Silkie Feathered Ameraucanas adventure

[upintheholler]

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I hope he/she perks up soon.




I'm not really concerned about inbreeding affecting hatch rates at this point. Currently, I have dismal hatch rates when it comes to shipped eggs. When you throw in all the other variables at play, there are too many things that can be to blame.

Julie has a fairly automatic incubator and the advantage of fresher non-shipped eggs. Her hatch rates and offspring appear fine. If she were having problems, I'd be more inclined to worry.

My concern is with getting the trait out into more birds so it doesn't get lost entirely. One predator or illness and no more gene to work with. The small numbers now can only reproduce so fast.

I just wonder how long it will take for this trait to show back up once we out breed them.

 

[averytds]

Not long at all I wouldn't think if the offspring from the first cross are bred back to the silkied parents.

If I remember the gene box thing correctly and the silkied bird needs 2 copies of the gene, the first cross gets you 100% of offspring with 1 copy. If bred back with a silkied bird 50% will be silkied and 50% will have 1 copy. If 2 birds with 1 copy are bred together, their offspring would be 25% silkied, 50% carriers and 25% no silkied gene.

 

[Serrin]

I've got a chick in the brooder right now that I sure wish I knew who mom and dad were. I think maybe Griffin got a few rounds in with one little hen from his former flock, cuz this little chick, I swear!, has Griffin written all over his/her little body!!

It's the only one in the whole lot of 18 that appears to have a rose comb. And to the best of my knowledge, Griffin was the only one in his entire former flock who had/has a rose comb. What do you suppose are the chances of that actually happening, especially considering how young he is and having to go up against two obviously senior roosters? Maybe he's sneakier than anyone ever gave him credit for!

I hope y'all who are breeding these beautiful little creatures have enormous amounts of success! If I had the time and the space, I'd surely be clamouring to join in with the project. Who knows, maybe this time next year, when there are more breeding hens and roos in the picture, and we're done building our home, I can join ya then. Until that time, keep up the great work folks! They're all looking wonderful!

 

[upintheholler]

Great news.. my little babie is up moving around eating. There is hope for it, yet.

 

[Jubaby]

Glad to hear, Donna!

I have five eggs in the RCom incubator due on Friday. I candled them this morning and all seemed okay. I hope these hatch. I also put 6 eggs in one of my other incubators last Friday. I don't have as good a hatch rate with that bator, but it's the same one that hatched the four chicks in January.

 

[kyrose]

how does someone get their hands on some of the eggs?

 

[Germaine_11.20]

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I am glad to hear that!

 

[Serrin]

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Yaay!!! Come on little chickie!!!! You can do it! You can thrive!!!!

With all of these good vibes directed at the wee one, is there any doubt that s/he wouldn't?

 

[Silkiefan]

silkie... WHAT?

Wowzers!

 

[averytds]

Any updates?