What do you think of my Columbian Wyandotte bantam pullet?

[ninny]

I think she is just darling!!! I think shes the first wyandotte i like!!

 

[mema2003]

I have been looking at all your pics and the SLW you all post looks so bright and clean and the white is so pure looking. I keep looking at my SLW and GLW hens and they or their colors are just not as bright as yall's are. Is there something too feed them too make their feathers look better. I used too raise parakeets and finches years ago and there was something that we fed them that made their colors stand out prettier so I was wondering if there is something for the chickens also.

 

[usschicago1]

Prettyy!!

 

[Bantimna]

She looks

! Like breeding material

 

[mema2003]

I have been looking at all your pics and the SLW you all post looks so bright and clean and the white is so pure looking. I keep looking at my SLW and GLW hens and they or their colors are just not as bright as yall's are. Is there something too feed them too make their feathers look better. I used too raise parakeets and finches years ago and there was something that we fed them that made their colors stand out prettier so I was wondering if there is something for the chickens also.

 

[ninny]

mema2003 You should start your own thread in the feeding questions area.

 

[WyandotteTX]

Mema, I think if I get what you are saying you are talking about the smuttiness that appears in alot of laced wyandottes? or are you talking about the actual feather quality of the birds?
If you are referring to the smutiness it has to be bred out and it is really one of the hardest things about any variety of laced wyanodottes is keeping full lacing on the breast while at the same time cleaning up the lacing on the tails. Better quality breeding stock(ie show birds) have been selected for very bright and clean lacing.
If you are talking about feather quality, some of it can be attributed to diet but it is also something that varies depending on the quality of your stock. Cochins are a real good example of that. If you buy hatchery cochins they look like great birds but people will wonder why they dont look the same as show stock. Look at their individual feather. You will see a great difference in the size and quality of each feather that really makes the show stock has a much wider, fluffier feather. To a certain degree I would say this is the case in alot of other breeds also. Of course all of this is just my opinion from my observances of raising both hatchery and show stock in the last 30 years.

 

[mema2003]

When they first started getting big, they were so pretty and not bad now but just not clean white in the feathers or bright I guess I am saying. I was wondering if it is because my hubby puts so many leaves in the runs for them too scratch around in. I think the leaves helps dry out the runs but it also holds moisture in the ground too. They love too scatch and dig out a spot too roll around in. When the weather breaks I am gonna try too get in there and take some pictures. Thanks for helping me out here.