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Well Don, it's getting to where I'm afraid to check this thread anymore because I keep finding new things to look for in my birds.
So now I'm looking at pics close up to check the feather color.
Here's one of my original roos - too much red in breast and had not had his first molt. I see what looks like an infamous white fluff feather near tail which I presume is his but after I first read about that I checked this guy, who is now a couple of years older and he had no white down or undercoat - so is it possibly a thing they only have when younger? It's also possible it's a flash/light reflection but I know how you feel about that explanation.
In any event, here's a close up of his hackle and saddle feathers. I don't see the black stripe down the middle on him like I do on many of my others. But I am wondering where all this is going. I mean, at this rate, will any bird ever be "good enough" (for the Show crowd) and I mean that in a nice, non-confrontational way but as a serious question. I think all of this is starting to scare the majority of people away from raising Marans because, as you said, it is enough to get "lost" in.
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/jamesroo1.jpg
To be perfectly honest with you the proposed standard says nothing about having the black stripe or not having a stripe. Before it is over this proposed standard is going to be the downfall of showing the Marans. I brought this up before to the MCCusa and was told changes would be possibly be made after acceptance, we all know this usually does not happen because the APA very seldom changes the approved Standard.
All of these things should be listed in the Standard and then we would have something to breed to in future generations. I believe some of these faults were left out of the proposed standard on purpose.
Sometimes I find myself wondering if it is worth all the headache. Because we are really at the mercy of the promoting club and if they do not do what is right we will be the ones to pay in the long run.
Well Don, it's getting to where I'm afraid to check this thread anymore because I keep finding new things to look for in my birds.
Here's one of my original roos - too much red in breast and had not had his first molt. I see what looks like an infamous white fluff feather near tail which I presume is his but after I first read about that I checked this guy, who is now a couple of years older and he had no white down or undercoat - so is it possibly a thing they only have when younger? It's also possible it's a flash/light reflection but I know how you feel about that explanation.
In any event, here's a close up of his hackle and saddle feathers. I don't see the black stripe down the middle on him like I do on many of my others. But I am wondering where all this is going. I mean, at this rate, will any bird ever be "good enough" (for the Show crowd) and I mean that in a nice, non-confrontational way but as a serious question. I think all of this is starting to scare the majority of people away from raising Marans because, as you said, it is enough to get "lost" in.
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x204/chicklady/jamesroo1.jpg
To be perfectly honest with you the proposed standard says nothing about having the black stripe or not having a stripe. Before it is over this proposed standard is going to be the downfall of showing the Marans. I brought this up before to the MCCusa and was told changes would be possibly be made after acceptance, we all know this usually does not happen because the APA very seldom changes the approved Standard.
All of these things should be listed in the Standard and then we would have something to breed to in future generations. I believe some of these faults were left out of the proposed standard on purpose.
Sometimes I find myself wondering if it is worth all the headache. Because we are really at the mercy of the promoting club and if they do not do what is right we will be the ones to pay in the long run.
