Wing Feather Quality

[Cesar Villegas]

Do breeders on here or in general pay attention to feather width on the wing? In the picture is an example of two different birds. They both share the same sire. My friend mentioned a lack of sex feathering in the wing bow. Is this common in the AM breed?

[Russ Blair]

Just another one of the many things to look for. I also look at feather width in the tail areas as well 😃

[Mike Gilbert]

To be sure, both wings and tail.   Also the back feathers on females.  Not sure what your friend is referring to on an all black bird?   Enlighten us. 

[John W Blehm]

And for those that want a black bird to outcross with lavender the wider feather is very important to improve feather quality of future generations of lavenders.
My friend, Ken Aho, is a top breeder of partridge Plymouth Rocks and he claims feather width is very important to get the proper penciling pattern on feathers.  So that is something for those working on partridge Ameraucanas to consider and maybe other varieties with different colors within a feather. 

[Cesar Villegas]

To be sure, both wings and tail.   Also the back feathers on females.  Not sure what your friend is referring to on an all black bird?   Enlighten us.

Im not sure

Im a visual learner, I'm going to ask him when I see him in person to show me. I might have misinterpreted what he said.

[Suki]

My friend, Ken Aho, is a top breeder of partridge Plymouth Rocks claims feather width is very important to get the proper penciling pattern on feathers.  So that is something for those working on partridge Ameraucanas to consider and maybe other varieties with different colors within a feather. 

Interestingly, this just came up on the CFI FB list, so I copied and linked to this page for them.  Shelly, a CFI member, was pointing to this book about the pencilling as well   

http://bit.ly/22Bdkeu

[John W Blehm]

My friend mentioned a lack of sex feathering in the wing bow.

Maybe he was just referring to feather sexing, even though he specified wing "bow".
From conversations with Jeff Smith at Cackle Hatchery and Bud Woods at McMurray it sounds like most any breed can be selected for feather sexing without crossbreeding to bring in a delayed feathering gene such as K.

[Mike Gilbert]

My friend, Ken Aho, is a top breeder of partridge Plymouth Rocks claims feather width is very important to get the proper penciling pattern on feathers.  So that is something for those working on partridge Ameraucanas to consider and maybe other varieties with different colors within a feather. 

Interestingly, this just came up on the CFI FB list, so I copied and linked to this page for them.  Shelly, a CFI member, was pointing to this book about the pencilling as well   

http://bit.ly/22Bdkeu

That was interesting reading, and shows that even back "in the day" breeders did not always agree on the best way to get results.   I believe the best way is by trial and error with your own stock, keeping good records of mating results, and not bringing in outside strains once you are satisfied you have all the right genetic material to work with.   That most often takes years of effort.

[Suki]

While I agree Mike, I thought that hundreds of breedings each year shortened the  process.  Is that right, or is that just part of the process?

Thanks