Blue Laced Red Wyandotte THREAD!

[Egghead_Jr]

I like the cock. Type looks good and comb doesn't appear to have sprigs. He's got brass in saddle feathers but the hackle is close to correct. Foley said the hackle is key to base color throughout in offspring.

The hens need help with lacing. You'll need numbers to hand pick improvement on that. I wonder if using a black next generation would help. I've no info or experience trying that. The thought comes from the fact they naturally have wide lacing.

I'd not use the hen with overt shafting. From my limited experience with BLRW shafting is a big problem. That hen simply has too much to deem worth breeding. It will add numbers of offspring but likely to have the shafting issue so not usable. Just more mouths to feed.

The hen I'd use is lacking red in hackle. The good news is Foley states it's more important in cock, they impart more ground color to offspring than hens. Her type looks good, wonder about the tail tent, doesn't look pinched but could be wider. The red base color is even throughout. That's a good trait. It's a good red color, could be darker.

All in all it's a good start and think you've the potential to pull out some good birds to move forward. I'd lean to single mating and hatch every egg until fall.

Good Luck

 

[dlamb82]

I like the cock. Type looks good and comb doesn't appear to have sprigs. He's got brass in saddle feathers but the hackle is close to correct. Foley said the hackle is key to base color throughout in offspring.

The hens need help with lacing. You'll need numbers to hand pick improvement on that. I wonder if using a black next generation would help. I've no info or experience trying that. The thought comes from the fact they naturally have wide lacing.

I'd not use the hen with overt shafting. From my limited experience with BLRW shafting is a big problem. That hen simply has too much to deem worth breeding. It will add numbers of offspring but likely to have the shafting issue so not usable. Just more mouths to feed.

The hen I'd use is lacking red in hackle. The good news is Foley states it's more important in cock, they impart more ground color to offspring than hens. Her type looks good, wonder about the tail tent, doesn't look pinched but could be wider. The red base color is even throughout. That's a good trait. It's a good red color, could be darker.

All in all it's a good start and think you've the potential to pull out some good birds to move forward. I'd lean to single mating and hatch every egg until fall.

Good Luck

Thank you! Your input is very helpful! I am new to chickens, BLRW and breeding. I wanted to get my hands on some of foley’s birds but haven’t had much luck. I also tried to buy his online book but couldn’t get the purchase to go through and when I emailed him about it he never responded
I fell in love with BLRW when I started researching chickens a few years ago knew that I wanted to have these birds!

 

[dlamb82]

I like the cock. Type looks good and comb doesn't appear to have sprigs. He's got brass in saddle feathers but the hackle is close to correct. Foley said the hackle is key to base color throughout in offspring.

The hens need help with lacing. You'll need numbers to hand pick improvement on that. I wonder if using a black next generation would help. I've no info or experience trying that. The thought comes from the fact they naturally have wide lacing.

I'd not use the hen with overt shafting. From my limited experience with BLRW shafting is a big problem. That hen simply has too much to deem worth breeding. It will add numbers of offspring but likely to have the shafting issue so not usable. Just more mouths to feed.

The hen I'd use is lacking red in hackle. The good news is Foley states it's more important in cock, they impart more ground color to offspring than hens. Her type looks good, wonder about the tail tent, doesn't look pinched but could be wider. The red base color is even throughout. That's a good trait. It's a good red color, could be darker.

All in all it's a good start and think you've the potential to pull out some good birds to move forward. I'd lean to single mating and hatch every egg until fall.

Good Luck

Do you have experience with GLW as well? Care to share your input on my roo and hens I want to breed? I don’t have a lot of good photos of my hens so lll have to take some more, but this is what I have right now.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

An edited condensed version of Foley's e-book is free-
http://www.foleyswaterfowl.com/uploads/4/8/6/0/48608711/breedingblrw.pdfIt has more than enough information to get started in breeding this extremely challenging variety. By the time you exhaust what is being told there you'll have generations of hands on experience to guide you and the knowledge of your line of birds which will be different in ways to other lines.

Foley no longer works the BLRW. His remaining stock was sold to North Star Poultry years ago. They are not bashful about pricing. https://www.northstarpoultry.com/wyandottes-for-sale.html

Not to knock them at all but I believe much has been lost since Foley stopped working the line. Let's face it. This is not an easy variety to work, let alone attempt to maintain. I've just begun with this variety and already see the mountain to climb has a cloud covered top.

There was much work left to be done when Foley stopped and I fear the generations since have taken the line a step back. You'll hear many say they have Foley line and it is but the source is North Star. The dark red background is the indicator it ultimately was from Foley.

As to other varieties of Wyandotte I've not a clue. Your best source is the Standard of Perfection and pay attention to the details of body type. We can't lose type attempting to paint the barn too soon. It's that way with all fancy fowl and the reason solid colors are suggested to start with. I'm a sucker for the fancier varieties too. Any progress with them is slow due to all the added details that must be addressed, at least not forgotten to the point you lost the basis for painting the structure later.

My boy wanted his own birds. His criteria was they look awesome and be very rare. I've a penchant for Blue varieties so here we are. Will be selecting the breeders for the first round this Spring. The cockerel is chosen. That choice came down to side sprig culls then size. Brought it down to two and from there the choice is clear. I may have enough quality in pullets to make up a breeding quad. Likely it will be a trio though. I will be using a slightly underweight Splash pullet because her type is so right I can't pass on her. Weather it's due to being splash or not she also does not express any shafting at all and has the deepest ground color in the flock.

The comb and light color shafting of feather are in my mind the things to cull hard for. Then type, then size. What's left reduced to best red, even coloration and no brass in hackles. That's the plan anyway.

We'll have to compare notes once they all start growing out. Basically we are in the same boat, first year and attempting to get a handle on this variety.

Cheers

 

[redrooster99]

What does everyone think? They seem to be going through a little bit of a molt. A year and a half old. Biggest birds I ever owned. I love them, this is definitely a new favorite. Have big plans for these three. Any opinions?

 

[redrooster99]

What does everyone think? They seem to be going through a little bit of a molt. A year and a half old. Biggest birds I ever owned. I love them, this is definitely a new favorite. Have big plans for these three. Any opinions?View attachment 2018753View attachment 2018754View attachment 2018755View attachment 2018756View attachment 2018757View attachment 2018758

If my hens still have bunny tails after this molt. Should I not breed them? The cocks tail looks great to me so wouldn’t that contribute to the future pullets?

 

[mixedUPturk]

What does everyone think? They seem to be going through a little bit of a molt. A year and a half old. Biggest birds I ever owned. I love them, this is definitely a new favorite. Have big plans for these three. Any opinions?View attachment 2018753View attachment 2018754View attachment 2018755View attachment 2018756View attachment 2018757View attachment 2018758

I think we have the same wedding band

Nothing real useful to say though

Mr @Egghead_Jr ( ) is too modest, although hes just begun in this breed, he has been breeding and showing for twice as long as i even considered doing it.

 

[redrooster99]

I think we have the same wedding band

View attachment 2018785

Nothing real useful to say though

Mrs @Egghead_Jr ( ) is too modest, although shes just begun in this breed, she has been breeding and showing for twice as long as i even considered doing it.

That’s neat I just hope these birds are a good starting point.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I'm not sure what to say being mistaken as a woman....it's the first time that's happened.

@redrooster99 I think it's a good start. Sure I could nitpick areas that need work, one being the comb. But all in all those seem to be good stock and a good start. As I mentioned on other thread I'd like to see the pullets tails once they've grown in. Out of curiosity. It's the stock you have to work with so you're using them regardless if they do indeed have bunny tails. It's certainly something to keep an eye on in the future. Wide tent tail is the goal for the US standard. For the key factors of color, they have even red color throughout. I don't see light color on shaft of feather and all seem to have red in hackle.

They say this variety takes time to fully reveal itself. Some wont show until after first molt. Long time breeders shouldn't be settled on for two years and so forth. Just a slow to mature and complete form bird. I read somewhere, could be Foley, mossyness can be result of weather when growing out feathers. The pattern can change after molt. NOt that your birds have mossy pattern, just saying how this variety is going to take patients and not culling with an axe as the best breeder could reveal next molt and not be the one you originally settled on.

Faults on my birds are the comb. Seems some lines have a propensity of side sprigs. I wonder if it's Wyandotte as a breed or just this variety. Culled for the shafting but still some expression. Culled for brass hackles. Culled for uneven red color throughout. Obviously body type was high on list but didn't take any birds out, waiting for them to grow over a year for that. Not breeding them just holding a few potentials back to see if things change.

 

[mixedUPturk]

I'm not sure what to say being mistaken as a woman....it's the first time that's happened.

@redrooster99 I think it's a good start. Sure I could nitpick areas that need work, one being the comb. But all in all those seem to be good stock and a good start. As I mentioned on other thread I'd like to see the pullets tails once they've grown in. Out of curiosity. It's the stock you have to work with so you're using them regardless if they do indeed have bunny tails. It's certainly something to keep an eye on in the future. Wide tent tail is the goal for the US standard. For the key factors of color, they have even red color throughout. I don't see light color on shaft of feather and all seem to have red in hackle.

They say this variety takes time to fully reveal itself. Some wont show until after first molt. Long time breeders shouldn't be settled on for two years and so forth. Just a slow to mature and complete form bird. I read somewhere, could be Foley, mossyness can be result of weather when growing out feathers. The pattern can change after molt. NOt that your birds have mossy pattern, just saying how this variety is going to take patients and not culling with an axe as the best breeder could reveal next molt and not be the one you originally settled on.

Faults on my birds are the comb. Seems some lines have a propensity of side sprigs. I wonder if it's Wyandotte as a breed or just this variety. Culled for the shafting but still some expression. Culled for brass hackles. Culled for uneven red color throughout. Obviously body type was high on list but didn't take any birds out, waiting for them to grow over a year for that. Not breeding them just holding a few potentials back to see if things change.

im so sorry! Thats what i get for tryn to be respectful