To Breed Or Not To Breed?

[Tailfeathers]

That is the question!  Thought about making the Subject "The Story Of My Life" but it didn't fit the category.

Just last week when my mom and uncle were out here I was telling them how I closed on this house Valentine's Day 2007, moved in on March 1st, and by August of that year the house was worth less than half of what I paid for it.  Well, here's another example.  A few months back there was a thread about egg color and I mentioned I had 2 birds giving me the bluest eggs I've ever gotten but I had about 20 in a pen and didn't know who was laying what. 

Well, I was finally able to figure out who they are.  I'm attaching pics of the eggs and of one of the birds as they both lay the same color and pretty much look identical.  Now, here's the catch:  I've often heard to "cull mercilessly" and "never breed a DQ".  Both these birds are DQs but I'm thinking about breeding them.  In fact, I'm leaning toward breeding them because, as you will see from the pics, they are exceptional in every other area and better than all my others that aren't a DQ.  I think she might actually be Homozygous for leg color too!

So here's the pics (taken about a month ago) and you'll see why they fit the story of my life.  It should be obvious but this is a LF BW.  Question:  Who else would breed these birds if they were better than any others in the other areas since the DQ is an EASY fix?

[Tailfeathers]

Here's her eggs.  Hers are the one's on the left.  The greener ones on the right side are from my Red project birds and the lighter blue in the middle of those are from my older W & BWs.

[Mike Gilbert]

There are always exceptions to general rules.   You didn't say how long she had been laying compared with the length of lay from the other, less colorful eggs.   As you are well aware, egg color usually fades after extended periods of laying.  If we are comparing apples with apples, this should be a no-brainer.   Breed her, because you know what the problem is, and how to fix it easily.  She has beautiful feather coloring to boot. 

[John W Blehm]

...I've often heard to "cull mercilessly" and "never breed a DQ"...

I'll go along with what Mike said plus don't forget the other saying about never saying never or that there are exceptions to every rule. 
Don't forget about Mike's Double Fault culling rule:

...One method I have used with some success is what I call  "double fault" culling.  In an established line any bird with two or more major faults is culled, not bred from.   Just as an example, I would consider white (or brown) eggs AND white earlobes a double fault.   If a bird has only one of those faults, and is good otherwise, I would use it with a mate that would compensate for those faults.   Never breed two birds together that both have the same fault.   Sometimes test matings are required to eliminate a fault, such as males that throw pullets who lay white eggs.

[Tailfeathers]

Good point, John.  Those are some of her first eggs.  I don't recall seeing eggs in the past that blue but given my recollection for anything these days I can't say I never had any.  I'm hoping the color remains.  Though as I type this, given you comment, it make me wonder if the size of the egg might have something to do with the color too?  I know from Welsummers that the color fades as they age and as the season progresses but I wonder if there is only a certain amount of the biliverdin release for each egg?  Just a thought.

Thanks for the reminder on the Mike's "doubt fault" rule.  That is certainly one I would say is a definite to follow.  I just sold 40 cockerels (not all Am's) yesterday and a couple of them were clean-faced males.  One had real nice dark legs.  I've always said I would never breed a clean-faced male but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to keep him and see what he turned out like.  I ran from the temptation.  He's gone now.

It sounds like Mike didn't catch the DQ.  She's clean-faced.  Other than that, whattaya think of her?  I know she's a little dark in the hackles but the pic looks darker than it actually is I think.  And there's no ticking in the hackles at all. And I know the eye-color is off but I don't think she's got her true eye-color in yet.  Btw, see those earlobes?  That's why I question the SOP saying there should be some pale white in them and matching the skin.  According to the SOP that would be a fault, right?

Btw Mike, I got 5 Black Langshans hatch yesterday.  Hopefully, I'll have some females in the bunch.

[Mike Gilbert]

It sounds like Mike didn't catch the DQ.  She's clean-faced.  Other than that, whattaya think of her?  I know she's a little dark in the hackles but the pic looks darker than it actually is I think.  And there's no ticking in the hackles at all. And I know the eye-color is off but I don't think she's got her true eye-color in yet.  Btw, see those earlobes?  That's why I question the SOP saying there should be some pale white in them and matching the skin.  According to the SOP that would be a fault, right?

No, I caught it.  It was too obvious to even mention.  If she had muffs, the earlobes would be paler, because they would not be exposed to the sun.  And there is something about muffs that I think tend to shrink the lobes to a smaller size. 

[John W Blehm]

...And there is something about muffs that I think tend to shrink the lobes to a smaller size.

Maybe you are thinking of the pea comb gene also reducing the size of wattles?

[Tailfeathers]

Mike, I see.  I wondered how you could miss that.  You've always had a real keen eye for detail.  So sun makes the earlobes more red?  Good to know.  That's a new one for me.  I will say that almost all my females have red or mostly red earlobes.  I have been culling for the whitish-colored lobes for fear of it having an effect on the males and some judge mistaking it for enamel.

[Mike Gilbert]

...And there is something about muffs that I think tend to shrink the lobes to a smaller size.

Maybe you are thinking of the pea comb gene also reducing the size of wattles?

Nope.  It has been my observation over the years that with muffs you don't get the big earlobes that sometimes have folds in them.  Maybe it's just the lines I have been working with, but I doubt it.