Here's some pics of my german/american NH chicks (Jwhip's hatching eggs) at 3 weeks (at the bottom). The cockerels are already becoming evident! These birds are beefy and very active/curious. I have not handled them much, but when I walk to the grow out pen door they come up to see what's going on (-; Once they are held, they are real calm too. Thus far, I am liking this cross. I have noticed most of mine have nice open tails..there are a few that will have narrower/pinched tails it looks like already...time will tell. Hard to tell from these pics, but these chicks seem very large for their age too. I will try to get better closeups this weekend...showing their tails from better angles etc.
Great looking cockbird....looking at him I have a question. I've kept 2 cockerels, soon to be cock birds in my LF Columbian Rocks. One has a longer "hanger" type tail similar to the one you have here. The other has no long flowing tail feathers that "hang down". Here are two not so great pictures. As I look thru pictures of LF Rocks in the SOP, it appears that the long flowing tail feathers are NOT what we are looking for....but it seems at shows I've been to, that's what the judges like. So....what is the "correct" tail? I welcome any and all advise as I need to cull out one of these birds to make room for the chicks I have growing out. Thanks much
Cockerel without long flowing tail above
Cockerel WITH long flowing tail above (sorry the pix is not great, he wouldnt stand still)
Cindy,
I have Buff Orp babies in the brooder who are going through the same stage. All you can really judge at this age is balance, and depth, and sometimes they will fool you !
That bird is my choice also, the tail feathering has been an area I can't get a good grip on. I personally prefer the tail on the first bird....I appears much better balanced
That bird is my choice also, the tail feathering has been an area I can't get a good grip on. I personally prefer the tail on the first bird....I appears much better balanced
Balance in ANY critter is the key to longevity. That top K has it, with the depth of body for good production.The fancy tail on the second boy does not make up for his lack of depth and balance. I'd love to see some more photos of these two boys, as it is very hard to judge from just one per bird.
Scott, I like to see a flowing tail, rather than just seeing a stubby little tail on these Rock cock birds. However, the GSBR birds seem to be notorious for having tail angles below the 15-20 degrees that I personally would like to see.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I will deal with this. I'm so sick of hatchery grade stuff and poorly bred stuff having 45 degree tails. I am hoping that picking that tail up a few degrees won't be that big of a deal.
As you can see, one of the pullets holds her tail a bit higher than everyone else. I like that. I'm expecting her to pass that off to the offspring we're hatching right now. If we can just get 40 chicks hatched? We'll grow them out and go from there next year on the breeding selections. Hope that makes sense.
Perhaps pairing the 2nd cockerel--with the tail--with a particularly well breasted female?? A bit of compensation.
Then using your first cockerel with other strong and like bodied females?
Cindy,
I have Buff Orp babies in the brooder who are going through the same stage. All you can really judge at this age is balance, and depth, and sometimes they will fool you !
Vickie...I will keep that in mind...with this hatch I will be looking at those points coupled with choosing ones with most open tails...as there are some pinched looking ones coming from the female breeder line...the German male parent should hopefully have improved that aspect on some of the pullet chicks especially.
For fun I took this photo tonight with my iphone....naming it "THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT" LOL
