Angel Feathers (aka boule or bull neck)

[Suki]

Hi John

Does your bird with the Angel Feathers also have a "knob" underneath?  That would go far to making the crest comparison.  I read also that Houdans et alia crested breeds, have problems with tilting i.e. the crest goes backwards or tilts to one side.

[John W Blehm]

This is somewhat similar to crested breeds of chickens, like Houdans & Polish, that have crests (Cr - Incompletely dominant) on top of their heads, but this pigeon "head crest" is not on top of the fowl's head.

"A head crest is a series of feathers on the back of the head and neck,"

With pigeons they have named it Head Crest (cr), but the gene may have a different name and symbol for chickens...if it has been named.  Until I find out differently I'm just using the pigeon terminology of Head Crest, which is different than Crest (on top a chicken's head).

[John W Blehm]

In Europe they refer to it as a "boule" (bull necks), according to the guys on The Coop and maybe that would be a more universal term to use.

THE BRITISH BELGIAN BANTAM CLUB

The Barbu d'Uccle Belgian is characterized by its abundance of plumage and majestic manner. The neck hackle in the male is very thick and the feathers are curved and arched to form what we call the "Boule"...In the female the neck hackle feathers are again convexly arched and appear to form a mane.

When it isn't overdone the trait looks fine and I see it in many of my birds, as it can be seen in the d'Uccles.  The faults, I believe, are brought about by modifying genes that make the feathers go in weird directions and distract from the standard type/look of Ameraucanas.

[Suki]

Problem with 'boule" (which is just ball) is that it is also used for cooking and so could be very confusing.

[Mike Gilbert]

I have always liked the term "bull neck" for this trait.   It probably comes along with the very full hackles that I always preferred. 

[John W Blehm]

Problem with 'boule" (which is just ball) is that it is also used for cooking and so could be very confusing.

I looked it up the other day and ball seems to be one of the definitions from the French.  But it has many definitions including  "bulge, protuberance" in Czech according to Wiktionary.
On the Coop site, with posts from forum members around the world, there were at least two places where they had "bull neck" in parenthesis after "boule", so I am more comfortable using that descriptive term over angel feathers.

[Lee G]

Very interesting. I have seen this trait in some of my birds, but never had a name for it until now. Like Mike, I find it very attractive in moderation as the ones with it seem to have fuller hackles than those without it. I have a black cockerel (actually the son of my favourite 2014 pullet) with the most magnificent bull neck. I'm going to attempt to load a picture of him, sure hope it works.....and nope, my iPhone pics are just too large I guess.  Hmm. Maybe I'll attempt to load it to Facebook and share the link once I figure out how everything works again, haha...


eta: I finally managed to figure pics out again, and posted some of my bull necked beauty on the Facebook page. 

[Suki]

hi mike,  the full hackles you like, is this for all breeds or just the A one?

thanks brownie.

ps have a great show everyone.  i will not be there.

[John W Blehm]

hi mike,  the full hackles you like, is this for all breeds or just the A one?

thanks brownie.

ps have a great show everyone.  i will not be there.

Oh, I though you were going to me there.
If you get a chance, please check out the link to the Coop.  They have posted several photos and links on this subject...some very interesting stuff.

[Mike Gilbert]

Brownie/Sue, I like the bull neck ( in moderation) for Ameraucanas.   You certainly would not want one on a Modern Game for example.   I have always bred Ameraucanas for that and am not about to change after about 40 years of raising them.   As in all points of Ameraucanas, including muffs and beards, they can be overdone.   The example John showed a picture of is way too much.  Moderation is the key in this breed in just about any aspect you can think of. 

[Suki]

Brownie...  Moderation is the key in this breed in just about any aspect you can think of. 

Thanks.

[Lee G]

Moderation is the key in this breed in just about any aspect you can think of.

Great advise. From here on in I plan to walk the middle of the road in all my Ameraucana breeding endeavours. 

[Christina King]

I like it in moderation also, makes for a very beautiful head to my eyes.

[John W Blehm]

From The Classroom @ The Coop...

Wieslaw...Loc: Denmark
I do not know if it was mentioned in any genetic books. The boulé present in many Old Polish Crested is inherited dominantly and autosomally. Just for the record.

[Steve Neumann]

Got an extreme case, I thought I would add a few images to the thread.  This is the first time I've ever seen it in my Blues.