I definitely dont want to lose the proper coloring, for sure. I'll work with high tail and find a nice lower tailed female to balance him out. I would like to take some nicely colored birds to show next year.
Duchess may serve that purpose but her hackle coloring is dark and sparse.
ah Duchess ,be very carfull with this hen ,she is Duke s line .so she may be a carrier of split hackle marking .
I will test her with Dark Angel and High Tail {name him Vortex }.both of there copper is uniform . and see what progeny look like .2 type to select from .
NEVER mate her to Duke s or any cockerel with split hackle marking .
chooks man