I totally agree that there are often several paths to reach the same destination. In my situation, I'm taking my route for a couple of reasons. First off, I have either been lucky, or blessed, that the stock that I'm currently working with is actually very good, and achieving birds that conform to the standard is very realistic, in a very reasonable time frame. I started out with junk from supposedly reputable breeders, then eventually found the stock that I was looking for. I'm only going into my 3rd generation, but my birds are huge, and have at least my interpretation of body type representative of the breed. I have very minor, easily fixable color issues, but not many other problems that it seems that many others seem to have. I don't have any "mossyness", or any of those overly red birds, no side sprigs, fused toes, Wheaten mutts, or other major issues. The shank feathering on my birds is pretty much already "dialed in". I had 20 hens or so last fall, and have culled down to 9 that have the type that I'm looking for and lay at least consistant 6's for eggs. My plan is not to "throw egg color out the window", as others have alluded to, but to "walk the fence" in regard to egg color and overall type of the birds. Last fall and early summer I hatched out about 125 chicks from the darkest eggs that my hens would lay, and now I have culled down by type, to around 30 hens that are about 3-4 months old. I have added them to my other 9 adult hens. They should all be laying by springtime, and I will thin them out further based on overall type at maturity and egg color. I also recently hatched out 35 of my first 3rd generation chicks about a week ago. I will have a decent pool to sort through by mid summer. I have the pens and space to double my numbers if I have to, but think I'll be ok as is. I may have to dedicate additional space to develop nothing but roosters.
I enjoy exhibiting poultry, and as much as I enjoy the atmosphere, chatter, and the friends, I'm there to win. My goal is to have high quality representativesof the breed variety that will compete at any level of competition. It will be a very unique opportunity to participitate in showing these birds at such an early stage of their exhibition eligability. I believe that it's entirely possible to produce exhibition quality BCM's and still maintain "reasonable" egg color along the way. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it, lol. As others have previously mentioned, it is very possible that both "camps" in regard to their methods in refining these fantastic birds, may someday merge birds from both endeavours, to better the breed overall down the road.