A great big HELLO to all.
Is there anyone out there that is working with the Golden Duckwing leghorn?
Anyone that may have any in your flock?
Any information or direction wether it be breeding suggestions or people to speak to; would be greatly appreciated.
This is basically what I'm shooting for although the third (3rd) pic I feel represents a more "stately" posture and presence as how it should be I feel with these birds. (could be a slightly more mature bird)... with of course more gold instead of cream.
(The top two are what's considered "partridge" coloring,but I included them to bring home the striking colors that can be achieved through selective breeding)
This particular color is bred CONSISTENTLY in the UK and Australia,and more importantly....they are breeding true.
I was surprised in my limited research so far, that while I believe that here in the U.S. there seem to be few breeders that are working with them;
in some countries abroad they are very strong in numbers.
I was turned on by this color scheme funny enough by my neighbor who has a large flock of free ranging chickens,and within this flock he has a few duckwing games that have interbred w/some bantams and a few leghorns as well,
and by chance,
and the law of averages,
(having a particular color of birds in his flock,mind you)
this color scheme was achieved on his yard on certain birds.
I asked myself would'nt it be great if there were leghorns that had that color and produces eggs out there?
I asked my neighbor about producing the same bird I had imagined ;he said just throw some games in with a few color-friendly leghorns and you'll get there eventually after a few gen's.
I don't want to go that way as I want to maintain the egg producing capabilities of the leghorn and work on the color through selection.
I have read that years ago,long time ago... in the UK the duckwing phoenix;old english games, were crossed with brown leghorns;black leghorns;silvers and some Dorkings thrown in there as well to produce a full bodied;and true duckwing colored leghorn that was a good layer ..true to leghorn standards.
This process I believe is too tedious;times wise;spacewise,and feedwise.
I will use a Silver Leghorn rooster on a Light Brown Hen and see where to go from there...
It's unbelievable what they are doing in the UK and Australia I believe they have about 20 different varieties of leghorn colors develped of which 3 are non-standard,but close to breeding true.
This will be a process so I'll keep you posted.
Last edited:
