Black crested White Polish

[ElPaso]

Looking good! Lots of color variation, but that’s to be expected. I see a few with a down color reminiscent of what I tend to see. I’ll be mighty curious to see how they all feather out.

Hopefully you’ll see darker heads in the chicks, without the ridiculously annoying breast spangling that birds like mine have. Your f1s had amazingly clear breasts.

I have some 4 weeks old chicks I'll get pics of tomorrow. Plus I have eggs to set.

 

[ElPaso]

I have some 4 weeks old chicks I'll get pics of tomorrow. Plus I have eggs to set.

 

[Fowl-Mouth]

I know it's been a while since any posts were made here, but man this thread brought back some memories!!

Back around 2000ish I used to have BCWs from McKinney & Govero. I have no pics of them and can't remember how they ended up looking, but I loved them. I was huge into oddball breeds back then (still am, really) and had several varieties of Polish. My very first was a Gold Laced "freebie" chick from a McMurray order in the mid-late 90's. That one chick, Jonah, got me hooked on other Polish and crested breeds.

Definitely not in a position to get some more Polish now, buuuuut eventually I would love to get my hands on some more BCW project birds and work with them. Maybe in a few years, if they are still around by then.

It's a pity they are so incredibly hard to find these days. But such is the case of several breeds and varieties I had 20 years ago and am trying to locate again. So many people are turning to the more useful production breeds and crosses, and not many folks seem to want to focus on the ornamental oddballs.

 

[NagemTX]

I know it's been a while since any posts were made here, but man this thread brought back some memories!!

Back around 2000ish I used to have BCWs from McKinney & Govero. I have no pics of them and can't remember how they ended up looking, but I loved them. I was huge into oddball breeds back then (still am, really) and had several varieties of Polish. My very first was a Gold Laced "freebie" chick from a McMurray order in the mid-late 90's. That one chick, Jonah, got me hooked on other Polish and crested breeds.

Definitely not in a position to get some more Polish now, buuuuut eventually I would love to get my hands on some more BCW project birds and work with them. Maybe in a few years, if they are still around by then.

It's a pity they are so incredibly hard to find these days. But such is the case of several breeds and varieties I had 20 years ago and am trying to locate again. So many people are turning to the more useful production breeds and crosses, and not many folks seem to want to focus on the ornamental oddballs.

I think alot of it comes from modern breeders that push the line it takes to much time and effort to try recreating a variety. They discouraged anyone that asks about it or how to or where to start their projects. It's so weird the disparities between old time breeders and the modern ones. More than one older breeder has said if you want a variety that instead of buying from them make it on your on so that we can have diversity in the bloodlines. All the modern breeders only say to buy from another breeders that has SOP birds. They don't encourage any kind of growth in the hobby or learning about how any chicken variety came to be. I'll be following older breeders to learn how to create the chickens I want and understand the time and work that is needed to do so.

I know it's kinda ranty but it's been irking me for a while now. How modern breeders and people that show discourage others from wanting to experiment or start from something that has a few good or great traits and make their own bloodline or variety. Easy is not always best. We don't always learn from easy. We won't get the fun unusual breeds and varietys back unless we experiment with what we have now.

 

[Fowl-Mouth]

I think alot of it comes from modern breeders that push the line it takes to much time and effort to try recreating a variety. They discouraged anyone that asks about it or how to or where to start their projects. It's so weird the disparities between old time breeders and the modern ones. More than one older breeder has said if you want a variety that instead of buying from them make it on your on so that we can have diversity in the bloodlines. All the modern breeders only say to buy from another breeders that has SOP birds. They don't encourage any kind of growth in the hobby or learning about how any chicken variety came to be. I'll be following older breeders to learn how to create the chickens I want and understand the time and work that is needed to do so.

I know it's kinda ranty but it's been irking me for a while now. How modern breeders and people that show discourage others from wanting to experiment or start from something that has a few good or great traits and make their own bloodline or variety. Easy is not always best. We don't always learn from easy. We won't get the fun unusual breeds and varietys back unless we experiment with what we have now.

That's a very good point. I have noticed a couple threads of folks showing off their project birds and announcing their project plans, but have seen their plans be trampled on by others saying things like "there's no way they can get to B from A" and that they should try something else.

I personally have zero issues with projects, and find many project birds and mutt birds to be absolutely amazing to look at and very interesting to see what the next generation might hold.

I'm just now re-learning about genetics. I used to be somewhat well versed in the basics and how you can get to B from A even if it was a round-about path to get there, but after 20 odd years of having very little to do with poultry of any kind it was something I forgot over time.

I'll definitely be lurking on this thread and hoping for some more pictures as time goes on!

 

[ElPaso]

That's a very good point. I have noticed a couple threads of folks showing off their project birds and announcing their project plans, but have seen their plans be trampled on by others saying things like "there's no way they can get to B from A" and that they should try something else.

I personally have zero issues with projects, and find many project birds and mutt birds to be absolutely amazing to look at and very interesting to see what the next generation might hold.

I'm just now re-learning about genetics. I used to be somewhat well versed in the basics and how you can get to B from A even if it was a round-about path to get there, but after 20 odd years of having very little to do with poultry of any kind it was something I forgot over time.

I'll definitely be lurking on this thread and hoping for some more pictures as time goes on!

Here are two pullets from 2nd generation cross of Sliver Laced and Black Crested White Polish.

 

[I Like Turkeys]

I know it's been a while since any posts were made here, but man this thread brought back some memories!!

Back around 2000ish I used to have BCWs from McKinney & Govero. I have no pics of them and can't remember how they ended up looking, but I loved them. I was huge into oddball breeds back then (still am, really) and had several varieties of Polish. My very first was a Gold Laced "freebie" chick from a McMurray order in the mid-late 90's. That one chick, Jonah, got me hooked on other Polish and crested breeds.

Definitely not in a position to get some more Polish now, buuuuut eventually I would love to get my hands on some more BCW project birds and work with them. Maybe in a few years, if they are still around by then.

It's a pity they are so incredibly hard to find these days. But such is the case of several breeds and varieties I had 20 years ago and am trying to locate again. So many people are turning to the more useful production breeds and crosses, and not many folks seem to want to focus on the ornamental oddballs.

Glad to have you here. BCWs are super fun indeed. It is a pity how hard they are to find these days.

I agree with @NagemTX that a lot of people’s insistence on buying from already established breeders, and the general pushiness there is about not doing projects probably contributed to that. On top of how complicated the color is, of course.
I know I got recommended to get WCBs quite a bit when I was first locating birds.

I personally like projects quite a bit. When you have a set goal, and you begin working towards it, it can be fun to compare each generation to the prior one. I feel like I get antsy when selecting birds, but it’s still super exciting to find ones who have the exact traits you need in that new generation. Plus, I’ve got years to commit to projects, so I suppose the worry of having to expend years to get a specific bird rather than just to buy it immediately isn’t something I relate to.

Hopefully BCWs will stick around a while. I know I don’t intend to stop breeding them. I only know of two breeders who sell chicks and eggs, but I’ve met a few more breeders than just them who seem rather committed.

 

[I Like Turkeys]

Here are two pullets from 2nd generation cross of Sliver Laced and Black Crested White Polish.View attachment 3851745View attachment 3851746

Looking nice. A little less spangled on the back than some of my worst hens, but I see the silver laced cross doesn’t help out with breast spangling.

How are the BCW x Buff Orpington chicks feathering out?

 

[ElPaso]

Looking nice. A little less spangled on the back than some of my worst hens, but I see the silver laced cross doesn’t help out with breast spangling.

How are the BCW x Buff Orpington chicks feathering out?

 

[ElPaso]

View attachment 3852185View attachment 3852186

These are f2 from buff x BCW