The Moonshiner's Leghorns

[NagemTX]

I think of duckwing or Wheaten basses being used would depend on what the hens look like. The boys don't look different from each other but the hens do.

 

[KF0002]

I believe he is full duckwing
I've been discovering lately that the same phenotype can be achieved on a lot of bases. I used to think duckwing couldn't be used to achieve many patterns but I've found out that's wrong.
Here's some speckled Sussex chicks (duckwing base)
View attachment 4103494

Yes, I think so too. My SS are duckwing based, but some lines I think may have a different base, wheaten or eb maybe? I read somewhere that Red and Buff can be attained on duckwing, wheaten, and even an eb base, but that wheaten provides the most even coloring for Red and Buff. Would that explain the "smuttiness" my Red Leghorn rooster has? Someone mentioned he had "smuttiness," and I assumed they meant the dark areas on his back? lol Me pretending to know what they were talking about, I just nodded in agreement, like "yep that's one smutty bird alright."

 

[KF0002]

I think of duckwing or Wheaten basses being used would depend on what the hens look like. The boys don't look different from each other but the hens do.

Yes, the males all may look the same, even though some may be silver duckwing, while others are silver wheaten or splits. The hens are the ones that are telling on the bases I am quickly learning.

 

[KF0002]

Oh I know. I've often thought about leaving hatching behind and just get about 50 game hens to do it for me.
If it wouldn't be for the extra mouths to feed.

Free ranged Game hens are very cost-efficient on feed, about like a Leghorn. Especially in the green months, because they eat a lot of grass, seeds, bugs, lizards, probably even small mammals. They eat just about anything that doesn't eat them first. We have a ton of them free ranging. They are like tiny Velociraptors. When they follow me around, their little pitter-patter behind me sounds like a small group of something from the Jurassic World movie when those tiny dinosaurs were chasing the little girl. One of their favorite treats is when I trim the silver skin off deer meat, and they get the trimmings. They are omnivorous, heavy on the carnivore. And opportunistic predators and scavengers.

 

[KF0002]

Chickens remind me of these little things. lol (Compsognathus, they are called).

 

[KF0002]

I know when I got into the MFs seemed everyone said when making them it started with wheaten but my first MF leghorns were a mix of wheaten or duckwing or both.
I know back when I had rhodebars they were duckwing but everyone was crossing them with wheaten based RIR.

I think Mille Fleur D'Uccle Bantams are even on an eb base. @Amer can correct me if I'm wrong. So that is another good example that colors and patterns can be accomplished on many different bases. I would eventually like to attempt to create Mille Fleur Leghorns using SS, but I don't want to bite off more than I can chew right now.

 

[Amer]

I think Mille Fleur D'Uccle Bantams are even on an eb base. @Amer can correct me if I'm wrong. So that is another good example that colors and patterns can be accomplished on many different bases. I would eventually like to attempt to create Mille Fleur Leghorns using SS, but I don't want to bite off more than I can chew right now.

Yes they are.

 

[Amer]

Yes, I think so too. My SS are duckwing based, but some lines I think may have a different base, wheaten or eb maybe? I read somewhere that Red and Buff can be attained on duckwing, wheaten, and even an eb base, but that wheaten provides the most even coloring for Red and Buff. Would that explain the "smuttiness" my Red Leghorn rooster has? Someone mentioned he had "smuttiness," and I assumed they meant the dark areas on his back? lol Me pretending to know what they were talking about, I just nodded in agreement, like "yep that's one smutty bird alright."

Yeah that would be smut.

I think mille fluer wouldn't be as clean on a wheaten base because there's not enough black to work with but what do I know.

Yes, the males all may look the same, even though some may be silver duckwing, while others are silver wheaten or splits. The hens are the ones that are telling on the bases I am quickly learning.

I've found wheaten males often don't have hackle striping do you find this to be the case?

 

[NagemTX]

Yeah that would be smut.

I think mille fluer wouldn't be as clean on a wheaten base because there's not enough black to work with but what do I know.

I've found wheaten males often don't have hackle striping do you find this to be the case?

Do you mean the black in the middle of the hackle feathers? I don't have wheatens so I can't look at my own flock for differences.

 

[KF0002]

Yeah that would be smut.

I think mille fluer wouldn't be as clean on a wheaten base because there's not enough black to work with but what do I know.

I've found wheaten males often don't have hackle striping do you find this to be the case?

This bird threw the wheaten pullet when mated to a his Silver Duckwing appearing mother, who is likely split wheaten.

This is his sire who throws mostly Duckwing looking females, but some may be splits.

And this is an old picture of the original pair, who likely are both at least splits. The pair produced what looked like all SDW. So maybe its the wheaten that causes the striping and not the duckwing?