There seems to be problems with GFF's new line of Isbars. Pea combs, tan eggs, red hackles, really strange body colors.... more than 1 or 2 people, on BYC, have expressed concerns regarding Greenfire Farms integrity. Their new line has looked 'different' to me ever since I saw the first pic of the new Isbar imports on GFFs website. I've talked privately about that with other BYC buds. I won't share my thoughts here regarding what I think has happened. (you're welcome. ha!)
Yes the first import had the tiny gene pool (maybe not as tiny as GFF claimed), but I think someone, somewhere has fiddled with 'enriching' that pool with something that was not Isbar with the new line. I'm not trying to offend anyone, but I believe that with all my heart. Anyone else notice that since the aforementioned issues have arisen, GFF has dropped their Isbar price from $99 to $29? ...and Isbars are now packing peanuts?!? Something's up IMO.
The suggestion that red hackles might be ok... WHAT?? No, Gimme Birds, you're right that red hackles are wrong.
I have 3 lines of Isbars that are as diverse as I could pull off, considering what we all had to work with from the original imports. At first I had some of the same hatching problems others had a couple of years ago. The diversity I've worked so hard to obtain has paid off with good, solid hatches. My birds are still a work in progress, but there has been good progress.