Partial Eclipse Molt In American Game

[Matthew3590]

None of my games eclipse molt sadly but I would love to get my hands on a pumpkin hulsey that goes through eclipse molt. Also when if I showed a game while it was going through an eclipse molt stage would it get more points or less?

 

[centrarchid]

None of my games eclipse molt sadly but I would love to get my hands on a pumpkin hulsey that goes through eclipse molt. Also when if I showed a game while it was going through an eclipse molt stage would it get more points or less?

I do not know if pumpkin hulseys undergo an eclipse molt. Based on my limited knowledge of poultry showing, it best that feathering be in fully (no blood feathers) and full breeding dress. The eclipse plumage is not breeding dress and it appears that the eclipse moult we are seeing is not complete. Not complete as in feather replacement of hackle feathers not complete and in case with my birds eclipse feathers are not entirely typical of what I understand eclipse plumage to be like.


So a bird in eclipse molt I think would score less. Also, my birds do not have eclipse feathers when shows I am aware of occur in Missouri.

 

[Matthew3590]

I was hoping cause the eclipse would look really nice with the color of pumpkins.

 

[centrarchid]

Note stages of eclipse molt.


Early with eclipse hackles coming in place and sicle feathers lost.



All eclipse feathers of hackles in place and flight feathers of tail dropped and being replaced.



Closer view of hackles. Neck looks a little thinner as caused by shortened eclipse feathers with dark rounded tips.


Closeup showing how much longer breeding plumage hackles are relative to eclipse hackles. Breeding hackles extend onto back while eclipse hackles stop at border of darker red on shoulder. Some of the feathers (fresh and darker with small dark tips at base of neck) appear intergrade.

 

[Vcomb]

I will post updated pics this weekend. In the meantime, here's a Murphy Whitehackle I saw online showing eclipse plumage.

http://www.oakridgegamefarm.net/auc...&zip_code=&username=&basic_search=whitehackle

 

[Vcomb]

Vcomb,

How does the rooster above look now. Mine will soon be replacing eclipse feathers with breeding feathers.

Here's pics of him taken today.







One of my older Gull x's. He is 3/4 Morgan and goes back to normal red hackles every year. He has the same father as the above bird.








Mcrae x Morgan

 

[centrarchid]

Vcomb,

The white-hackle of the link you posted looks to have some sort of oriental influence owing to the vertical posture of rectangular body. I have seem some oreintals with what appears to be eclipse molting.

 

[nicalandia]

Note stages of eclipse molt.


Early with eclipse hackles coming in place and sicle feathers lost.



All eclipse feathers of hackles in place and flight feathers of tail dropped and being replaced.



Closer view of hackles. Neck looks a little thinner as caused by shortened eclipse feathers with dark rounded tips.


Closeup showing how much longer breeding plumage hackles are relative to eclipse hackles. Breeding hackles extend onto back while eclipse hackles stop at border of darker red on shoulder. Some of the feathers (fresh and darker with small dark tips at base of neck) appear intergrade.

Wow, such a fine speciment

 

[Matthew3590]

Wow, such a fine speciment

Now I feel like we are in Jurassic park and about to recreate a dinosaur.

 

[centrarchid]

Now I feel like we are in Jurassic park and about to recreate a dinosaur.

We are a few steps shy of that. The birds are not exhibiting all the characteristics of a proper eclipse molt. Mine either do not have quite proper alleles or a locus or two is not properly involved like normally would be.