My birds with the tailed trait are called Ketros. My modern Ketros are necessary to keep them balanced so they do not get “Short Back Syndrome” from missing anatomy of tail-less inbreeding. They are pure and maintained here the way they are still maintained in South America with Ketros and Kollonkas producing Araucana types for 45 years here. Your tailed birds can be mixed with the others or kept as a Ketro flock. I have one Ketro flock and several flocks with a Ketro in it. My Black Hybrids have been allowed to return to Ketro types and show promise of becoming a commercial blue egg producing strain if they do not carry the tail-less missing anatomy or lethal tufted trait genetics. In fact seeing the long flat tail trait can show the jungle fowl genetics that indicate ancient true Araucanas from Polynesian chicken types.
I have “My Strain” Ketros and the Black Hybrid Ketro types, they are not mixed here. Hybrids mature at 4.5 months row fast eat more and are different with many other Roman/European commercial chicken traits. My strain matures at 8 Months or longer, eats less, live longer, have stronger feathers, better instincts and different behaviors with more diversity of feather colors and patterns.
It has taken about seven years to get the Black Hybrid strain to fully tailed anatomy types and now many options can present. Without the lethal ear tuft traits and the missing anatomy traits of tail-less birds, commercial possibilities can be concentrated in their genetics. This not only helps guarantee their continuation as pure bred birds but allows future possibilities and respect for their unique abilities. Here are some pictures of the Black Hybrid types showing promise. Eliminating the lethal tufted trait genetics is a new goal for me but with their “Gourmet quality” Blue eggs and commercial traits are too much to resist. Many tailed chicks from these proud Ketro types, Enjoy, edd ( : > )