A Heritage of Perfection: Standard-bred Large Fowl

[fowlman01]

The "cut off" or "hatchet chest" etc is when the lower chest is deficient. Most of the time if you see a straight line instead of a curved line on the underline of a bird it is because it is lacking in the lower chest.

Walt

 

[neopolitancrazy]

Definitely keep your eyes on the shafting...there are coloring issues that are more or less straightforward to sort out later on.  However, others can be a bear to fix...

I don't know how my pullets will grow out, but I noticed the McM pullets were a different shade of "ash" than the Urch hen. Both were taupe, but one strain was more brown, while the other was more gray. The McM pullets have moved on to a friend's egg flock, and the Urch hen is mottled. That is to say that when she grew back some of the feathers she molted while sitting and brooding, some are warm brown taupe and others are cool grey taupe. I have changed feeds between her molt last autumn and her molt this spring. Should I be concerned?

Other than selecting for the least-shafted females, how does one eliminate it from the flock?

Thank you for your assistance,
Angela

 

[3riverschick]

I
Other than selecting for the least-shafted females, how does one eliminate it from the flock?

Thank you for your assistance,
Angela

Hi, I know removing the shafting has to do with color balancing. I ca't remember this exact references. Hope these help. 1. getting the right shade of undercolor. 2. Getting the right shade of shaft-free color in the male breast because that part of his color in that place most closely resembles the female bodycoloring. What else?
Best,
Karen

Poultry Tribune: Midwest Edition - Volume 49 - Page 79
books.google.com/books?id=3UdPAAAAYAAJ
1943 - ‎Snippet view - ‎More editions
Both males and females Iiave similar marked primary wing and secondary feathers. ... While we do not advocate the use of excessively reddish undercolor birds as breeders, to eliminate shafting in surface; yet we do advise the elimination of ...
========================
The American Breeds of Poultry: Their Origin, History of ... - Page 203
books.google.com/books?id=JNxIAAAAIAAJ
Frank L. Platt - 1921 - ‎Read - ‎More editions
If they are of a lighter shade than the web of the feather it is called "shafting" where it shows on the surface. We will never entirely eliminate shafting in our females until we produce males without it, especially in breast and body, for it is this part ...
=========================

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Hi, I know removing the shafting has to do with color balancing. I ca't remember this exact references. Hope these help. 1. getting the right shade of undercolor. 2. Getting the right shade of shaft-free color in the male breast because that part of his color in that place most closely resembles the female bodycoloring. What else?
Best,
Karen

Two old-school Light Brown Leghorn breeders told me that if you can see shafting on the underside of a male's hackle that that male would throw shafting in females. I've never tested this, though.

 

[gjensen]

Two old-school Light Brown Leghorn breeders told me that if you can see shafting on the underside of a male's hackle that that male would throw shafting in females. I've never tested this, though.

What do you mean? You cannot learn to breed poultry by the chicken calculator?

 

[Yellow House Farm]

What do you mean? You cannot learn to breed poultry by the chicken calculator?

Shhhhhhh......

 

[fowlman01]

What do you mean? You cannot learn to breed poultry by the chicken calculator?

That's all I use.......

w.

 

[chickadoodles]

 

[gjensen]

Hi, I know removing the shafting has to do with color balancing. I ca't remember this exact references. Hope these help. 1. getting the right shade of undercolor. 2. Getting the right shade of shaft-free color in the male breast because that part of his color in that place most closely resembles the female bodycoloring. What else?
Best,
Karen

Poultry Tribune: Midwest Edition - Volume 49 - Page 79
books.google.com/books?id=3UdPAAAAYAAJ
1943 - ‎Snippet view - ‎More editions
Both males and females Iiave similar marked primary wing and secondary feathers. ... While we do not advocate the use of excessively reddish undercolor birds as breeders, to eliminate shafting in surface; yet we do advise the elimination of ...
========================
The American Breeds of Poultry: Their Origin, History of ... - Page 203
books.google.com/books?id=JNxIAAAAIAAJ
Frank L. Platt - 1921 - ‎Read - ‎More editions
If they are of a lighter shade than the web of the feather it is called "shafting" where it shows on the surface. We will never entirely eliminate shafting in our females until we produce males without it, especially in breast and body, for it is this part ...
=========================

Those are interesting articles Karen.

I know next to nothing about the color in Leghorns, Dorkings, Welsummers, etc. Shafting is a special problem in buff varieties, and breeds like the NH. If it becomes established it can be a problem. I have noticed a couple remarks by respected breeders of the buff color, to examine the primaries.
I have also noticed that a bird with good solid buff color with no shafting, mated with a poorly matched (concerning color) will produce birds with mottled uneven color with a lot of shafting. In these breeds it seams to be about quill color and depth of color.
Shafting ruins the appearance of an otherwise good bird in these breeds.

 

[LindaB220]

Really excited today: Ordered to be shipped 7/22 one dozen Silver Grey Dorkings.
Dick Hortsman Cock over Duane Urch hens.
I'm in NW La and they are coming from bethbug74 in NW Ar. So close. Wish me luck