A question of ethics/conscience.

[silkieluver_07]

Quote:

Also to add, some silkies have been weighing over the maximum amount for their body size because breeders have been focusing on foot feathering/crest. I realized this with some of my silkies and have been looking for birds now that weigh the correct weight according to the standard.

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Yeah. Here at work we have 2 store pets that are silkies, one is from a hatchery and the other is from a breeder. A coworker wanted to order silkie pullets and I told her you can because they are bantams and they arent sexable and all that but then she said that Punk is as big as a standard chicken which he is, he is larger than the sexlink roosters we had last week. But the bird from the hatchery looks right to me, medium crest, nice toes and foot feathering and all that, just smaller. It looks more proportioned to me, not so funky.

 

[suebee]

All my chickens are silkies. If I can't see their eyes, I trim around and forward towards the beak. I think it's cruel not to...unless you're showing. But even showing is not year round. So trim in the off season.
When I first started out raising silkies, I had a few that couldn't see well. They were timid and depressed. After the trim they turned into happy, outgoing birds.
It's just my opinion, but if your silkies can't see, please take the time to trim. If you're apprehensive, find someone who can help you.
I would feel so guilty knowing they are suffering because I didn't trim...that's where the question of my personal ethics/conscience comes into play.