Black silkies

[moomoodiddy]

The mama hen is a Bobbi Porto gal. We love Bobbi and her birds!

of course!!!!!!!

 

[shirleynaught]

A few of my Black Silkies

These are absolutely gorgeous! I'm a newbie to silkies. My daughters picked black silkies for their 4-h project, and I love them. I hope to learn (with my girls) how to improve our lines through breeding. One of my biggest concerns right now is one of our cockerels recently starting having a few orangish feathers in his hackle. From the breed description I found on the ASBC website, it's not a DQ for showing. Since some of you are breeding your own lines and showing, what is your advice? I think I should keep him out of the breeding pen. My daughter LOVES this little guy, though, so he's here to stay. I'm hoping she can use him for showmanship, because she just carries him around all day and he loves it. I notice some lighter feathers around the leg areas of all of our silkies. Is that bad for show/breeding silkies? Any input/advice appreciated!
*Edit -- I am reading the previous posts that deal with genetics and breeding. Am I correct in understanding that leakage around the hocks may indicate that our birds are just dark blue. I have some splash babies, so eventually, I can try breeding them to splash to determine. In the mean time, what are the best steps I can take to work with the stock I have to get better blacks next generation?

 

[Feathersprings]

These are absolutely gorgeous! I'm a newbie to silkies. My daughters picked black silkies for their 4-h project, and I love them. I hope to learn (with my girls) how to improve our lines through breeding. One of my biggest concerns right now is one of our cockerels recently starting having a few orangish feathers in his hackle. From the breed description I found on the ASBC website, it's not a DQ for showing. Since some of you are breeding your own lines and showing, what is your advice? I think I should keep him out of the breeding pen. My daughter LOVES this little guy, though, so he's here to stay. I'm hoping she can use him for showmanship, because she just carries him around all day and he loves it. I notice some lighter feathers around the leg areas of all of our silkies. Is that bad for show/breeding silkies? Any input/advice appreciated!
*Edit -- I am reading the previous posts that deal with genetics and breeding. Am I correct in understanding that leakage around the hocks may indicate that our birds are just dark blue. I have some splash babies, so eventually, I can try breeding them to splash to determine. In the mean time, what are the best steps I can take to work with the stock I have to get better blacks next generation?

Black can be challenging. I am by no means an expert and actually I dont show. A lot of black males have the gold or silver leakage. There are lot of people that breed them anyway if they are of good type and cull offspring that develop leakage but sometimes it shows up at 2 or 3 yrs old anyway. It is hard to get those really good black males that are dark black , no leakage and proper type. You should send some pictures of your little guy to see the coloring. A little lighter underfluff in those areas I havent personally found to mean they are blue but test breeding wont hurt. As far as next generation breeding back to your best black hen and growing them out and keeping the best from that and so on... buying the best stock you can to start with is great so you can take advantage of someone having done a lot of that hard work for you Blacks are my favorites.. Im looking forward to spring and these boys growing up!

 

[shirleynaught]

This is a picture of the cockerel with the gold leakage next to our little guy! Is that much leakage a DQ? It's like he knew what i wanted to take a picture of! LOL

 

[destiny_56085]

Off-color in the hackles on a cockerel is a disqualification. On an older cock, they knock it down to a serious defect only though. That's ALOT of gold already on your bird. Personally would not be a keeper for me. A few threads of gold (like only barely noticeable under bright light) on a 10-12 month old cockerel is a maybe if overall body type is exceptional. Your boy is going to turn out more like a dark partridge before he's done maturing. I can already see the gold way up into his crest.

 

[shirleynaught]

Off-color in the hackles on a cockerel is a disqualification. On an older cock, they knock it down to a serious defect only though. That's ALOT of gold already on your bird. Personally would not be a keeper for me. A few threads of gold (like only barely noticeable under bright light) on a 10-12 month old cockerel is a maybe if overall body type is exceptional. Your boy is going to turn out more like a dark partridge before he's done maturing. I can already see the gold way up into his crest.

Thats what I was afraid of! I definitely won't be using him to breed. Do you think our other cockerel looks okay? I bought these 2 cockerels along with 2 pullets from a breeder at a show in Lake City, FL this year. I just want to make sure we have some decent birds for the shows starting this fall and so we can start breeding some decent stock of our own.

 

[Feathersprings]

This is a picture of the cockerel with the gold leakage next to our little guy! Is that much leakage a DQ? It's like he knew what i wanted to take a picture of! LOL

That is a lot of leakage.. probably wouldnt plan on using him Yes,he was was certainly cooperative showing you his neck lol!

 

[shirleynaught]

Thank you, feathersprings and destiny_56085, for taking the time to look at my picture! I really appreciate your advice, and I hope to put it to good use!

 

[Feathersprings]

After thinking I had a hen, cockerel, a pullet and one maybe pullet in my new black bunch, I now know i have a hen and 2 cockerels.. the other one sort of looks like a cockerel ( stand like one) but no streamers , small comb and not crowing. They are 5 months old.. still hoping for a pullet

the second Cockerel was very much looking like a pullet and then overnight just changed into a boy! Grew a bigger comb and started crowing and behaving like a naughty teenager in the run! Now I am glad this pretty boy is a boy !!! I was hoping for two cockerels actually.




Still in question is this cutie ! No streamers but this one is as big as the boys. Most of the time stands very upright like one of the boys does and in fact sometimes it is hard to tell them apart.

 

[Feathersprings]

! I was hoping for two cockerels actually.




Still in question is this cutie ! No streamers but this one is as big as the boys. Most of the time stands very upright like one of the boys does and in fact sometimes it is hard to tell them apart.

This "pullet was also a cockerel


And.. we have 3 new Black Babies.. hopefully all pullets