Ameraucana Forum

The Official Ameraucana Forum => Breeding => Topic started by: Karen Warner on June 23, 2019, 02:37:17 PM

Title: Muffs and beards in Wheaten-Blue Wheaten
Post by: Karen Warner on June 23, 2019, 02:37:17 PM

I have been working with my Wheatens-Blue Wheatens for 3 years.  As with my blues, they are a work in progress.  Try as I have, I have been unsuccessful in getting Mb to be black or blue to the skin.  The feathers are white in the fluff.  Please help.  I totally love this variety.

I have been focusing on type, but the beards are a distraction.  I have and am still trying to get a couple of great cock birds with solid Mb’s but they are difficult to find around here.

Title: Re: Muffs and beards in Wheaten-Blue Wheaten
Post by: Steve Neumann on July 10, 2019, 07:52:37 PM

Do they grow back in with white after the first adult molt when they are  ~ 1 1/2 years old?

Title: Re: Muffs and beards in Wheaten-Blue Wheaten
Post by: Karen Warner on July 11, 2019, 08:16:05 AM

Yes, they do.  Even on the older males, there is white fluff in their beards.

Title: Re: Muffs and beards in Wheaten-Blue Wheaten
Post by: Russ Blair on July 18, 2019, 10:13:27 PM

Any multicolor bird I raise I always wait until after there 2 to decide if they are keepers for breeding. I have noticed they can drastically change between 1 and 2 when they molt. This goes for Silvers, Wheaten and Brown Reds oh and blue wheaten

Title: Re: Muffs and beards in Wheaten-Blue Wheaten
Post by: Mike Gilbert on July 19, 2019, 12:17:22 PM

I don't consider it a serious problem, as it is the same as undercolor in wheatens.   I would be more concerned with the black hackle striping, and the shortage of orange color in the wing bay.    If you can get all-black ( or blue in blue wheatens) muffs, that's great.   I have seen them, usually in bantams with an all black wing bay.   But I have always felt there were more important flaws to work on.  It's just another reason why it is so much easier to win with an all black or all white bird.