my understanding that in MOST breeds you should select against slow feathering. patterned breeds is different. my slw and blrw and GSBR are very very slow feathering and that is a great thing.
It was explained to me on the Barred Holland thread that the slow feathering + the Columbian gene + the Barr gene = clear clean barring. The Barred gene alone gives you the Cuckoo appearance. It is also useful if you want to be able to sex your roosters before they crow.
If you think you are ever going to breed barred Lavenders then it would seem like a keeping it would be good. But if you are sticking to solids you don't have to have it.
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