Minorca thread!

[ChickensAreSweet]

OK here are pics from today. I don't think the turquoise tint to the earlobes is showing up in the photos.






Here is one of their pullets:











These are from McMurray hatchery, and you may see my one Buff Orpington cockerel in the photos as well. I have additional photos...will post them as time permits.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Here is a hackles-raising scene.






















In the 7th photo of the pullet, if you click to enlarge I believe you may see a bit of the turquoise tint. I am thrilled with these chickens.

 

[danhonour]

The white earlobe gene causes this tint,it is much more noticeable with dark or black skin (fibromelanine) like silkies.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

The white earlobe gene causes this tint,it is much more noticeable with dark or black skin (fibromelanine) like silkies.

Is this what is expected then of Minorca earlobes? In other words, is it only apparent in some Minorcas?

Thanks very much for the explanation.

 

[danhonour]

As the birds mature the earlobe gets bigger.wider and thicker and will look more solid white.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

As the birds mature the earlobe gets bigger.wider and thicker and will look more solid white.

Thank you!

You are most kind, sir.

 

[SanderB]

They don´t really look like a Minorca to me, but it´s a start.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

They don´t really look like a Minorca to me, but it´s a start.

Thank you for taking a look at the pics...I am hoping they start to fill in. The cockerels especially are very lanky and have shot straight up so quickly in growth of their frames. They have food available 24/7 and are growing larger seemingly daily. I think they will be big boys (they are larger in person than they seem in the pictures) after a couple of years.

As far as the type, do they look more like Leghorns to you?

What about the type are you referring to? Their lankiness?

 

[SanderB]

They look like a bit like an isa brown.

This is how a Minorca should look like in my eyes: Horizontal back, almost horizontal tail. Not to much down (the fluffy feathers), long legs, big comb that falls to one side, big white oval earlobes en big wattles. Dark brown eyes. A slender posture or build and from the shoulders to the back it should be like a triangle shape or V-shaped. The wings should not be longer that their rear end. Black beak and legs with white foot pads (and maybe white nails, I like the white nails, usually they also have the whitest foot pads)
Other characteristics: they should lay well, white eggs, and should be always busy foraging and never go broody. Mine are and they are also very tame.

So this hen/pullet needs a bit more earlobe, a lot more wattle and the comb should fall to one side (I think this is already the case, now she is older). And the legs could be a bit more longer. (She is a bantam, blue)
But her type is great in my eyes. However rear end could be a bit more deeper like the black hen in the picture below.




This is how they should look like:

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

They look like a bit like an isa brown.

This is how a Minorca should look like in my eyes: Horizontal back, almost horizontal tail. Not to much down (the fluffy feathers), long legs, big comb that falls to one side, big white oval earlobes en big wattles. Dark brown eyes. A slender posture or build and from the shoulders to the back it should be like a triangle shape or V-shaped. The wings should not be longer that their rear end. Black beak and legs with white foot pads (and maybe white nails, I like the white nails, usually they also have the whitest foot pads)
Other characteristics: they should lay well, white eggs, and should be always busy foraging and never go broody. Mine are and they are also very tame.

Thank you so much for your critique! This is very helpful to me. My cockerels have a very sloped back, I can see right away after comparing them to your hens and picture. It is so funny that even though I have read this thread 1 1/2 times from start to finish, when it comes to my birds I cannot seem to critique them properly LOL.

I assume this is the case for many, which is why it is helpful to have someone else critique them. I am so happy to have these birds anyway, as I am enthralled with them. A beautiful non-sitter, with white earlobes, and yet they seem to like to stay near the coop, unlike my Fayoumis and Campines that I had before. I am also extremely pleased with my Blue Andalusians, for the same reason.

Thank you again!