Creating my own chicken breed - Steinahons

[AZHomesteadPoultry]

Any updates?!?!?!?! Fun to see someone on the same journey!

 

[Steinagarden]

Any updates?!?!?!?! Fun to see someone on the same journey!

I will update with photos when they are out My hatching machine had gone a bit low for a day without me noticing it, so they are a bit delayed. But they looked alive and on their way out when I checked last night, so I hope they will hatch during the day and tomorrow!

 

[Steinagarden]

They are here! 2 chicks, 1 female and 1 male. These are Bielefelder x Ayam Cemani. Very cute! I have more in the incubator, I need more chicks to have enough to work with and choose from.

I also got some Buff Columbian I think, different e alleles but both gold of what the chick down tell me. Will be exciting to see them develop!

 

[Steinagarden]

Here is a new update!

The black chicks are growing in nicely, and growing fast. I am very excited to see their adult size, hoping for a size closer to AC than Bielefelder. The rooster is much lighter than the female, because of the barring gene.

I have gotten several Buff Columbians in my latest hatch, I am wondering if I might got a rooster too, but I am a bit unsure if he is Ss or s. He has a lot of autosomal Red in him, so I'm afraid that confuses me about his colour and if he is gold or not. And he has too much black, but he is the first rooster I have hatched that I think might be a gold, but very diluted. Anyone want to have an opinion?

Here are a few photos of the rooster:

I am so impatient of getting started with my other combinations. I have several young birds going into this project, that will mature for spring, it just seems like such a looong wait

I am planning to use my Eksjohons and Jaerhons into this, for both the type, barring and brown eggs. Along with Ayam Cemani/Bielefelder and the Buff Columbians-coloured icelandic chickens.

Some of my Jaerhons, about 4 weeks old now.

A young Eksjohons rooster, about 9 weeks old now. I have a few hens too. They lay really nice brown eggs and are considered a very healthy and strong breed. They are also ideal size, not too heavy.

I know I will chase this really nice orange colour for my future Steinahons breed. If anyone has any tips for breeding the richest orange colour, please share! I can't get enough of this colour, considering removing all birds in breeding that doesn't give me a chance of orange/Buff

MY DREAM COLOUR (but with black skin and barring added):

 

[TOMTE]

Oohhh I have to follow this... Fett!

 

[Steinagarden]

My Bielefelder/AC-mix are growing in really pretty. I am very facinated by their appearance. And I am excited to see how dark brown eggs the black hens lay. I could expect some bloom as well, maybe light purple or pink eggs, due to the fact that Ayam Cemani often have a pink bloom on their eggs.

I culled the previous rooster I posted photos of. I am pretty sure he was a split silver Ss, if not, he was a very diluted buff columbian. I am after a rich colour. Luckely I manage to breed another rooster that looks to be the perfect colour I am after. At first I thought he could be mottled but I dont think so anymore. My buff columbian hen that are really nice in colour also looked mottled at this age, but turned out to be solid coloured. I know that I should not trust the "young feather coat", as it can be misleading to how the hen or rooster will look as an adult.

My goal now is to keep breeding a good pool of buff columbian I can use with barred chicken breeds. I have 2 breeds to use for the barring. I have written a chart to keep track over all the different qualities I want into the final result, and from there know how to combine the best parents to get as many qualities I need in one pairing. It is not so easy regarding the egg colour though, because the best breeds I have for a deep brown egg colour are not barred, and are not in the correct feather colour. So I think I need at least 4 generations before I can see something looking like Steinahons.

It's still fun though - I have never had any interest to mix chickens for fun or just without any thoughts behind it. It needs to be a purpose and an end goal to it. And it's really fun to make a combination and have an expectation to what you get - and seeing it happen!

The worst part about this is having the patient to see the adult feather coat and waiting for that first egg to come

 

[AZHomesteadPoultry]

THAT BIELEFELDER MIX IS WILD!!! was it a hen or a rooster bielefelder that you crossed with the Cemani? i think i need some of those

 

[Slothinc]

Love your project!!!

 

[Steinagarden]

THAT BIELEFELDER MIX IS WILD!!! was it a hen or a rooster bielefelder that you crossed with the Cemani? i think i need some of those

Yes I agree! I used Ayam Cemani rooster over Bielefelder hens. I would not recommend Bielefelder rooster over AC hens, I think they will be break their back in that combination

Here are some fresh photos from today, they keep growing into beautiful birds!

 

[Steinagarden]

Love your project!!!

Thank you!!