A question of ethics/conscience.

[chickensducks&agoose]

Are you telling me that my silkie is going to DIE unless I bring it food every day and give it frequent haircuts?!?! This is going to be the shortest ownership in history!

 

[walkswithdog]

Dunno Sarah. It's a good question. So far I'm only breeding what survives free ranging and perhaps that's a test in and of itself? Whiskey and Tequila both did well free ranging last year so the only progeny from the Sizzles this year are theirs. I suppose if I can keep that part of my criteria, they'll do well enough. I like the idea of working hard on a balance of muff/beard and crest placement. Makes sense. Neither Whiskey or Tequila are huge in the muff/beard department though they've decent crests. Aris managed to dodge roo this year so we don't have any eggs/progeny from her. The one silkie that's growing out that I am sure is a girl is blue and not heavy crested. I'd like to do well in shows but I don't think I want to do so well they can't find water or food.

I don't think I need best in show to be happy showing. So I think there's a way through it all, at least for me. I draw the line at AI as well... ugh. No. I'll have to pen them up more next year but first I'll run this first generation bred here out with the big dogs and they'll make it or they won't. I figure that will probably sort some of them out, as it has my other breeds.

The sense to come in out of the rain, dodge predators - even if it's by listening to the warning of the rest of the flock, find food and know where the water is, is the first criteria here. I lost some partridge rocks, a barred rock and some turkeys but so far not a delaware and not a single Sizzle to either predators or apparent illness/mishap.

BTW so far... Four splash, four blues... two more batches of eggs in the bator... One vaulted, the rest normal. One excellent black silkie male, one good blue silkie female, and three hmmm dunno whether they'll crow or lay - I'm betting on crow... The project is going along...

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Can someone post pictures to show the difference between a "vaulted skull"" and one that isn't.

I keep reading posts about vaulted and really would like to see what it looks like.

 

[iluvmychicks]

Are you telling me that my silkie is going to DIE unless I bring it food every day and give it frequent haircuts?!?! This is going to be the shortest ownership in history!

Unfortunatley many exhibition silkies have been bred for an enormous crest, hair cuts or taping up the crest can be necessary if the crest inpairs the vision. I personally don't favor the over sized crests, and to be honest judges are shying away from these HUGE crests, which I think is a really good thing. Silkie crest should be upright and globular, not so big they literally sag in the eyes. I raise silkies and have never had to trim the crest, they eat, drink and act like any other breed. In my opinion silkies have been very inbred in the country which explains the lack of vigor and over health. Silkies should be able to survive like any other bird, meaning no special treatment such as haircuts and serving them food.

Shari​

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Like I have said before, silkies arent supposed to have a huge crest, the standard calls for a medium crest, not large, medium. Everyone is breeding them with giant crests and seem to be focusing on that alone, crest and beard size, not body size or anything, mainly that. As far as the showing thing goes the best way to deal with that is to not breed birds with huge crests, breed to the standard, not to the judges prefference. Wyandottes went through a similar thing with tails, the judges were placing the bunny tailed wyandottes which is a big no-no. So breeders started breeding for the bunny/cochin tails and away from the standard. There were people that didnt care about winning with those kind of birds, they bred to the standard and not the judges, now the judges are placing the proper birds. So if you breed good silkies with medium crests and proper size and type the judges will hopefully realize that and place your strain over others.

 

[amazondoc]

I don't mind raising a breed with decreased fertility (e.g. cochins, araucanas) or a bird with traits which might inhibit survival in the wild (e.g.brabanter crests). After all, these birds are NOT in the wild.

I would, however, draw the line at traits that cause active suffering. I would not personally want to raise a blind bird (one of the reasons I prefer brabanter style crests to silkie or Polish styles), or a crippled bird (therefore no Cornish or dwarfs), or something similar.

For me, it's about what that individual animal perceives. That animal doesn't care if it's infertile, so I don't care (except for the annoyance factor

). But that animal's welfare IS impaired if it can't find the water dish -- so I care about that!

 

[racuda]

Quote:
Not vaulted:

Vaulted:

 

[ninny]

vaulted means their brains are sticking out right?

 

[Wifezilla]

This is the reason I will not own crested ducks...or dogs that without constant hair cuts and grooming become a matted mess. Some of these traits may look really cool, but they are so bad for the animal.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

Sarah ~ I don't think it has anything to do with the breeder or whatever. I think it has to do with the person who chooses to own such critters. Whether it is a dog or a chicken or a guinea pig it does not matter. I think that people should do their research before jumping up and saying, " Oh that's so cool! I want it!" Too many folks these days don't take into consideration the care of the critter over their desire to have the coolest thing on the block. As for myself I would absolutely love to own a monkey. Am I willing to go to all lengths to do what is required for a monkey? Absolutely not. Therefore I choose not to own one.
I personally think it is kinda sad that people create things that have health issues for example english bulldogs. They are awesome dogs don't get me wrong but they are not natural and many suffer because of some humans desire to have that one cool thing. Cross breeding of chickens as far as I know does not cause things like breathing issues or mutations that they would pretty much have to evolve to overcome the obstacles. I think a few feathers needing to be trimmed every now and again is the equivalent to having to take your long haired dog to the groomer so that it does not develop mats and abcesses. You would do that for your dog or cat so why not your chicken?

Please note I am not attacking english bulldog breeders or owners or anything I just used it as an example

also I don't think you should beat yourself up for letting something slip your mind. Everyone makes mistakes and you seem to be very dedicated to your animals. I am sure that you didn't forget to trim on purpose.