Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[U_Stormcrow]

I'd be happy to be wrong, in that it should be that much easier to get to my desired end state, just never saw an internet picture showing an SLW hen with combs as short as those on mine. Is it normal for them to start laying before their combs swell? I expected, from text descriptions and close up pictures at sites like this the comb to be much smaller than the male's, but not so close to my Brahma as what I'm seeing.

Would also be happy to be wrong in that it means I've learned something new.

Happy Holidays to you both, @RoostersAreAwesome and @Egghead_Jr

 

[NatJ]

never saw an internet picture showing an SLW hen with combs as short as those on mine.

https://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Wyand/BRKWyand.html
Lots of photos of Wyandottes here--some of the pullets and hens have quite small combs, some have larger ones.

I agree with the other posters--your Wyandotte has a rose comb, not a pea comb.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I am WRONG! Thank you for the additional photos, and Happy Holidays to all, this is a nice present.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I'm still learning, freely admit. Do hen's "rose" combs look like three rows of dots, like the pea comb of my dark brahma, with only the center row in any way "pronounced" at less than 1/8" in height? The male in the hatchery picture is what I expect of a "rose comb", loosely, a walnut with points.

I'd be happy to be wrong, in that it should be that much easier to get to my desired end state, just never saw an internet picture showing an SLW hen with combs as short as those on mine. Is it normal for them to start laying before their combs swell? I expected, from text descriptions and close up pictures at sites like this the comb to be much smaller than the male's, but not so close to my Brahma as what I'm seeing.

Would also be happy to be wrong in that it means I've learned something new.

Happy Holidays to you both, @RoostersAreAwesome and @Egghead_Jr

Rose combs can vary a lot. Some wyandottes will keep the flat looking comb even after point of lay. The picture in that link looks like two hens with small single combs, though I could be wrong, it’s hard to tell.
Here are a few pictures of birds with rose combs I’ve collected over the years.
My sebright hen from tractor supply with the more “typical” rose comb shape.

Hatchery quality wyandotte hen.

Sebright hen, pictures taken at a small scale poultry show.

Rosecomb bantam hen, picture taken at a different show.

Partridge wyandotte bantam hen, pictures taken at the same show as the above rosecomb bantam.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

^^^ those are all typical of what I was looking for and expected. TY for sharing them.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Week 2 Update [Posted Late, due to Holidays]


P1 - 01
Things One thru Four are doing well. Original weights, respectively (Ounces)
1.4 / 1.4 / 2.3 / 1.3

Current Weights, respectively (Ounces) - recorded above, but haven't organized my thoughts
5.6 / 5.7 / 11.4 / 6.1

Photos to follow, but Things Three and Four are early winners for weight gain, and are radically different in appearance. Three is Buff, reminds me a lot of the Cornish X chicks I bought last April, except for a few randomly placed black smudges on feathers. Real curious about adult plumage already. Clean yellow shanks.

Thing Four is "Blue/Black" without obvious banding or marking, looks like the undertones are some brown in some light. Black wings, tail, back, with a blue fluff to the chest and shanks. Clean legs, not as beefy, and slate-y. E+ gene?

Both birds were born with a few tail feathers, not just fluff.

Things One and Two both have smudges on the crown of the head, more distinct on Two, extending a bit around the skull, and had stripes on the wings at birth. Barring becoming more pronounced as they grow. Just developing tail feathers.

No effort made to sex any of them.


P1 - 02

Of the 12 eggs [unknown mothers] being incubated, 3 have been removed as infertile/failure to develop. The flock thanks me for their sacrifice. Remaining 9 have well developed air sacks at the broad end of their eggs, and seem to fill the rest of their shell with darkness. Sadly, the strength of my candling light (cell phone) does not allow me to discern movement, and I can only see shell veining on the very lightest of the eggs.

One of the removed infertiles was believed to be from an SLW hen, the other two are believed to be from "Rainbows". Remaining in the incubator are eggs believed to be from matings with Comets, Rainbows, Brahma with a possible CornishX. REALLY need to finish the new run and house to better partition the flocks.

Hatchings expected around 12/31

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thing One, age 2 1/2 weeks.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thing Two

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thing Three

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thing Four