BLRW pullets-critique

[MrsChickendad]

These girls just started laying this week. They hatched March 30 so are 5+ months old. What do you think of them? Type? Coloring? I'm trying to learn.

 

[CelticMoon1]

Congratulations on your fresh egg production

Your pics are a bit small to see the birds well. They're still a bit young, but I think they look like they have good type and lacing. Nice yellow legs. As far as I can tell from the pic they both have rose combs. I like the head of the dark one better, but maybe that is just the angle

 

[MrsChickendad]

Thank you for the info. Why do you like the head on the darker one better? What am I supposed to be looking for? They have matured a lot in the last few weeks and are now the size and shape of feathery basketballs. I have 2 more splash pullets from this hatch and 3 more (1 cockerel, 2 pullets) that are 2 months younger. They are all from eggs from the same breeder.

The cockerel appears to have a small dent in his comb. Does this get better/worse? Is it dominant? He is the only cockerel I have for the 6 girls, so am hoping he turns out well. He is a medium blue.

 

[Katy]

A side view of them would be good and like Celticmoon said bigger pictures would be better too. From what I can see they look pretty nice.

 

[MrsChickendad]

Quote:
Okay-heading out the door now with camera!

 

[MrsChickendad]

It cost me a bunch of grapes, but I got the shots: First, the 4 point of lay pullets:

Two of the splash girls:

 

[Katy]

I think you have a very nice start to your BLRW flock. I love mine.

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

THOSE ARE GREAT!!

 

[CelticMoon1]

Quote:
It might be a matter of preference on my part, but I think it looks "fuller" and rounder, which corresponds better with the general stockiness of wyandottes. I'm not saying the other bird is wrong, I think you have a good basis to work from.

Quote:
Size and shape of feathery basketballs is a GOOD thing when it comes to wyandottes

I found a link where you can read up some on them, with descriptions of each body part and also with points on breeding. It's not very neatly made, so the easiest way to read it is actually using the search this page function (ctrl+f) and type a word related to what you want to know more about, for instance "head"..:
http://www.archive.org/stream/wyandottessilver00wallrich/wyandottessilver00wallrich_djvu.txt

Quote:
I wouldn't worry too much about a dent at this stage, both the bird and its comb are going to develop more.
I nicked this description from somewhere: ”Comb is bright red, rose in form, being low and flat, somewhat narrower at the base than top, with less prominence of spike than that of the Hamburg, the comb following the curve of crown to back of head, and the surface evenly corrugated.”
The worst combs will be shapeless wide combs, or the Hamburg spike and more coroneted comb.
Even should the comb turn out to be a little off, this can be bred out by using correctly combed hens.

Dunno if this is helpful at all

 

[MrsChickendad]

Quote:
It might be a matter of preference on my part, but I think it looks "fuller" and rounder, which corresponds better with the general stockiness of wyandottes. I'm not saying the other bird is wrong, I think you have a good basis to work from.

Quote:
Size and shape of feathery basketballs is a GOOD thing when it comes to wyandottes

I found a link where you can read up some on them, with descriptions of each body part and also with points on breeding. It's not very neatly made, so the easiest way to read it is actually using the search this page function (ctrl+f) and type a word related to what you want to know more about, for instance "head"..:
http://www.archive.org/stream/wyandottessilver00wallrich/wyandottessilver00wallrich_djvu.txt

Quote:
I wouldn't worry too much about a dent at this stage, both the bird and its comb are going to develop more.
I nicked this description from somewhere: �Comb is bright red, rose in form, being low and flat, somewhat narrower at the base than top, with less prominence of spike than that of the Hamburg, the comb following the curve of crown to back of head, and the surface evenly corrugated.�
The worst combs will be shapeless wide combs, or the Hamburg spike and more coroneted comb.
Even should the comb turn out to be a little off, this can be bred out by using correctly combed hens.

Dunno if this is helpful at all

Yes it is very helpful. Thanks so much! Right now the dark pullet has what sounds like the most correct comb of the 4, but the others aren't bad. Which is kinda cool cause I like her the best anyway! Thanks for the link, too.