Lavender does still have issues with the feathers being softer it seams so they get messed up more. My hens and last rooster from Cackle were great looking and feather quality stood up to free ranging. If I pend the rooster he might have gotten ragged looking.
Thers always something under it...
Ameraucana are slowly getting past the feather quality issues. The problem with the shredder gene is that it can effect other colors as well if brought in from bad quality lavenders. And with how popular that color is most places you get them are not working on the feather quality.
I do. Project Crested EE. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/project-crested-ee.1646000/
I should be back on this coming spring. Was setback with two pens needed to be rewired with hardware cloth. Once those are done and I get rid of the rest of the mixed hens and maybe the Spitzhaubens...
I have and it started my project Crested EE from Crevecoeur rooster and Ameraucana hens. Not sure I'll be adding Spitzhauben or not but they where my first choice to make the Crested EE.
I have four off the Crevecoeur x Ameraucana that look how I want them to look. So I might just add more...
It didn't even enter my mind at the time. I knew I could order chicks and have them delivered but didn't know I could do that with eggs. Or get even better selection from eggs. Was going off the knowledge I had from 4H in the 90s. So in hindsight I should have spent more time on here than I did...
If I had known before hand I might have gone leghorns before Ameraucana and Spitzhauben.
He's a beauty.
In fact I kick myself daily that I didn't start out with an incubator and hatching eggs. I would have had what I wanted much faster.