Back length is still too long on many of them. This trait seems almost dominant and is hard to eliminate, and when you do get shorter backed birds, it seems like their tails are shorter too. I did send some chicks to Lindsay Helton. I hope she decides they're worth working with, especially as she has nice Wheatens that could be used to improve them. Lots of people want these, but not very many are interested in working on them seriously. To be honest, I'd rather contain them at my place until they're further along than share them indiscriminately and have others spread around a bunch of long-backed birds that are off type. They still need a lot of work, but they are nice birds and have a lot of very good qualities about them that will make them nice in the long run. I have kept back a couple Silver/Light crosses. I may use one...or not. I just want to keep some extra tools in my tool box. I don't expect this variety to go anywhere, and honestly...with 9 and soon to be 10 approved varieties of large fowl...maybe it shouldn't. This is my favorite color of chicken though. I plan to keep on working on them for my own pleasure.
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