That first picture is beautiful...what a view! Where do you live?
In Vermont at the top of a mountain - that's why I'm mountaintopchicken . It's lovely in the fall, but in the winter? Sometimes the snow piles and blows so much the town plow trucks can't open the road, they gotta use the bulldozers.... brrr.
I hope this thread doesn't die - it's very interesting to see the pics and the differences between peoples birds.
Hey! Get your chickens outta my yard! (Geez is looks familiar
Thank you Drom! I have Davis line and some of Donna's birds. I have 21 Marans including the babies. I have Black copper, blue copper, and splash. I have only four hens laying right now and the color is diminishing being so late in their cycle. I have a feeling they are going to be molting here real soon. I have three more pullets that should be laying anytime too. 'I like this pic.
Side sprigs are the result of the combined effect of two genes. Birds may carry one OR the other and never show any effect. When combined they will produce sprigs. As a result they are extremely difficult to get rid of, and to do so will require a long and involved test mating program. Just culling the ones with sprigs will not get rid of the problem, and to us them for breeding will just perpetuate the problem.
David
Side sprigs are the result of the combined effect of two genes. Birds may carry one OR the other and never show any effect.
Is there a good source of info that explains what these two genes are and how they combine?
Obviously I have reason to be interested in this topic.
My roo w/ the side sprig came from egg that I hatched out last year that came directly from a very good breeder. I've heard that side sprigs pop up in Marans frequently, possibly because of past crosses with Penedesenca? I haved not bred from him, but somehow I can't make myself stew him either.