Best way to improve Wyandotte tail carriage?

[WillowMoonWyandottes]

I started working with these LF Silver Penciled Wyandottes last year, tails aren’t very good on them but they are the only Silver Penciled I could find from a breeder that was willing to ship chicks or hatching eggs.
Tail carriage is very low, most of them are missing a lot of their primary tail feathers and size/width is an issue. I’m working on breeding them towards the SOP.
Would it be best to bring in some quality Partridge and cross them to improve my Silver Penciled Wyandottes type? I was thinking about getting some from Abigail Wojtecki next year.
I also own Silver Laced Wyandottes that are bred to standard, would it be worth crossing them to the Silver Penciled? How would that effect the feather pattern?
First 2 pics are one of the few SPW pullets that have their primaries but still low tail carriage.
3rd pic is what I’m mostly ending up with tail wise.
4th pic is one of my SLW pullets that have better tails.

 

[Amer]

I wouldn’t recommend crossing your varieties. I agree that Abagail Wotjecki has nice birds so if you want to do the outcross, that’s fine, but these birds are actually quite nice and you could easily improve what you have. Just hatch a lot of offspring and next year set the goal to select higher and fuller tails (with all other things considered too, of course.)

 

[Amer]

Her back seems a bit long and I think a slightly shorter back would improve the type some.

 

[Amer]

Btw, nice silver laceds.

 

[WillowMoonWyandottes]

I wouldn’t recommend crossing your varieties. I agree that Abagail Wotjecki has nice birds so if you want to do the outcross, that’s fine, but these birds are actually quite nice and you could easily improve what you have. Just hatch a lot of offspring and next year set the goal to select higher and fuller tails (with all other things considered too, of course.)

Okay, thanks! I’m definitely excited to keep working with them, doesn’t seem like many breeders are. I’m definitely going to aim for shorter backs and higher tails next year. This is my second year breeding to standard so I’ve still got a lot to learn about it.

 

[Amer]

Okay, thanks! I’m definitely excited to keep working with them, doesn’t seem like many breeders are. I’m definitely going to aim for shorter backs and higher tails next year. This is my second year breeding to standard so I’ve still got a lot to learn about it.

I should probably add something: the back length likely won’t change, but the appearance of a short back and high tail go hand in hand. If you are picking birds that have cushions that sweep up to the tails right at the get go then the tails will be straight above the rear instead of flopping lazily over it.