French frogs

[scflock]

I think he'll throw some dark blues... might be some lights, but I am betting on the darks... splash is double blue, so I see the splash 'marks' as holes to the base color... his markings are really dark, so I would bet on him passing that more than a lighter color...
But the only way to see for sure is test mate him and see what comes out... you can see the difference even in chick down from light blues and dark blues, so for that you don't have to wait til they grow out fully...

Not what I expected, but exactly what I wanted to hear
He is by far the best of the three, so if he throws dark blue I will be fine if he is the only rooster in that pen. I will just have to mate to the black to get more blacks.
The pen is 12×24, and the coop is 12x8, so I'm not sure yet. I think there would be a better chance if I had more hens, but right now there are only 8

 

[Ravynscroft]

Both bery pretty, but from just the one photo of Ted, I like his back better.  He looks more balanced, too.

I agree...

@WVduckchick I totally missed your comment on the combs... not only do I agree with Walnut, but you are better off going with the more uniform comb than the larger... once you breed wonky combs, they are a big pain to breed back out... also, sometimes size of combs relates to the dominance within the group... usually the more dominates comb and wattles will grow bigger, quicker... if he is removed, then Ted's may just fill out more...

 

[Ravynscroft]

Not what I expected, but exactly what I wanted to hear
He is by far the best of the three, so if he throws dark blue I will be fine if he is the only rooster in that pen. I will just have to mate to the black to get more blacks.
The pen is 12×24, and the coop is 12x8, so I'm not sure yet. I think there would be a better chance if I had more hens, but right now there are only 8

8 isn't bad... you are looking at this from a breeders POV, not a backyarders... you want to have a slightly lower boy/girl ratio to ensure proper fertility... having obstacles or jungle gym type stuff will help ward off overmating... I'd like to see you with bigger runs though... hmm... can you draw up a floor plan of your coops and runs? And any space you might have around or behind them? I'd like to know what you have to work with and that gives me a clearer idea than straight pics...

 

[scflock]

8 isn't bad... you are looking at this from a breeders POV, not a backyarders... you want to have a slightly lower boy/girl ratio to ensure proper fertility... having obstacles or jungle gym type stuff will help ward off overmating... I'd like to see you with bigger runs though... hmm... can you draw up a floor plan of your coops and runs? And any space you might have around or behind them? I'd like to know what you have to work with and that gives me a clearer idea than straight pics...

Bigger runs?
That's just not a possibility right now. I have kind of built myself into a corner, which wasn't the original plan. I may start phasing out some of my older flocks to free up a few pens, but I'm a few years out from building a more breeder friendly setup. Eventually I will go to a row of pens that will be easier on maintenance and open up room for much larger runs, but that's going to require a total tear down and rebuild. What I can do in the meantime is rotate the extra rooster in and out of my oldest flock that has a bunch of Easter eggers. That way I can breed the two roosters to see what they throw, and improve my EEs offspring at the same time

 

[Ravynscroft]

Bigger runs?
That's just not a possibility right now. I have kind of built myself into a corner, which wasn't the original plan. I may start phasing out some of my older flocks to free up a few pens, but I'm a few years out from building a more breeder friendly setup. Eventually I will go to a row of pens that will be easier on maintenance and open up room for much larger runs, but that's going to require a total tear down and rebuild. What I can do in the meantime is rotate the extra rooster in and out of my oldest flock that has a bunch of Easter eggers. That way I can breed the two roosters to see what they throw, and improve my EEs offspring at the same time

I know you can't make them bigger...

I was thinking if you have pens to the outside at all, you could make a single, large add on run with access points for those pens... rotate who gets the access... any possibility of that?

 

[scflock]

I know you can't make them bigger...

I was thinking if you have pens to the outside at all, you could make a single, large add on run with access points for those pens... rotate who gets the access... any possibility of that?

That's the problem. I started my original coop in the center of the back yard, then added six more pens around that. I have almost built myself into a circle, with all of the runs facing each other. Within the next few years I am going to rebuild in a single line down the edge of the property, giving me room to triple the size of my runs

 

[Ravynscroft]

That's the problem. I started my original coop in the center of the back yard, then added six more pens around that. I have almost built myself into a circle, with all of the runs facing each other. Within the next few years I am going to rebuild in a single line down the edge of the property, giving me room to triple the size of my runs

I actually did similar, but insisted on bigger runs from the start, lol... drove my OH crazy when he kept trying to set posts... he didn't see why I wanted to go so big, but now he admitted my foresight was better than his...

I still would like to see your floorplan... there might be something you don't see...

 

[scflock]

I actually did similar, but insisted on bigger runs from the start, lol... drove my OH crazy when he kept trying to set posts... he didn't see why I wanted to go so big, but now he admitted my foresight was better than his...

I still would like to see your floorplan... there might be something you don't see...

dadgum mobile...
Oh, I could add on, but I'm not building any more until I do it right. I started with 4 pullets from the feed store. 130 chickens was not the plan . I have plenty of room, but that's not how I want to continue. There will be a total overhaul soon

 

[Ravynscroft]

dadgum mobile...
Oh, I could add on, but I'm not building any more until I do it right. I started with 4 pullets from the feed store. 130 chickens was not the plan . I have plenty of room, but that's not how I want to continue. There will be a total overhaul soon

Sounds good... just didn't want you to get rid of any you would regret later... I did that... it sucks... :/

 

[willzpapa]

OH ????