She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[Pyxis]

I think that the floppy comb is a detraction from the goal, and yes I believe that comes from Leghorn crossing. What percentage of your chicks grow out an upright comb? Do they still retain a black throat? Don't worry, I make Easter Eggers without shame...I just don't call them Ameraucanas. I pick the best birds I can for my breeders, even though they themselves are crosses.

I don't actually breed the Mike Bean hen. She's not up to my standards. None of my birds have flopped combs so far out of the others. They all have gray to black mouths - the ones I keep, that is. I usually sell the ones I'm not keeping as young as I can as mixed breed chicks and since they're still so tiny I don't try to look in their mouths because I don't want to hurt them. The tongue is a bit harder to get black. Lol, I wish we could have conversations like this in the cemani thread! No one even answers any questions I post in there.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I don't actually breed the Mike Bean hen. She's not up to my standards. None of my birds have flopped combs so far out of the others. They all have gray to black mouths - the ones I keep, that is. I usually sell the ones I'm not keeping as young as I can as mixed breed chicks and since they're still so tiny I don't try to look in their mouths because I don't want to hurt them. The tongue is a bit harder to get black.

Lol, I wish we could have conversations like this in the cemani thread! No one even answers any questions I post in there.

Walnut is an amazing fount of knowledge, lol... I am following the convo but can't add to it... haven't dealt with fibro or AC's...

My only contribution is I agree with what Walnut said about breeding... really, there isn't issue with outcrossing etc, I just have issues with ones that refuse to disclose that... or acknowledge there are issues with their lines and don't want to breed forward... seems I ticked off a bunch of people lately with my opinion on that...

Pyxis, I admire you a lot for working on such a tough breed...

 

[RubyNala97]

I'm trying to increase rate of lay so that they can be useful for something besides yard candy, lol. I'm also trying to select for a less flighty personality since that's just what I prefer and as always for well behaved roosters. Of course I'm also trying to breed toward the standard too. It's hard work! My silkies and cochins are much easier, that's for sure!

How many eggs do they normally lay?

I looked up the breeder in Pennsylvania and they are called "Fowl Play Chickens". I checked out some of their pics and a few had the floppy comb!

 

[Pyxis]

Gorgeous bird despite the floppy comb! He's definitely got that purple sheen going on.

Oh whoops I missed your question lol! According to GFF their hens lay about sixty eggs a year. That seems about accurate with mine too.

 

[RubyNala97]

Gorgeous bird despite the floppy comb! He's definitely got that purple sheen going on.

Oh whoops I missed your question lol! According to GFF their hens lay about sixty eggs a year. That seems about accurate with mine too.

They have more pics on their FB page. Check it out. That's not a lot of eggs. I thought the silkies were bad! I don't think I knew that you have silkies too. What colors do you have? That's what I have.

 

[Pyxis]

They have more pics on their FB page. Check it out. That's not a lot of eggs. I thought the silkies were bad! I don't think I knew that you have silkies too. What colors do you have? That's what I have.

BBS and BBS partridge I apparently really like BBS because that's what I have in cochins too - BBS and mottled BBS.

 

[rossfam06]

Man, more ayam cemani misinformation, sigh. This is the person who I talked about before who said that there were three lines in the US that were named by where they originated, one of which being Indonesia...where it is illegal to import from. The one that also said that all 'American' line birds were bad quality and hybrids.

The poster finally responded (and didn't tell me if they bred them, which I had asked) and said that the line they were referring to that was such bad quality was TMA! I thought maybe he meant Mike Bean, but nope, he meant TMA, which is preposterous. And then he said that when the 'gold rush' was going on, people were crossing the lines (of course they were, for genetic diversity) to create higher numbers, and now there are a ton of 'hybrids' in the market.

According to this logic, every single chick from my eggs is a hybrid, because my rooster is TMA line and apparently bad quality. This rooster here.

And sorry again for venting in here - there aren't many other places I can. The actual cemani thread is pretty darn dead.

Yeah I have been on that thread. It is so dead. I am super excited!!!! I can't wait until they get here!!!

The only reason to increase the rate of lay would be to increase marketability.  Jungle fowl and other wild types are generally seasonal layers, which would certainly make it hard to mass produce them.

http://www.cemanifarms.com/2013/10/ayam-cemani.html
 
The bottom of this page tells of the Indonesian version of Ayam Cemani and sounds much more like a native jungle fowl than the American interpretation.  But it's highly unlikely that the original will be adopted as the A.P.A. standard, it will be some version of the hybrid standard.
 
There are a few fibromelanistic breeds that could be used to expand the pool.  As long as silkies are not part of that, selection could maintain a true type.  Black Sumatra come to mind, or Hmong if black enough.
 
I'd go by throat color...if that is black, then the bird is a solid carrier.

I have a Hmong, and the Korean Ogye. My Ogye is super black, except for the Birchen feathering which is kind of cool. No redding of the combs or wattles right now. MY Hmong on the other hand is no fibro at all. Skin is still white but legs are super black wattles and combs are pink. Feathers are solid black with green and purple sheen.

 

[rossfam06]

BBS and BBS partridge I apparently really like BBS because that's what I have in cochins too - BBS and mottled BBS.

Those are all pretty colors. I love it!!! I need more silkies now. My hubby has been asking since we lost Wicket.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Yeah I have been on that thread. It is so dead. I am super excited!!!! I can't wait until they get here!!!
I have a Hmong, and the Korean Ogye. My Ogye is super black, except for the Birchen feathering which is kind of cool. No redding of the combs or wattles right now. MY Hmong on the other hand is no fibro at all. Skin is still white but legs are super black wattles and combs are pink. Feathers are solid black with green and purple sheen.

Oh, I would love to see updated pics!! Did both turn out to be pullets, or one of each? I was sure at least the one was a pullet...

Those are all pretty colors. I love it!!! I need more silkies now. My hubby has been asking since we lost Wicket.

Seriously, I wish you could come get some of mine... way too many Silkie babies here now... :/

 

[WVduckchick]

Wish I had some knowledge to contribute, but I'm still enjoying this conversation!