showing mottleds

[paris_r]

i breed d'uccles and want to pick out some to set aside to breed for show. i have black mottleds and regular millies/golden necks with good white tips to breed with them. i am picking out my rooster now but i am worried because it seems to be impossible to fine any w/o solid white feathers on the head. i know the breed standard calls for not more than one solid white in an area of plumage-but what defines 'an area'???
i dont mind having a defect but i dont want to enter or even breed birds that will be disqualified. these are about 7 months old-will these white head feathers go away with 2nd molt or is it really that hard to have a show quality mottled??

--oh and as for the 'purple bands' -when we did 4H they only used ambient lighting, do real shows actually have adequate lighting to see this defect??

 

[Twistedfeather]

If you're afraid of getting DQ'd birds than what might need to happen is that you need to evaluate all your birds by Standard and pick the best pairs. If you don't have a cock that works than you might start searching for a breeder than might have one.