How to get the white out of red earlobes?

[shelleyd2008]

Title says it all

 

[NYREDS]

Don't breed from birds that have white in their ear lobes.

 

[shelleyd2008]

That doesn't help, seems like most of the ones I have have white in their earlobes.

 

[GotGame]

that is by far the easiest way...what are you wanting to breed that has white in the earlobes? It also depends on if it is enamel white or the pale blue that hens can and do get in their lobes when they are breeding...

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
These are serama though I've got a few OEGB hens that have good type except for white in the earlobes. This is not blue (though 1 or 2 of the OEGB do have the pale blue), it is white.

ETA: The only 'help' I got from serama breeders is to cull the ones with white in the earlobes. If I did that I wouldn't have any left

 

[GotGame]

sadly, that is by far the best advice. But, serama are not even recogized, and if you dont have to show your birds, and have them for enjoyment as is the case with my wife, then just keep them and breed them, and see if you can breed away from it. It is a very hard trait to breed out. The white in the earlobes of OEGB however is not good, some varieties that have a lot of white seem to show white in the earlobes fairly often, but if you are serious about breeding birds and you do not want the white earlobes, show quality in other words, you cannot breed from birds with white earlobes....sorry

 

[GotGame]

white earlobes is actually a desirable trait in malaysia, so I personally dont care for an assoc. that considers that a disqualification...the white earlobes in seramas to us is not a big deal but we also do not plan on showing them...if you breed for the best type and smallest size you can there should always be a good market for them...

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Actually, serama are recognized as of the DELMARVA show...at least the whites are

 

[GotGame]

that is awesome

. But what I dont care for is how much the ABA is changing them using the standard. One of the great things about the seramas (at least in mine and several other peoples opinions) is how they CAN be any color, and making them have to meet a color standard and calling for red earlobes is changing the breed from what it is meant to be. Just my feelings on it, and worth what they cost ya lol...

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Unfortunately that's not the fault of the ABA, it's the serama councils. But the ABA and the APA state that the breeds must have color standards in order to be accepted.