What do you want to breed into your barnyard mixes?

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

What do you consider to be the most desirable traits in breeding your barnyard mixes? A cool feather pattern? Beards?
For me it is orange feathers mixed in with grey or black feathers. I would absolutely love to breed in some beards to my marans as well.

 

[Noraaaaa]

I dont breed mixes, but beards and crests are super neat!

 

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

I dont breed mixes, but beards and crests are super neat!

Crests are fun, although from what I have heard from local friends, polish crested are not the brightest bulbs on the bush, or the cleverest chicken in the coop.

 

[Skyeknight]

Crests are fun, although from what I have heard from local friends, polish crested are not the brightest bulbs on the bush, or the cleverest chicken in the coop.

This mostly due to them not being able to see very well. The crest covers their ability to see above them and can also make it difficult to see in front or behind them. If they also have a beard then the ground will also become less visible.

I do want to breed crests and beards into my flock. For this reason I bought a bearded Polish. I do give her haircut so she can actually see.

What do you consider to be the most desirable traits in breeding your barnyard mixes?

At the moment I am trying to breed more brown feather colours, fibromelanosis, beards, crests, 5 toes and bigger frames into my flock.