show quality speckled sussex ??

[math ace]

Quote:
Thank you , Don. This critique is very useful.

I spotted the twist comb and I thought he was too white in the chest.
The previous cockerel ( #22 ) has the same size chest, yet he is about 3 weeks younger....
That made me think that this guy ( #21) is not wide enough.

I have serious concerns that NONE of my cockerels are going to have the size they should. I do think I may have a couple of decent pullets.... but
I don't know about the cockerels.... #22 and 21 are two of he biggest.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
I am glad you joined us Walt.

Harsh is OK with me as long as you add the information that helps me learn why he "will never amount to anything".

So . . he is too narrow, pinched tall, high tail set, and too white.

Yep, I think I agree with all that.

What did you think about the previous cockerel --- cockerel #22?

I have 6 cockerels to choose from....

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Of course your opinion means something.....
I am beginning to think that you might be onto something....

Walt is famous for "build the barn" FIRST philosphy.
I am afraid that my barn is going to end up being a very, small barn.
However, if the balance is right... maybe I will be able to breed size into the flock by using some very selective breeding practices.

Just thinking and wondering.... I know that the rest of the cockerels are smaller than the first two I posted.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Congratulations on the SS. I have a couple of older hens from Ideal. They have the BEST personality!

Thanks for being brave and critiquing first. I appreciate it.

 

[math ace]

Next cockerel - - Cockerel # 23 ... He is only 17 weeks old.

 

[math ace]

Here is my own critique.....

I think this is one of the worst birds, if not THE worst cockerel that I have...

There is the comb with a thumbprint and way too many points.
He is exceptionally skinny.
He had white wing and white tail feathers.
The is no chest definition to him.
There is too much white on his chest.
The transition to the tail is abrupt and the tail angle is too high.

PLUS, this dummy I have to catch every night to put him up..... He won't go to the coop on his own!

 

[Orange Ribbon]

I meant to say I was critiquing number 22, not 20. Sheesh. Looks like I didn't do a good job of it anyway.

 

[fowlman01]

Quote:
I am not sure that this is the worst you have. It is SO hard to tell with pics. If you hadn't posted a pic of the comb, I may have missed how bad it really is. If it wasn't for that, I may have put him higher than the last one...was it#20...the one I was really down on a few posts ago. Thsi one also has a squirrel tail, but the tail itself does not look as pinched as that last one. If you are looking for balance, I think this one is better than the last, but he also has bad faults that he won't grow out of. On a positive note he looks happy.

Yes, build the barn first. A well colored bird is nice, but it only goes so far.....there is so much more that is important about a bird. The body is the hardest part to get right. This color pattern is not easy and leaves a lot of places to go bad...especially with the color changing in molts. So if it looks too white now, it will be worse later. No sense wasting time on color until you have the shape you want.

Walt

 

[snowbird]

Just want to clear up some ideas here. If anyone is planning on trying to breed SOP SS out of just Hatchery Fowl it just will not happen in your lifetime. It could be done if you can find some good SOP bred SS to cross with the Hatchery fowl. There are still good SS out there. First thing anyone interested is SOP SS should do is subscribe to the Poultry Press and look at the show results from different shows this fall. You are not going to find SOP SS on BYC or ebay. Look at the show results and start calling and writing everyone that does good at the shows.

 

[Indianfeathers]

WOW, my head is spinning with all the information. I have enjoyed all the information that I have read. I know that I do not have any special Speckled Sussex but i am willing to post for Criticism.

13 month old #1

13 month old #2