREDS]

Do any of you have purple iridescence in your black birds? I know it's way too early to tell what's going on with my young birds, but I have noticed a slight purple sheen on a few of their feathers. At 7 weeks they have a lot of molting to do before reaching any kind of mature plumage. The purple may go away in subsequent molts. But as a general breeding question for future reference, if the purple sticks around how do you get rid of it? What kind of bird needs to be paired with a purple one (assuming the purple one is terrific in many other features that you need in the flock)? Or do you just not use purple-sheened birds? Black Javas are supposed to have a green sheen, not purple. I am assuming this issue pops up in other black breeds, so all you black chicken breeders feel free to chime in

Sarah

Wait until they have molted into their adult plumage before you make any decisions. Often purple sheen on juvenile plumage will be replaced with green sheen on adult plumage.

 

[Zanna]

Wait until they have molted into their adult plumage before you make any decisions. Often purple sheen on juvenile plumage will be replaced with green sheen on adult plumage.

Thank you very much for this valuable information!

 

[MagicChicken]

Regarding the cushion (the weird poof in front of the tail) that bnjrob mentioned in post 472 (photo copied from that post):




Java backs are supposed to slope downward slightly from head to tail. It looks like this bird's back might be doing that, but the poofy cushion obscures the back line. Cushions seem to be a problem in a lot of birds I see, not just javas. What kind of pairings do you need to do to get rid of them? Can you get rid of them without culling all birds with cushions from your breeding program?

Are these cushions the result of cochin or other blood being introduced into these lines at some point in the past? Just wondering...

Sarah

 

[MagicChicken]

Thanks, that is encouraging! I'm not planning on culling for type until these birds are at least a year old. Crossing my fingers that they turn out to be shiny, green-sheened birds when they grow up.

Sarah

 

[Texasmja]

Regarding the cushion (the weird poof in front of the tail) that bnjrob mentioned in post 472 (photo copied from that post):




Java backs are supposed to slope downward slightly from head to tail. It looks like this bird's back might be doing that, but the poofy cushion obscures the back line. Cushions seem to be a problem in a lot of birds I see, not just javas. What kind of pairings do you need to do to get rid of them? Can you get rid of them without culling all birds with cushions from your breeding program?

Are these cushions the result of cochin or other blood being introduced into these lines at some point in the past? Just wondering...

Sarah

I would love to know this also, Wyandotte pullets/hens have that cushion issue also.

 

[bnjrob]

Regarding the cushion (the weird poof in front of the tail) that bnjrob mentioned in post 472 (photo copied from that post):

Java backs are supposed to slope downward slightly from head to tail. It looks like this bird's back might be doing that, but the poofy cushion obscures the back line. Cushions seem to be a problem in a lot of birds I see, not just javas. What kind of pairings do you need to do to get rid of them? Can you get rid of them without culling all birds with cushions from your breeding program?

Are these cushions the result of cochin or other blood being introduced into these lines at some point in the past? Just wondering...

Sarah

Yes, the more correct angle was there PRIOR to those new feathers being grown in this mast couple of months before their mini-molt. I'm not sure why these new feathers are growing in kinda funny. Unless, as it was suggested to me by someone else, that they haven't finished feathering in yet.

 

[WallTenters]

Check these poofed feathers- are they still blood feathers? If so, wait to make any final decisions. If the blood is out of them and they're still up get rid of her, or if you have enough females to choose from only keep those that never had the problem or that have molted faster and are done with it already. Do the same to your males. Fluffed birds here are usually fluffed in the back of the thighs as well, neither lends itself to a nice smooth looking bird. This cushion fluff is not changing her tail that is another issue, hard to make a case for the bird with both.

 

[WallTenters]

Sorry, double post somehow

ETA: I looked up at the photo above again - looks like that particular female has molted in her back but not in her saddle area, if that is the case and the back feathers are new with the cushion/saddle area being old feathers, check your brooding environment and make sure your chicks aren't too hot. Those new feathers coming in look nice and fairly tight against her back vs the old ones are puffy.

The reason I am so harsh on females that molt in with new puffy feathers is they are doing that during the cold part of the year- when their feathers should grow in the best, so I see no reason at all to keep a bird with poor feathers from a winter molt, but since this lady's feathers actually look better from her winter molt I'd say the issue is the previous molts and possibly brooder temperatures being too warm.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Next Session - Continuing with the American Class, we've a few more to take on.

Since they are wildly popular and have very long and indepth threads of their own, I'm questioning the need to do them here on CSU.

We still have the Buckeye, the Red and Delaware. Class discussion/input about the next units is certainly valued.

 

[capayvalleychick]

It would be nice if the people, other than Bill & Walt, who do make comments, would state their experience with the breed. If their profile does not have descriptive information, I wonder whether they are Master Breeders or how much experience they have had breeding and showing.