Breeding Buff Leghorns

[danhonour]

http://www.sachsenhuhn.de/index.php/strahlend-schoen.html

This is a web page showing a rich deep Buff color.It is in the Buff Saxony fowl of Germany.(Gelbe Sachsenhuhn)I came across this breed on the internet about 4 years ago and I am very impressed with the Buff color.I have also found the Germans to be very good on colorbreeding based on the quality of the birds they show.The feather width is very good. This web page is not in English,but still well worth looking over,the buffs can be found in several places,so check everywhere. Dan Honour

 

[ghulst]

Hi Dan, my conputer translates all german sites to english. Put google tranlate on and you can read it in broken English. It is a nice site. I thought that I had been on all German sites. I never was on it.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote:
Using Google translate:

German to English translation
Yellow Saxony
Radiant, Sachsen Sachsen-dwarf chickens and chickens present allowance of Günther Reiner - the successful idealist shows his animals in recent years almost all major shows and thus helps to promote this color. Radiant Saxony, Saxony chicken chicken and dwarf present-monetary Günther Reiner - the idealistic successful shows in recent years his animals almost all major shows and advertising Thus with this color in the. If you prefer a simple and robust breed with fine lines, is among the Saxons chicken just right - and who still loves soft shades - are well, then there is no stopping them: yellow Saxony! Who simple and robust breed with fine lines, wherein the one that is among the Saxons chicken just right - and who still loves delicate shades then - then there is no stopping tja: yellow Saxony!

 

[seabass327]

http://s1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff508/seabass327/Buff Leghorns/

Above is a link to a photobucket album of some buff leghorns I recently purchased from Paul Hardy. Unfortunately I hadn't been planning on getting adult birds just yet, and won't finish a bigger pen until next weekend. They weren't all that comfortable with me sitting in the pen (4x9 ft or so), so I wasn't able to get very good pictures. Some pics may look like one or two has a wry tail or knock knees, they do not. They aren't that comfortable with me yet and just didn't want to pose.

I would have liked a deeper buff, but am still happy with what I have. I've been following this thread for a while, and would appreciate any and all comments. I realize the birds have faults, and I think I could learn a good deal from an objective critique of them. So if anyone has the time I have an open mind on type, color, and housing.

thanks in advance
Rich Lehnert
[email protected]

 

[7961]

Quote:
I am not the most familiar with buff color breeding but they look pretty decent color and type IMO. Definitely better then the leghorns you usually see and something that would be a very nice start to work with. Congrats on the purchase and good luck with them!

 

[danhonour]

Hi Richard. In regard to these Buffs.I know the line and can say they will be good birds to work with. Paul knows Leghorn type and has selected for better type and feathering,he was also strict on combs and it shows,they all seem to have very good combs,earlobes and eye color.They could be a bit bigger and selection pressure(culling) in future generations will help,just give preference to larger birds (bigger shanks) as breeders. I would say these birds are too light of a shade of buff,so gradually work towards a darker shade in your selections.It will be very slow process unless you can locate some darker birds. You can breed from light birds,but if you mate extreme shades ,the f1 can be very patchy and have both light and dark feathers.I see a slight amount of white in some tails,here again they can be used,just try not to have it on both sides of a mating.Try to have one mate of solid tail color. Give these birds time to settle into the new quarters.Even though I have pointed out faults,overall they are well worth working with for they have merit too.

 

[ArieBLB]

Quote:
Hi, I fully agree with Dan about the color. It looks more Lemon. I recommend keeping a close eye to the color, so you will not lose it. These animals are light in color and you see in the tails that very light colored tips coming. It would not surprise me that the down is white in color. I like their type. I can not see how big they are on the picture. I like the combs and white earlobes. I think you have very nice birds to work with. Try to breed these animals in a color that you'd like to see. B.t.w. You have to look at these animals for most of the time. I would recommend them to breed a little darker, more middle Buff color. But if it can hold even color. Thanks for showing us the pictures. Very nice birds.
Greetings Arie

 

[seabass327]

Thank you all. Day by day they come out a little more, hopefully putting them into a bigger pen this weekend won't set them back much. Now they just have to start laying again.

I hope to work towards a darker color, but first I'll have to see what I get from these birds. Maybe in a year or two I can try to get some darker stock to mix in. I do believe Paul favored the lighter color, and may have culled darker birds. As Dan mentioned he also was very picky about head and comb shape. I remember him saying he thought a good head made the leghorn. I still have a lot to learn, and getting these birds should help.

Rich

 

[Birch Run Farm]

Am looking at the tail feathers on my females. How many are they supposed to have?

 

[danhonour]

The average bird has 7 tail feathers to a side,with males the top two big sickles are figured as main tail feathers.When the birds have multiple feathering (a gene or possably an acumulated RNA factor)the birds can have extra like 8 to a side ,9 to a side or more.Birds can have odd numbers like 15-8 on one side and 7 on the other.The big thing is that the feathers are wide and have texture or feather structure with shafts strong enough to support its shape.Narrow stringy feathers tend to be frail and delicate ,they brake and tear and just doo not ware well. The wide feather has shape and strength and is durable,plus being wider there is more surface area to allow more color pigmentation in the web.Wider feathers also fill in any gaps or space seperations and make fuller (overlapping) looking tails.Wide feathers lay flatter and present a smooth flowing outline.Narrows feathers lookfrayed and rough.You will not go wrong selecting extra tail feathers or wide feathers.