Barbu de Watermael thread?

[SarahLadd]

. They love to get up close and personal. Not unusual for mine to jump on me five or six at a time. When keeping a rooster is it better to look for body type, comb, or coloring? I have two blue quail guys and like the blue quail color. One has a decent three spike comb and is bigger. The other is small size but not a good spiked comb.

Watermael in the united states really struggle with body type. I think form over paint should be really important for any of us keeping roosters and bringing more into the world.

That said I think there are a few color faults that are genetically hard to scrub, like black beard feathers. It's recommended to cull any black bearded birds from breeding.

 

[Amer]

Watermael in the united states really struggle with body type. I think form over paint should be really important for any of us keeping roosters and bringing more into the world.

That said I think there are a few color faults that are genetically hard to scrub, like black beard feathers. It's recommended to cull any black bearded birds from breeding.

^^ good advice

 

[SarahLadd]

I do kind of wonder about what color "blue" you have for your blue quail versus the "blue" my blue quail is. I am told my bird is a blue quail. Yours are also blue. Why do they look so different? Pic when she had tail and pic a moment ago

 

[SarahLadd]

I feel like I just don't have enough pictures of my birds in this thread. These are just pictures for fun. I'm sitting outside with them.

 

[Roosters Egg]

I feel like I just don't have enough pictures of my birds in this thread. These are just pictures for fun. I'm sitting outside with them. View attachment 3176919View attachment 3176920View attachment 3176921View attachment 3176922View attachment 3176923

Pretty babies I like your color of the girls in the last picture. My two blue quail Roos and one of the quail Roos.There 7 weeks

 

[SarahLadd]

Pretty babies I like your color of the girls in the last picture. My two blue quail Roos and one of the quail Roos.There 7 weeks

Did you get any blue quail hens?

 

[0range]

My girls feel their oats first thing in the morning at 6 and right before bed at 8:30. They do this thing where they spin in place once or twice and take off running with their wings out and their heads down. Husband calls it "naruto running". They'll also pop in the air like popcorn, and when one does it, they all hop. I wonder why they spin though. It's something only the watermael seem to do.

Haha we also use the term Naruto running when referring to certain chickens!

Your chickens are gorgeous! Adding this breed to my wishlist.

 

[SarahLadd]

Pretty babies I like your color of the girls in the last picture.

Pearl is supposedly a blue quail, the other girl, Amber, is a quail buff columbian cross. So her color isn't "show". She's just interesting to look at and brings a different flavor to the colors in my flock.

 

[Roosters Egg]

Did you get any blue quail hens?

No blue quail girls

Pearl is supposedly a blue quail, the other girl, Amber, is a quail buff columbian cross. So her color isn't "show". She's just interesting to look at and brings a different flavor to the colors in my flock.

I think all of our colors are different colors of quail. Not the best pictures but some of the girls. And a trio of new tiny modern game bantams for fun. There also around a pound when grown. .Loving both the breeds

 

[Amer]

My girls feel their oats first thing in the morning at 6 and right before bed at 8:30. They do this thing where they spin in place once or twice and take off running with their wings out and their heads down. Husband calls it "naruto running". They'll also pop in the air like popcorn, and when one does it, they all hop. I wonder why they spin though. It's something only the watermael seem to do.

Lol, my d’Anvers have never Naruto run but back when I had Faverolles they did that a lot.

I do kind of wonder about what color "blue" you have for your blue quail versus the "blue" my blue quail is. I am told my bird is a blue quail. Yours are also blue. Why do they look so different? Pic when she had tail and pic a moment ago
View attachment 3176899View attachment 3176914

Not sure if you’re talking to me.
My blue quail d’Anvers are the best I’ve ever seen colorwise, not to brag or anything. I can’t take the credit, it was just the pair the breeder gave to me that gave me such nice coloring. It’s a common issue with blue to blur the pattern on a patterned bird and make it all blue, be it quail or duckwing. One of the hardest things to get on a quail female is getting the black or blue centers on the shoulders/bows. Blue also appears to dilute the yellow, and it does on mine, but your girl appears to be a more extreme example of this. The paleness, plus the uneven blue, plus the lack of blue on the shoulders is what makes her look so different.
Interestingingly, the blue quail standard calls for a very dark blue shade, slaty on the back and blackish blue on hackles and the sex feathers of males. This is darker than regular blue chickens. My blue quails aren’t so dark, but I think evenness of coloring is far more important than shade.

I feel like I just don't have enough pictures of my birds in this thread. These are just pictures for fun. I'm sitting outside with them. View attachment 3176919View attachment 3176920View attachment 3176921View attachment 3176922View attachment 3176923

Are you sure the one towards your body isn’t blue quail? If so, it would have perfect coloring. But she is very dark, so chances are she is just a lighter quail with weird lighting.