Breeding birds with pinched tails.... everywhere?

[WallTenters]

I always like to browse through the hatching eggs for sale section, and also look at lots of the breed threads, even in breeds that aren't my own. I love learning about other breeds of poultry and finding out who has what, just in case I run across someone looking for them at a show or swap.

Anywho, to the point of the story. Is it just me, or does it seem like there are so many birds pictured with rather pinched tails? From what I can tell this is only really acceptable with a small handful of breeds (I'm pretty sure modern games is one) so what gives? Is it something folks don't look at as closely, is it okay in more breeds than what I'm thinking of, or what?

Discuss away!

 

[TK Poultry]

I have a few pinched tails in my Ameraucana flock. Mostly my Brown Reds.

 

[Chris09]

The Pinched Tail is as much a problem as Tail Elevation in a lot of breeds. I know in Exhibition R.I. Reds I see a lot of birds with pinched and or poor tail angle, most of the hens I see have very little tail angle and some are with pinched tails.

Chris

 

[TK Poultry]

In my opinion just thinking about breeding it sounds and looks hard to breed out because how do you know if your rooster has a pinched tail because when I think pinch tail I think of hens not roosters.... just a thought. I mean not all of my stock has it and some carry their tails too low and the roosters too high go figure! lol

 

[WallTenters]

Well, but that's how you breed it out I would think - make sure both hens and the roosters don't have the pinched tails. We don't keep a cockerel/cock for breeding unless he has a nice wide tail, we just eat them

Some of the pullets that are starting to get their feathers in well enough to tell have less pinched tails than their mothers. Still not as nice of a V as we'd like, but about 1/3 way there anyway. We hope that next year we'll see some more consistency with this trait.