Show them. As an AOV they can be shown, and they need to be shown, if the variety is ever to gain recognition.
Do not breed them with splash. I think one of the main barriers to the cuckoo is not only the pink skin, but the fact that some lack good definition. Breeding a cuckoo to a good black with dark skin helps with the skin issue, and occasional cuckoo on cuckoo crosses help strengthen the pattern.
very young cuckoo pullet (she was late Nov hatch, this picture is from early March).
She has dark skin, and her comb is mostly dark mulberry except for a small dot of pink skin near the top of the comb. She does have a few miscolored white feathers in the crest. She is from Calesta Reith's line of cuckoos, which is very nice.
Do not breed them with splash. I think one of the main barriers to the cuckoo is not only the pink skin, but the fact that some lack good definition. Breeding a cuckoo to a good black with dark skin helps with the skin issue, and occasional cuckoo on cuckoo crosses help strengthen the pattern.
She has dark skin, and her comb is mostly dark mulberry except for a small dot of pink skin near the top of the comb. She does have a few miscolored white feathers in the crest. She is from Calesta Reith's line of cuckoos, which is very nice.
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