Mary Allen
Show pigeons are very multifaceted. A particularly striking phenomenon is the piebald. Despite its extraordinary appearance, it has remained a rarity to this day. This is probably due to the great breeding difficulties.
There is hardly a pigeon book from the last 100 years in which the chicken piebald is not described. Only a few breeds of pigeons can claim that and it shows the high reputation that the piebald has enjoyed over an extremely long period of time. Nevertheless, they have never become “mass goods”. It even went so far that in some regions they don’t exist at all. In others, such as parts of Bavaria and Saxony, real strongholds have developed. Unfortunately, they haven’t made the leap to Switzerland yet. This is something to be regretted. In fact, piebalds are extremely interesting pigeons to take a look at. As is so often the case, it is the experiences with and around a pigeon breed that make the fire blaze.
In colloquial language, the breed is often referred to as “Linzer”, which suggests an Austrian origin. This is also reflected in the standard, in which Upper Austria is given as the region of origin. In English-language literature, they are known as “Hungarian”. However, the breed name “chicken checker” or “chicken checker” has prevailed.
The Size and Bulkiness are Important Characteristics
The name clearly indicates which group of show pigeons they belong to, namely the hen pigeons. There they are, classic representatives, and also show the attributes that belong to a chicken pigeon in their appearance. Henschecken is quite large and strong pigeons. The size and massiveness must be right in order to be recognized as a real piebald. Only the combination of size and correct drawing makes the piebald. Breeders’ experience shows that markings are easier to achieve on a smaller pigeon.
In addition to size, there is a horizontal posture, which is not always the case. Other races have it much easier. Or does the viewer fall for an optical illusion? Because the continuous underline, otherwise an undoubted criterion of hen pigeon breeds, is present in the piebald in the rarest of cases. This even goes so far that the standard clearly tolerates a slightly different lower line. So you have to look closely to be able to judge the posture properly. If only because it is indispensable for a very good chicken pinto.
The body itself must be wide, and the chest area bulges significantly forward. However, the taut plumage ensures that the breast never appears as rounded as one knows, for example, from a king pigeon. This peculiarity contributes to the fact that the bow of the wing protrudes a little. This is normal for a piebald, but certainly not the norm for a breed of hen pigeon.
The Tail Must Not be Too Wide
Body width also affects the back, which rises backward but tapers only slightly. The rise is crucial for the correct position of the tail, which must always be tightened. It is also at least as important that the tail is not too wide and also appears short in length. This is easier to demand than it is to breed – especially since the neck has to belong. The wings rest on the tail and should cover the back as much as possible. The connections between the transition from the end of the shield and the exit of the wing to the rear cover are known and must be taken into account in the assessment. Only those who do this can come to a factual judgment here.
In order to achieve the necessary height, the standing height must be given great attention. You want your stance to belong and stretch. This means that both the lower legs and the area from the heel joint to the standing toe must belong. However, the length alone is not enough. Certain bone strength is essential and ensures that the piebald also appears strong.
Ideally, the Rims of the Eyes are Fiery
But what would a piebald be without the characteristic neck and head section?! These characteristics manage to add to the breed’s size and have a lasting effect on the overall impression. If a piebald is then in the mood, the neck must be long and carried upright. Coming from the broad shoulder area, it tapers noticeably towards the head. A bulging of the cervical vertebrae, i.e. a so-called baguette knot, must not appear. In order to achieve this, a piebald may need to be spoken to before judging it.
The head also deviates somewhat from the hen-pigeon usual. From the tip of the beak, it runs in a long curved line to the back of the head. Warts, which are quite strong, must not adversely affect the profile of the head. They are not quite as smooth as in the form of pigeon breeds, which is particularly true of the adults. Pronounced pressure and trick must not be shown under any circumstances. This means that the head profile must not appear dented from above or from the side after warts. That would disrupt the head pull in the long term. This also applies to the throat, which is fully cut out. Only then does the characteristic head pull come into play.
However, the whole foreface does not fit if the beak is too long and thin. Here it is essential to pay attention to a strong expression. In particularly racy animals, the beak is colored bright red at the base – a blood beak. While the color of the upper beak must always be pure, the young ones tolerate a slightly tarnished lower beak. Although the whole head appears drawn when viewed from the side, care must be taken that the foreface is neither too stiff nor drawn.
One would like the strongly developed eye rims, which are formed from several rings, to be fiery red. Despite a certain width, however, they must not be coarse in structure. They must fit as smoothly as possible and not be too bulky. The wide circles under the eyes make the eyes appear deeper. The irises are orange to red. Only the brown colors are allowed to have a lighter eye color due to genetic principles. Otherwise, these colors would never come into play.
No other breed of pigeon shows the pattern of the piebald – so it is really unique and that’s saying something, with almost 1000 known breeds of pigeons. The wing shields are colored with the exception of six to eleven white wings on each side and the entire tail plumage.
There are also colored sides of the head and a large bib that should go up to the breastbone. However, there must still be a white stripe between the wingtip and bib in order to make the drawing areas appear separate. Although the standard specifies a figure of about one centimeter, nobody will think of measuring it. This also applies to the white crown band, which starts after warts and has to run through to the white hindneck. It should be about three to five millimeters wide. It quickly becomes apparent that the width of the stripe can significantly influence the expression of a piebald.
Due to the complicated and unique drawing, one is tempted to make her the center of attention. Here, however, it is important to note that the drawing is second to last in the evaluation sequence. Nevertheless, the breeders manage again and again to present almost perfectly marked chicken piebalds of the appropriate size. Of course, this is only possible with a great deal of cleaning. But that is not the only part of it, but also the willingness to invest this time. A steady hand and a keen eye are also essential.