What faults can correct themselves as a kit matures?

[aznmexaggie]

For those of you who have a lot of experience with showing and evaluating your animals, what faults visible as a kit correct themselves over time?

Kit from dark and extra dark standard pairing with gray tipping on the belly - kit is very heavily veiled for a baby and dark on the face and nose, likely to be an extra dark... is her belly likely to become white as she gets older or are gray bellies something that they'll probably have as adults as well? Offspring from previous litters have had bright white bellies from the start through adulthood. I am thinking this may be a result of the heavy veiling?

Standard gray kit from a different dark and extra dark pairing is offcolor and lacking clarity - this kit has had visible reddish tones to me from birth until now (weaning age), unlike most of my other standard babies who actually look clear and blue. Previous offspring from this litter have always been very blue with good clarity and taken 1st and higher in show. Is clarity a trait that can improve as a kit grows?

What other faults that can be seen in kits may improve over time? Or more importantly, which ones don't improve? I want to be more efficient at which kits I hold back for show and if there is a telltale sign that a kit has a major flaw as a baby that he won't grow out of, I don't want to grow him out with my hopes up that he'll improve.

 

[VolunteerChin22]

Good question - I'd also like to see the input on this. I wouldn't consider myself ready to be a judge by any means but I've seen some kits with darker bellies improve as they get older. I thought I remembered a thread where someone was discussing reddish tones in younger animals possibly being caused by lack of/poor air flow causing oxidation in addition to gene expression - maybe I've just been on this conference call too long. Does anyone else remember that? Not saying that is happening to you, but it just came to my mind when you mentioned reddish tones. Obviously, size and density can improve with age. Veiling on animals (especially blacks) can improve over time. I would think that swirls or negative traits in the fur texture would not improve, or if a kit has long fur it would not improve...what does everyone else think?

 

[threewingedfury]

I've had quite a few babies born here with darker bellies that turned white in between 3-6 months. I think it does have something to do with darker veiling, because I noticed this in my darker veiled breedings. I think that sometimes the tip and bar isn't long enough at birth and the underfur shines through.

I've also wondered myself about the reddish toned kits. Three kits that I sold for someone else were very red when I picked them up, but after a month or so at my home, their red was gone. I didn't know if this was in relation to the ventilation or air circulation in their home, or if they were actually born red.

 

[Riven]

Really there is no good answer for this. Until they get their adult coats you just don't know.

A wedgy kit at weaning, tends to be a wedgie adult.

The red tint is sometimes called "cinnamon", and kits can be like that until they're about 6 months then clear up, but sometimes it's just bad color. Some ranchers say that the ones born like that turn out very blue and clear.

Unfortunately it's hard to tell. I've had some I didn't think would turn out, sold them, and seen them later and they're awesome. My neighbor has one, a std male from me that is really nice. nothing special as a kit though.

 

[aznmexaggie]

The reddish kit issue I don't think has to do with ventilation as the 10 other standard kits born within two weeks of her do not have that problem. They look nice and blue. However, I do agree that poor ventilation can cause a chin's fur to oxidize more rapidly and become offcolor.

I also had one kit who was one of those "cinnamon" babies, although I did not mention her in the original post. She was born almost beige-hued on her back and gray on the head, but by weaning she looked like a normal standard.

I'd really like to hear what some of the ranchers have to say about this. I am sure they often have to make decisions fairly early on whether to keep a kit and grow it out or sell it. There must be some faults that are unlikely to improve upon maturity.

 

[aznmexaggie]

I'd like more input on this so I'm just bumping it up. I know there are some ranchers on the forum who may be able to give some input and experiences.

 

[greychins]

I would have to agree that the reddish may not always (sometimes, but not always) have to do with ventilation. We've shown one of our males several times in the past few years (he's 13 now) and have had several different judges comment that our ventilation must be good for his fur to still look as good and have the correct color at his age.... yet.... we just had one of those "cinnamon" kits born, and another kit born here is starting to look red now that she's a few weeks old. Nothing's changed, ventilation wise, and the bv male still has good color.

I've seen some bellies improve with age, so I have held back babies with less than stellar bellies if they seem promising elsewhere.

I, too, have had some babies that I didn't think were anything special... until I see them years down the road and could kick myself. But, the opposite is true as well (at least for me) -- I've hung onto kits that looked promising as kits, but, once weaned, never attained the size, or the clarity that I'd hope for them as adults. I have a 9-10 month old that I bought to add to the herd and show, hoping she'd really get some size on her -- fur's good, good color, decent clarity, all promising, but.... she's currently as big as one of my 3 month old kits. Ah well. You win some, you lose some.

I think this is a good thread. I hope a few more people will chime in on what can/cannot be fixed. Sometimes I go back and forth debating to keep one or not to keep one, because I don't know if there's a good chance a baby will grow out of its 'problem area.' Like with the cinnamon -- if it really was going to turn blue as an adult, I would totally hang onto this kit. Already about 250g at four weeks. But if it stays cinnamon... totally off-color and not worth keeping (from a breeding perspective, anyway). But I just don't know.

 

[Dreamlite]

You have to take in the parents breeding record. If they have had amazing kits in the passed, I usually hold on to the kit to see. Bellies can clear up, but only to a point. I don't breed for extra dark standards cause that is a issue that is commom for that color. Obviously size, coat, and density can improve. Longer haired chins do not improve.