A couple of thoughts, they are free, so you will at least get your moneys worth.
I have three male Wheatens we are over wintering, 1 Rooster and 2 Cockerels, early spring, and late summer hatches.
The Rooster is now showing very very little fluff.
The spring Cockerel is showing a fair amount of fluff, and has a lower tail set.
The summer Cockerel is showing "some fluff"
Seems to vary slightly depending on how feathers are laying. Will keep track to see if it changes with molt.
On the Blue Wheaten / Wheaten subject...........
I can appreciate the differing opinions.
From my perspective, if you have a "perfect" Wheaten, and a "perfect" Blue Wheaten, the only difference is the one copy of the blue gene. Crossing them will not negatively impact either.
Black is black, blue is diluted black. If there is no blue gene, you cannot harm the black.
However,
There are no perfect birds.
The Blue Wheaten is a later arrival on the scene. There MAY be hidden genes still riding along from the original crosses. Thus the Blue Wheatens may be less perfect than the Wheatens. If that is the case, then crossing Blue Wheaten to Wheaten MAY create some less perfect Wheatens.
It is also my opinion that the Wheaten variety is a much more stable variety than is the Black Copper variety. We see lots of variation in the Black Coppers, too many genes to "keep in balance" you need just the right amount of this, and just the right amount of that. Any variation and it throws things off. In this years Black Coppers, I suddenly started to see side sprigs, where we had NONE before, we saw overly dark cockerels, and overly coppered cockerels. Hens seem to be improved, with "the right amount" of coppering. I feel there is to much room for recessive genes to raise cane.
Remember, it was free
I have three male Wheatens we are over wintering, 1 Rooster and 2 Cockerels, early spring, and late summer hatches.
The Rooster is now showing very very little fluff.
The spring Cockerel is showing a fair amount of fluff, and has a lower tail set.
The summer Cockerel is showing "some fluff"
Seems to vary slightly depending on how feathers are laying. Will keep track to see if it changes with molt.
On the Blue Wheaten / Wheaten subject...........
I can appreciate the differing opinions.
From my perspective, if you have a "perfect" Wheaten, and a "perfect" Blue Wheaten, the only difference is the one copy of the blue gene. Crossing them will not negatively impact either.
Black is black, blue is diluted black. If there is no blue gene, you cannot harm the black.
However,
There are no perfect birds.
The Blue Wheaten is a later arrival on the scene. There MAY be hidden genes still riding along from the original crosses. Thus the Blue Wheatens may be less perfect than the Wheatens. If that is the case, then crossing Blue Wheaten to Wheaten MAY create some less perfect Wheatens.
It is also my opinion that the Wheaten variety is a much more stable variety than is the Black Copper variety. We see lots of variation in the Black Coppers, too many genes to "keep in balance" you need just the right amount of this, and just the right amount of that. Any variation and it throws things off. In this years Black Coppers, I suddenly started to see side sprigs, where we had NONE before, we saw overly dark cockerels, and overly coppered cockerels. Hens seem to be improved, with "the right amount" of coppering. I feel there is to much room for recessive genes to raise cane.
Remember, it was free
