Chicken Breed Focus - Erminette

[sumi]

The name Erminette is given to both a color and a breed in progress in the United States. The Erminette color is a very attractive white with, ideally, even black spotting, it is not a true breeding color, crossing two Erminette colored birds also giving white and black birds.

Birds of this color, but various types and breeds (clean and feather legged, different combs, body style etc) were shown starting in the 1870s in the United States, first apparently by John H. Sutliffe of Bristol, Connecticut later followed by a number of other breeders. There was never a set type for the bird, but geneticist Mr F.B. Hutt and breeder Mr. Burr starting around the 1940’s studying the genetics of the Erminette pattern developed a line of single combed birds of Plymouth Rock body type, that eventually became the generally accepted type by default.

The breed was considered extinct by the SPPA in the 1980’s, but as luck would have it, in the 1990’s Ron Nelson came across a flock in Wisconsin from which he obtained hatching eggs. He worked on improving the breed, but his untimely death lead to his flocks being dispersed and the remaining Erminette flock was crossed with other breeds. Glenn Drowns of Sand Hill Preservation Center eventually obtained some of these birds and, along with a number of other breeders is currently attempting to bring back the Erminette as a breed. Besides the original black spotted white birds, they are also working on a red spotted line, and blue spotted also exist.

The Erminettes as obtained from Sand Hill, are fairly large birds of Rock type, some are featherlegged, the coloring is quite varied. The hens are good layers of 180 plus large light brown eggs a year. They are broody and will set. They are quite winter hardy and good foragers. They have nice temperaments and get along with other large breeds.

BurrOakHill has written a wonderful account of the history and current status of the Erminette:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1052718/erminette/0_20

Details:

Breed purpose: Eggs, Meat
Comb Type: Usually single
Broodiness: Average
Climate Tolerance: Cold hardy.
Weight: varies, generally a large sized bird
Egg Productivity: Good, 180 plus a year
Egg Size: Large
Egg Color: Light Brown

All pics by @Kelsie2290




Cockerels



Few spot pullets

Red cockerel



BYC Breed Discussions:

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1052718/erminette/0_20
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ween-erminette-breed-and-erminette-color/0_20
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1070338/erminette-breed/0_20


Do you own Erminettes? Are you an Erminette breeder? If so, please reply to this thread with the your thoughts and experiences, including:

· What made you decide to get this breed?
· Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?
· What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?
· Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!

We have a bunch of other awesome breed-focus threads for you to enjoy. You can see all of them here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-project.975504/

 

[BPelton]

Evening my name is Becky and I breed a Erminette colored Ameraucana. They are project AMs but I truly love there color & personalitys. My first Erminette was a genetic flaw in my Ameraucana's. And I just said she was a Dalmatian Chicken. Her name was Peppermint. Since then I have specific breed for the Erm color pattern. I have been told by many people what I have done can not be done. But I am happy to tell you it can me done and I have a very small flock of these birds. I am very excited to say I have been invited to my very first Chicken Show ! ! I don't think I will win anything but I can't wait to see peoples faces light up when they see my BEAUTIFUL BABIES.
I can not add any photos. So here is the address to my farm page.

https://www.facebook.com/Dusty-Bugs-Poultry-641094419352537/

 

[guest21]

Not sure if these guys are the same. I hatched them from eggs someone gave me

 

[Castle Farm]

I live on the Welsh Borders in the UK and have been breeding 'Paints' for a number of years.
These were bred from Australorp X Cornish Game (UK) originally. The birds are good layers and hold meat very well. The Black male in the pen is a Welsh Black Fowl a breed I developed over the last 10 years.

 

[Amer]

I think the Erminette gene is still a little mysterious and is supposedly it's own gene not piebald or paint.

Nope. It's caused by dominant white, same as paint. That's why they are so hard to breed. If you breed two together you get 50 percent Erminette, 25 percent black, and 25 percent white.

 

[BurrOakHill]

For those wishing to learn more about the Erminette please check out the breed website at www.theamericanerminette.weebly.com and my personal website showing more pictures of the Erminette at www.heritage-alive.weebly.com

 

[SulkyBantam]

I love these breed focuses... but they never focus on MY breeds

 

[Amer]

I've always been fascinated by the Erminettes because my father knew Ron Nelson before he ever had chickens of any kind besides broilers. It's a shame I never got to meet Ron.

 

[sjango]

Nope. It's caused by dominant white, same as paint. That's why they are so hard to breed. If you breed two together you get 50 percent Erminette, 25 percent black, and 25 percent white.

Ahh, thank you! I was trying to remember something I read years ago.

 

[Jan Croot]

Wyoming: Cabin on the Pond has a growing flock, with foundation birds from both Matt Solomen of Smokey Butte Ranch in Salina Kansas, and Glenn Drowns at Sand Hill Preservation Center in Calamus Iowa, the two largest breeders. My focus is on Black Roosters, White and deeply black spotted hens. Both Matt and Glenn run seperate red/gold spotted lines, but I don't have the space, so any showing those colors are moved on to other homes.

Erminette come in Black, White, and spotted. For maximum spotted chicks, one breeds a black to a white. You really do need to keep a black rooster around to keep the line functional. For other outcomes, the breeding works like this: with B - black, W - White, and E - the spotted ones.

E + E = W B E E

E + W = W W E E

E + B = B B E E

B +W = E E E E!!!!! This is the one you want if you are selling spotted chicks.

W + W = W W W W

B + B = B B B B