Cayuga hen's feathers turning white

[UrbanRunner]

Our cayuga hen's feathers are turning white in patches. She always had one small spot of white but this has changed dramatically in the last month or so. She is about a year and a half old. She has also stopped laying eggs.

Is the feather color change normal?

 

[CityChicker]

Yes, completely normal. They will sometimes eventually turn almost solid white.

 

[UrbanRunner]

Thanks. Wow, that would be a big change seeing her all white.

I just found this too, "The plumage of the Cayuga is uniformly greenish black and may become mottled with white as they mature." on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy website.

 

[KansasKid]

Now that just doesn't make since to me. Since it is completely normal for them to start to have white on them why is it a disqualification in shows? you would think they would allow a little white

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
I think that if you read more closely it is a appearance points deduction not a disqualification. I have seen birds (ducks) win reserve of breed (2nd) usually to a all black drake, if they were DQ'ed that would never happen. Most Show people leave their whiteish hens home because they won't win but they do produce drakes and young hens with the best green shene (sp) it is the way things go in the poultry show world!

 

[KansasKid]

Quote:
When i showed my cayuga year before last and looked at the APA book it stated that for exhibition, presence of white color in the outer plumage is a disqualification.
I was told not to pen show him and just do showmanship and when i did the judge pointed out the white and told me the same thing the book said. But seeing as it was showmanship and that the only other person showing was a first year with a weird colored RouenX we somehow still received Grand Champion.