Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Thanks There are actually three chocolates in the different photos. And more at home

 

[Adoravachick]

I would never "proccess" my chickens just because of DQ's or faults. I don't have a problem with someone else choosing to do so after they have purchased them. But I like it when they go to a home that wants them as pets and egg layers, or to kids for 4-H.

For me, I have always has such a soft spot for animals. I cannot eat an animal that I have known personally, I just cannot do it, it makes me feel terribly ill. I am finding that many people at the local swaps do enjoy the PQ birds that I bring, so I don't see any problems with selling my culls there when the time comes. They practically fight over them.

As I was spraying the birds today with permethrin, I got a look at alot of coolies (vents), and it raised a question for me. Many of my birds are around 5 months old and their vents are very small and the bones were close together (1/2 inch or so apart). As they mature, do these bones spread apart in the hens. Or is this a good indication and I have several roosters?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

cock-a-doodle-doo

Sorry

 

[sager:)silkies]

Fret marks are basically black "stripes" (bars or spots) on what should be a solid coloured grey feather. The ideal self blue is supposed to be an absolutely solid colour of identical "grey" with no dark or light markings.

thanks for telling me barb

 

[Adoravachick]

cock-a-doodle-doo

Sorry

oh man! They are pretty though, so it will give me some good options for the spring.

 

[blessedchick]

I had a batch of gray chicks hatch out from my partridge pen, so I'm hoping you all can help me out...

This is so new to me...I've heard both Silver Partridge and Gray being referred to as both the same color and as different colors. Are they the same, or what is the difference (pencilling??)

Also, 2 of these chicks have the slightest gold leakage on the tips of their wings. Should these be sold as PQ or is this leakage fairly easy to breed out?

ALSO, what color should I breed back to to intensify the gray and minimize the leakage??

Thank you all BUNCHES!

 

[blessedchick]

Sonoran, your chocolates are beautiful! Yet another color to fall in love with!

 

[Adoravachick]

Sonoran, your chocolates are beautiful! Yet another color to fall in love with!

X2....anything chocolate....lovely.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I had a batch of gray chicks hatch out from my partridge pen, so I'm hoping you all can help me out...

This is so new to me...I've heard both Silver Partridge and Gray being referred to as both the same color and as different colors. Are they the same, or what is the difference (pencilling??)

Also, 2 of these chicks have the slightest gold leakage on the tips of their wings. Should these be sold as PQ or is this leakage fairly easy to breed out?

ALSO, what color should I breed back to to intensify the gray and minimize the leakage??

Thank you all BUNCHES!

Greys and silver partridge are more or less the same thing. The standard lists phenotypes for male and female that are not the same genetically; as in the genotype to get a female will not get a male that meets the standard; not just gender differences, but genotype differences.. Most judges don't really understand what grey is. There is an older thread on the club forum about this.

Gold or red on a grey is either autosomal red, mahogany, or on males it could indicate a golden bird (S/s+). Getting rid of autosomal red can be difficult; especially when too many people want to perpetuate it. It is a DQ on and silver bird. I would say pet homes.

 

[blessedchick]

Greys and silver partridge are more or less the same thing. The standard lists phenotypes for male and female that are not the same genetically; as in the genotype to get a female will not get a male that meets the standard; not just gender differences, but genotype differences.. Most judges don't really understand what grey is. There is an older thread on the club forum about this.

Gold or red on a grey is either autosomal red, mahogany, or on males it could indicate a golden bird (S/s+). Getting rid of autosomal red can be difficult; especially when too many people want to perpetuate it. It is a DQ on and silver bird. I would say pet homes.

Thank you so much, Sonoran! I'm doing a close examination of each one of them tonight to decide who needs to go and who needs to stay. Now I'm so intrigued by this color that I will have to look up that thread on the club forum! Should I only breed gray to gray to best perpetuate the color or should I breed in black (from black x black background) to keep it true?