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The biggest problem with getting and maintaining size on mottled/spangled and jubilee orps is there are not enough people working on them. With limited gene pools, size tends to get lost or has less focus. While we still have a little ways to go on ours, the size is coming along nicely with the color. Thank goodness we have enough varied genes and color varieties to work with here, since we seem to be going at it on our own in the US.
I just have the one Spangled pullet. Now I need to make an English Black cockerel to take to her for next fall. I am in the same boat Julie was in when she just had Charlie. How to build a line with one bird as your main building block for a great UK flock. Except my Spangled is not UK. She is a mutt. Just 75% APA Orp lines. And even those were not all Black Orps.
I think she will fill out fine size wise. Now I need to make some more somehow. For now I think taking my one Spangled pullet back to her daddy can bring about a few more. I also have one cockerel who is a full brother who is only Silver and Black. But, he looks like a Silver Penciled mix on top of a Silver Laced. I think he may be able to make more. He is going to be bigger. I also have a Silver Penciled pullet to take him too as well, she is full bro/sis.
Either Father to daughter or brother to sister I think will yeild some more looking like her. I don't think I have to worry for quite some time with size. The Spangled pullet's father is 11 lbs. My most important decision after I make a few is to divide up the very best pullets to themselves, including taking the best Spangled cockerel back to her & then put each pullet in a 4' by4' pen and hatch out and return each next generations pullets back to the hen's pen where they came from. And try to establish a series of new lines by using this method of breeding. Eventually getting the numbers up to three or so hen/pullets per pen. I figure IF lucky to have 4 or 5 nice pullets to try this out next year. Out of the ALL Black BUS pullets I have now, I know I can make some in decent numbers. Definitely a long term project. Really a challenge to make it happen with one bird. But worth the try.
I wonder what I would get IF I take Julie's Splash cockerel I have to the Spangled Pullet? A Blue Spangled?
Oh also forgot to say we had our first egg last nite. These are a Feb 4th hatch. So right on time the way I figure. I seen everyone talking about when their birds lay.
I like the idea of using him on everything I have worth a darn, as Harry said to do, plus putting him on the Spangled. Knowing I will get Blues who I then can take back to her, IF she lives and does not get eaten, then to get the UK influence and hope for a Black cockerel to take back to mom, the Spangled. And by then I should have a few sisters to use a UK like cockerel with the Spangled gene
