The Moonshiner's Leghorns

[The Moonshiner]

I traded my Exchequer Leghorn hen for 6 cockerels and cocks. She now lives on a 100+ acre farm. She was a sweet bird, the only thing I was unhappy with was: late to lay, low egg production, small eggs, and she would sing the egg song 3 times before actually laying.

Ya those egg issues are the norm for exchequer.
Lol how's 3 egg songs compare to 6 males noises?

 

[Jfitz]

That route makes me cringe honestly.

What breeding approach would result in the least amount of cringing? Lol
I'm beginning my trip down this road and would really appreciate your opinion.

 

[The Moonshiner]

What breeding approach would result in the least amount of cringing? Lol
I'm beginning my trip down this road and would really appreciate your opinion.

Breed Isabella to browns producing splits. Then breed splits together. Keep lavender offspring and repeat.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Well a pretty lady has a pretty voice. What colors were the males you got for her?

2 White Silkie cocks, and 4 mixed breeds.

Ya those egg issues are the norm for exchequer.
Lol how's 3 egg songs compare to 6 males noises?

The cockerels and cocks were processed.

 

[Jfitz]

Breed Isabella to browns producing splits. Then breed splits together. Keep lavender offspring and repeat.

Sounds like a good plan, simple enough. I will be breeding by it for sure!

How many gens should one expect before you start getting past fray and wingpatch issues? Does that depend on the quality of the original stock?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Sounds like a good plan, simple enough. I will be breeding by it for sure!

How many gens should one expect before you start getting past fray and wingpatch issues? Does that depend on the quality of the original stock?

I'd imagine that depends on how hard you cull for it. Obviously using birds that show it will increase the time

 

[The Moonshiner]

Sounds like a good plan, simple enough. I will be breeding by it for sure!

How many gens should one expect before you start getting past fray and wingpatch issues? Does that depend on the quality of the original stock?

I started with Isabella that had it. I believe it was four generations when I got over.the hump.
It all depends on how hard you work at it, how many breeders you use and amount of chicks you hatch. Luck also plays a part. In my theory it could be eliminated in 2 generations of breeding.

 

[Jfitz]

I started with Isabella that had it. I believe it was four generations when I got over.the hump.
It all depends on how hard you work at it, how many breeders you use and amount of chicks you hatch. Luck also plays a part. In my theory it could be eliminated in 2 generations of breeding.

Thanks, I'm glad to know its not a 10 year plan! Its starting to seem like an obtainable goal. The only problem I see is Luck, I don't seem to have much of that

The next issue I'm facing is my Isabellas are also mottled and I would like to keep that going as well. Of the 25% lavs produced from crossing splits, would only 25 % of those will be mottled also? If so, is the only option is to hatch more?

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Breed Isabella to browns producing splits. Then breed splits together. Keep lavender offspring and repeat.

This doesn't fix the problem, that's the bandaid solution and it's why every lf lavender breed we have continues to have this serious defect. I'd like to put in the work now so that I don't have to breed splits every other generation.

Trust though, it makes me cringe too, but apparently for different reasons.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

I started with Isabella that had it. I believe it was four generations when I got over.the hump.
It all depends on how hard you work at it, how many breeders you use and amount of chicks you hatch. Luck also plays a part. In my theory it could be eliminated in 2 generations of breeding.

So you have a pure lavender line that you never have to cross back to browns now? I'm confused.