Thanks Brad for the pictures.Picture taking can require lots of patience,you can try taking multiple pictures in different places and lights.Alot of it is the pose and birds like to make it difficult.Keep at it you will get a few really good ones.Did you know the old 1923 (I believe,or abouts )the APA Standard had a picture of a Rose Comb Black Minorca male and female by Schilling.
In relation to the Minorca breast,yes it should be full,but I find the Minorca does not put on much meat or muscle until they are into their second year.Up through the first year they grow bone and frame and can look gawky and clumsy.I am glad some attention is being paid to faster feathering.It is a sex linked trait that can be improved by marking the males that feather in fast.Males that are very slow feathering should be avoided as breeders,you can notice this as the wings shoulders and backs have downy feathers or bare patches when they should have feathers growing,it is very noticable from 2-6 weeks.Females will usually feather faster but even slow feathering females can be used when fast feathered males are selected.It is worth working on as it can trigger feather picking,having bare backed/slow feathering chicks in pin feather stages for prolonged time periods.Not only are Minorcas long birds they are tall birds,you want some thigh and length of leg,you want them long necked and high in the front end (high shoulders/slant back),much of this is also leg placement and balance.They are also a tighter feathered breed so watch out for loose feathering and long fluff,it is especially seen on the underline,the thigh ,abdomin and vent.In the head,I find the comb gets biggger into the second year,if it is big on a cockerel it is often too big on the older male.The cockerels that the blade follows the head too close will get even tighter to the head as a cock and will often turn or get sores.A big white lobe seems to look better than a tiny one against the black,try to have some shape to the lobe,which usually mean some width , for a long narrow lobe does not look right.Watch out for white in the face,avoid using cockerels with any white in face,retain old males that stay red in face.Look extremely close at the females for tendencies for white in the face too.If you have lots of good black cockerels to pick from,look for the mature males that do not show red feathers in the neck,wing bow,or saddle.One last thing to watch is eye color,in the blacks ,a dark eye color is called for,a sort of deep hazel brown,select away from light eyes showing yellow or reddish bay. If your birds are not long,tall,strong birds near standard weight,then you do not have a Minorca.Oh lets not have small eggs either,Minorcas are known as layers of extra large white eggs.
In relation to the Minorca breast,yes it should be full,but I find the Minorca does not put on much meat or muscle until they are into their second year.Up through the first year they grow bone and frame and can look gawky and clumsy.I am glad some attention is being paid to faster feathering.It is a sex linked trait that can be improved by marking the males that feather in fast.Males that are very slow feathering should be avoided as breeders,you can notice this as the wings shoulders and backs have downy feathers or bare patches when they should have feathers growing,it is very noticable from 2-6 weeks.Females will usually feather faster but even slow feathering females can be used when fast feathered males are selected.It is worth working on as it can trigger feather picking,having bare backed/slow feathering chicks in pin feather stages for prolonged time periods.Not only are Minorcas long birds they are tall birds,you want some thigh and length of leg,you want them long necked and high in the front end (high shoulders/slant back),much of this is also leg placement and balance.They are also a tighter feathered breed so watch out for loose feathering and long fluff,it is especially seen on the underline,the thigh ,abdomin and vent.In the head,I find the comb gets biggger into the second year,if it is big on a cockerel it is often too big on the older male.The cockerels that the blade follows the head too close will get even tighter to the head as a cock and will often turn or get sores.A big white lobe seems to look better than a tiny one against the black,try to have some shape to the lobe,which usually mean some width , for a long narrow lobe does not look right.Watch out for white in the face,avoid using cockerels with any white in face,retain old males that stay red in face.Look extremely close at the females for tendencies for white in the face too.If you have lots of good black cockerels to pick from,look for the mature males that do not show red feathers in the neck,wing bow,or saddle.One last thing to watch is eye color,in the blacks ,a dark eye color is called for,a sort of deep hazel brown,select away from light eyes showing yellow or reddish bay. If your birds are not long,tall,strong birds near standard weight,then you do not have a Minorca.Oh lets not have small eggs either,Minorcas are known as layers of extra large white eggs.
