Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[ChickNmamma]

Splash Chick

Lighter splash chick

Blue chick (thinking roo on this one)

Blue chick #2

My black Hatchery Girl, 2 months old

Hatchery girl's feet

not much poof on her head
4 babies are from the same breeder as the older 2, the black girl is from Ideal Hatchery. any thoughts?

My


Musti looks very good for 3 months old - looks like he will be a keeper. I had one boy I just sold that was like that - very nice! Gypsy - well

. I don't like the way she holds her tail. I have one Hen that has a droopy tail - and her chicks also do that (I sold them as PQ). Hopefully crossing with Musti brings the tail on their kids up! Gypsy's wings also look low - does she keep them dropped like that all the time? Her best stance is in the last photo behind the fence, but her tail still isn't up.

On the littles - waaaaaaaaay to young to determine boy or girl! I guessed at a few weeks old too and was wrong - the agressive ones turned out female - the friendliest one turned out male. How old are they? They look about 3-4 weeks old? They look like they are at that gawky stage where you won't see any clue as to how good they are going to turn out. All you can do at that stage is look for physical things like 5 toes, correct comb, feathers on the middle toe.. forget about looking to see floof. They do get better later on.

Your hatchery girl is better than mine - but personally I would not use her for breeding unless she has something that is missing in all your other birds. Unfortunately HQ is usually a backwards step from most breeders with better stock and both of the other ones show better stock than the hatchery girl. She just doesn't have the poof like the two others do - not in the tail, not on the head. I don't see the stance either. I recall my BQ/SQ chicks got a puffy tail and funny heads and looked like firecrackers on the back end and electrical show on their heads at about 6 weeks. I love my hatchery girl, makes the best mommy because she doesn't care if I mess with her while she is broody - but she isn't allowed to hatch her own eggs.

I take Paypal or credit cards, but not cash unless they are pure copper pennies

(JK)

 

[Nikki816]

My Musti looks very good for 3 months old - looks like he will be a keeper. I had one boy I just sold that was like that - very nice! Gypsy - well :/ . I don't like the way she holds her tail. I have one Hen that has a droopy tail - and her chicks also do that (I sold them as PQ). Hopefully crossing with Musti brings the tail on their kids up! Gypsy's wings also look low - does she keep them dropped like that all the time? Her best stance is in the last photo behind the fence, but her tail still isn't up. On the littles - waaaaaaaaay to young to determine boy or girl! I guessed at a few weeks old too and was wrong - the agressive ones turned out female - the friendliest one turned out male. How old are they? They look about 3-4 weeks old? They look like they are at that gawky stage where you won't see any clue as to how good they are going to turn out. All you can do at that stage is look for physical things like 5 toes, correct comb, feathers on the middle toe.. forget about looking to see floof. They do get better later on. Your hatchery girl is better than mine - but personally I would not use her for breeding unless she has something that is missing in all your other birds. Unfortunately HQ is usually a backwards step from most breeders with better stock and both of the other ones show better stock than the hatchery girl. She just doesn't have the poof like the two others do - not in the tail, not on the head. I don't see the stance either. I recall my BQ/SQ chicks got a puffy tail and funny heads and looked like firecrackers on the back end and electrical show on their heads at about 6 weeks. I love my hatchery girl, makes the best mommy because she doesn't care if I mess with her while she is broody - but she isn't allowed to hatch her own eggs. I take Paypal or credit cards, but not cash unless they are pure copper pennies (JK)

Lol. I was told the older 2 hatched in may, but I would have guessed them about a month older. The only thing that worries me about musti is his size. I weighed him when I got him home and he was 33oz. I'll have to watch gypsy and try to get Some better pics. My 2yr old likes to try and catch them, so its hard to sit and wait for a good pic in the daytime. The hatchery girl is a back up in case the chicks decide to be mostly roos. I kept the one with the best foot feathering and beard. I hope to replace her before they are good enough to breed.

 

[mbbrinegar]

Hmm. My silkie rooster doesn't crow but he has been fertilizing my silkie hen's eggs.

This is him.

So does your rooster make any noise or is he a complete mute?

 

[Jharper]

So does your rooster make any noise or is he a complete mute?

He clucks and everything else but no crowing.

 

[mbbrinegar]

He clucks and everything else but no crowing.

That's different. I guess you got some what lucky.

Sometimes I like the sound of a rooster, but they can go overboard.

 

[Jharper]

That's different. I guess you got some what lucky.

Sometimes I like the sound of a rooster, but they can go overboard.

Yep.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Lol. I was told the older 2 hatched in may, but I would have guessed them about a month older. The only thing that worries me about musti is his size. I weighed him when I got him home and he was 33oz. I'll have to watch gypsy and try to get Some better pics. My 2yr old likes to try and catch them, so its hard to sit and wait for a good pic in the daytime. The hatchery girl is a back up in case the chicks decide to be mostly roos. I kept the one with the best foot feathering and beard. I hope to replace her before they are good enough to breed.

I wouldn't worry too much about the weight at this young age, unless you suspect worms? They are using most of their food to grow their frame and feathers - not much left over for bulk. He does look like 3 months old to me, looks very similar to my 3 month olds - in both feather development and stance. They stay looking about like that for a LOOOOONG time! My 3 month old girl is almost as big as her mother - only she weighs less than 1/3 of the hen. When I pick them up I tell them they need to get some muscle on those bones!

 

[peepblessed]

Finally made it through the whole thread. It took almost a week, but lots of really helpful info

I'll post some pics of my new splash cockerel and blue pullet this evening to get opinions on. And I have several questions as soon as I remember what they are, lol a little overloaded with info

Good for you!

My New splash Cockerel, Musti (my son named him) he is about 3 months old. any opinions

This is a very nice cockerel for his age. I'll be interested to see how he looks in 3 months. I wouldn't worry about his weight at this point.

My New Blue Pullet, her name is gypsy. about 3 months old

She is looking nice for 3 months also. I would check her wings and make sure they fold correctly. She also needs to mature. Give her another two or three months to see how her tail and stance change.

 

[PaintedFeathers]

Snowman is filling out nicely, here he is today (needs a bath bad!) with his adopted daughter Marie

He just cracks me up... such a sweetie.

 

[peepblessed]

Snowman is filling out nicely, here he is today (needs a bath bad!) with his adopted daughter Marie

He just cracks me up... such a sweetie.

Love that top picture! Looks like he's ready to float.