"dirty" muff/beard color

[Rebecca G Howie]

I have a couple of girlies with muffs/beards that seem to be picking up color from the neck and chest, making them look dirty or stained.

The others do not show this trait. Their b/m look very clean.

The pic attached is another "golden hour" shot and off balance with too many red/gold hues but shows the color "bleed" that bothers me.

Is this something that would molt out as she continues to change. I can tell her body gets lighter and creamier  as time goes on though she and the other girl are taking longer to change.
As luck would have it she has the cleanest cape/collar feathers of that group

She is 4 months

[Mike Gilbert]

I don't think it looks all that bad from the photo.    And I do like the definition between the muffs and the beard.   Some of them tend to run together and then the shape is more like one big blob.   Hopefully she will develop some longer feathers in the muffs, as that would look even better.  But back to the color;  female wheaten color can vary considerably, as can buff and some other colors.

[Rebecca G Howie]

Thanks, Mike, this is the first year I have had more than a couple to watch and compare. They do vary a lot! It so interesting to watch them change as they grow and I obsess a bit over every little detail. Hoping her muffs fluff out some more, too. Some others have ticking in the cape, but otherwise pretty nice. I am really watching her as she matures. I have 7 about her age that I am pondering over and plan to choose 2 more keepers from them.

I feel fortunate that I also have two older half-siblings that I am very happy with. I will then have 4 from this year to go forward with in addition to the ones I started with.

Then the anxious wait for spring chicks from John begins!!

[Mike Gilbert]

Actually, I don't worry about a little ticking in the lower part of the female hackle.   Both New Hampshires and Rhode Island Reds are a modified wheaten, and they both call for clear hackles in the males and allow for ticking in the lower hackle of the females.   So that small amount of ticking does not correspond with the undesired striping in the males' hackles.

[Harry Shaffer]

Don;t feel so bad I have wheaten males with light colored beards ,  they will all be gone soon.

[Mike Gilbert]

Harry, how old are those males with the light colored beards?    I have even seen them come with red beards instead of black or gray. 

[Rebecca G Howie]

Actually, I don't worry about a little ticking in the lower part of the female hackle.   Both New Hampshires and Rhode Island Reds are a modified wheaten, and they both call for clear hackles in the males and allow for ticking in the lower hackle of the females.   So that small amount of ticking does not correspond with the undesired striping in the males' hackles.

Great, that is good to know. Hope to have the SOP soon with more detail about standards. In the meantime I compare mine to pics of show winners and aim in that direction. (except for the overdone muffs that start looking like Favorelles)

That also give me a bit of leeway with some others that I really like but was concerned with the color in the hackles. Decisions, decisions. Not in a hurry yet. Might have to keep a couple more (then I need yet another run for the girlies)

[Harry Shaffer]

Mike Gilbert,  They are 4-6 months old and they are very light color on the males where they should be pure black.  Even my Silver Spangled have black beards and not interested in crossing them to clean the wheatens up.  Only have a few so better to dump then to breed a bunch of culls.

[Mike Gilbert]

Harry, those young males take time before the muffs turn dark.   They start out light, and after the male hormones have kicked in for awhile those muffs gradually change color. 

[Harry Shaffer]

Mike, I will wait a little more time if you say they darken but does not look very promising at this time.

[Tailfeathers]

Harry, it can take almost a year to get the full-colored beards.  I've even got 2 that had full-black beards and now after the girls pics his beard almost clean, it's coming back in with a lot of white in it.

[Russ Blair]

Man this is a good topic with great information for a new wheaten breeder like myself. I have several real nicely built pullets I was going to take to auction this weekend due to slight ticking in hackle feathers.

[Patti Jordan]

Hi Mike, so you don't think ticking in female WBS hackles is a problem ?  I've found if I have some ticking I have better tail/wing color, but I've been culling most of the girls as young pullets that do have it.  Here's a picture of a pullet I've kept back, you can see the ticking in her hackle but she does have nice wing/tail color when she's not molting.   I've also noticed my body color is starting to get pretty dark, some breeders like the color (similar to OEGB) whereas some don't because the picture in the SOP reflects a light creamy body color. 

Actually, I don't worry about a little ticking in the lower part of the female hackle.   Both New Hampshires and Rhode Island Reds are a modified wheaten, and they both call for clear hackles in the males and allow for ticking in the lower hackle of the females.   So that small amount of ticking does not correspond with the undesired striping in the males' hackles.

[Mike Gilbert]

There is a difference between slight ticking and rather large black spots.   I would not keep the latter, but I don't have any problem with the former.  Getting tail and wing color in pullets is one thing; keeping it in hens after their adult molt is another.   I look for a little gray undercolor on the backs of the females to help with color retention. 

[Patti Jordan]

Thanks Mike.