BRIEF HISTORY
The Wyandotte breed was brought into the American Poultry Association “APA” in 1883 with the Silver Laced Wyandotte and today there are 9 varieties with the Blue Lace Red Wyandotte being worked on to be accepted into the standard!
This unique variety is a challenge because it involves a Dilution Gene. This gene didn’t just appear in the breed and was brought in by crossing out to the Andalusian breed. Hence the BLRW community is very concerned with bird type or the conformation of the birds. This Dilution Gene takes the Black Lacing to Blue Lacing with one copy, and with two copies of the gene it expresses a Splash Lacing. The Blue Lacing is the only Color in this Variety that should be judged at APA shows, to further out acceptance into the APA. Also, when crossing out to another breed, it takes many generations to get the birds perfect again but still retain the influence or gene you originally crossed out for. For instance, some faults in the Andalusian cross that show up from time to time are, single comb, Andalusian darker lacing, and a white ear. All of these traits when seen in the BLRW are selected against. There is also a lot of mystery behind how the first Wyandottes were created (Silver Laced Wyandotte) some will say Seabrights and some will say Cochins but it was never truly documented, and both America and England were working on the breed at the same time, to develop that lacing that everyone loves. With all of that said I have seen feather stubs come up too which is culled against also.
As you dive deeper into this variety there are a bunch of “ins and outs” that you will learn. The Most Important is Not All Breeders Are Breeding to Standard. This includes body type and color. I was sucked into this because I just wanted to have one! Well, later on those hens were sold as plain jane regular layer hens not to represent the breed standard. So make sure you do some research to find out what you should be looking for and if possible request to see the breeders. Biosecurity is Important in the Poultry Industry today, but almost everyone can take a video on their smartphone and share it for transparency.
BLRW @ CROSS B HENS
2024 will be my 8th year of breeding Quality BLRW lines, and our Flock has come a long ways! We are extremely proud of the direction we are going and progress our line has made. We started with some good birds but made some mistakes in the beginning and the flock is just now becoming uniform and consistent and getting closer and closer to the proposed standard!
A lot of people, put a lot of value in certain names in BLRW community, I am not one of those people. My BLRW are my line, the Cross B Hens N Heifers line. We do not bring in outside blood to this flock. Our goal is to have a Line of BLRWs that are as close to the Standard of Perfection as possible for their variety but also represent the Wyandotte breed as a whole. Our line being a closed flock and our breeding program will create offspring that are Uniform, Consistent, and Repeatable. Does this mean, I never get a bad one? Of course I do and every breeder does. Selection is Key.
My Cull List typically ranks as follows but exceptions are made when I can complement that bird or breed up.
1 Health & Vigor
2 Type as to Breed Standard
3 Color Accuracy
4 Feather Shafting
5 Lacing Consistency
6 Temperament
7 Comb Shape
8 Tail Shape
9 Hackles and Saddle Feather Lacing
There are a few traits that show up that will ALWAYS be Culled against even if everything else is Perfect on the individual.
Wry Tail
Single Comb
Feather Stubs
Split Breast
White Ear
And the list becomes more petty or particular from there. We are always in search of the Perfect Bird.
My culls list or absolute cull list can make for some awesome breeder birds for other BLRW or Project Colors for another Breed. So do not discredit the Beauty of Each Individual.
Make sure you check out the pictures of our BLRWs throughout our years of breeding on our fb page and see the progress we have made!
WHAT IS AVAILABLE?
2023 Season is Over, Get Ready for 2024!
2024 Breeding
>> Jan 2024 our Breeder Stock from 2023 that made the cut to stay in the Breeding program are going through a Recessive Single Comb gene check. When our 2023 Offspring that were kept for Potential Breeders will be going through this same process as they begin to lay or to breed.
- If a bird is determined to have the single comb gene, they may be kept in the program depending on their total package or they may be offered to the waiting list. This will be determined as time goes.
Breeding Pens will be Listed here as well as pictures and videos posted on our FB page, once the pens have been selected.
2024 Pricing
Hatching eggs from our BLRW breeders will be available in Half Dozen up to 2 Dozen per week. Eggs will be marked with Breeding Pen and also with Collection Date when purchased for buyers benefit. Every 5 eggs purchased there will be 1 egg given as curtsey.
Hatching eggs will be $5/ egg.
Cross B is still staying at a lower price point for BLRW hatching eggs for 2024. Also if you want from a particular pen cost may increase, and only smaller amounts of eggs will be available.
You must be on a Waiting List to get a notification on hatching eggs.
Chicks & Grow Outs
Read First! Pullets are not typically available. Usually if they are kept past 6 weeks they will grow out on the ranch until next years breeding selection happens. I do not grow pullets to sell to the public for that purpose. Occasionally these pullets do become available as I see faults that does not allow them to stay in the breeding program.
St. Run 0-2 Weeks $10 Each
St. Run 3-4 Weeks $15 Each
St. Run 5-6 Weeks $18 Each
Pullets 7-8 Weeks $20 Each
Pullets 9-12 Weeks $25 Each
Pullets 13-16 Weeks $30 Each
Pullets 17-20 Weeks $35 Each
Pullets 21-24 Weeks $40 Each
Pullets 7-9 Months $ 50 & Up
Cockerels, you must contact me and prices will be Equivalent to the above listed pullet prices.