As another Canary breeding season approaches, the
selection of pairings is of great importance. These selections will determine
whether we make progress or fall by the wayside when the show season comes
along.
The aim must be to ensure that each pair is well balanced and always Corona to
Consort. When selecting pairings, I always keep in mind what a top Gloster
breeder, John Thornton, told me: "Hens for type and cocks for colour".
So Gloster hens, whether they are Coronas or Consorts, should be small, nicely
rounded in body, have short tails, well formed heads and in general be of good
type.
The quality of any stud rests on the quality of its hens and
homebred hens are far more valuable than those that are brought in. You can
judge a brought-in hen only from its appearance. No matter how many relatives
and pedigrees you are shown, there is no guarantee that a new hen will fit in
with your own stock.
Gloster cocks need to be short and cobby and must have excellent colour and
feather quality. Tow points need to be remembered; older Glosters will be a
slightly larger than unflighted ones and cocks will begin to tighten their
feathering and lose their shape as the breeding season approaches.
As always, when dealing with Glosters it is not just the
differences between cocks and hens that need to be considered, we also have to
take into account the two different Gloster forms; Coronas and Consorts.
The distinctive feature of the Corona is, in fact, its corona, the crest of
feathers on its head. The corona should be rounded and its feathers should be
long and have good "droop'. We all breed the odd example with a creased or
split corona, but these should be discarded. Otherwise, the fault could be
passed on to future generations.
The Consort can be looked upon as a tool used in the
production of Coronas, so the feathering on its head needs to be long enough to
permit a corona to be formed by its progeny. This can be checked by pushing a
Consort's head feathers forward. Use a two-pence piece to do this (positioning
it where the corona would be, and if the tips of feathers can be seen protruding
under the front of the coin, you know you are on the right lines.
Although it is not necessary for a Consort to have a heavy
brow, slight browiness with rise and width across the eyes is ideal. However,
even some winning Consorts have pinched heads, little top or back skull and eyes
protruding, so that they look like frogs when viewed eye level.
It is not good for the Fancy when judges give prizes to such specimens because
that is the type they use in their own breeding cages. Even though a judge might
keep Consorts that do not resemble the Standard of Excellence, it is the
Standard they should have in mind when judging.
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