breeding birds for my program

[msiler]

This is a super interesting thread!! Thanks to everyone who contributed!
I have a related question, what are you looking for when you cull day olds and week olds?
Anything besides the obvious "4 toes instead of 5" or "no middle toe feathering" I should be looking for?

 

[NNYchick]

This is a super interesting thread!! Thanks to everyone who contributed!
I have a related question, what are you looking for when you cull day olds and week olds?
Anything besides the obvious "4 toes instead of 5" or "no middle toe feathering" I should be looking for?

 

[NNYchick]

Sorry not sure what happened.
But So far my chick cull list is
-any health issues or deformities
-single comb
-light eyes/skin (these may be something to watch for a few weeks depending on the color variety)
- > or < 5 toes
lack of leg feathering
As they grow out I am looking for wry tail, crooked back, breast, or tail, low breast, twisted feathers, legs to short or long, green soles, foreign color for variety, split or C wing.
This list is what I compiled so far from the ABA SOP.

 

[NNYchick]

hello! I am a certified black silkie breeder. this I my third year in silkies and I'm kind of struggling to sustain my program. I am currently line breeding, and I'm having difficulties keeping track of generations and keeping the line pure without any inbreeding (line breeding always has its flaws) I need tips, suggestions, to how to improve my flock of silkies. I will take any advice you awesome BYC people give me. thank you! View attachment 1959855 View attachment 1959856

@aSoftsilkie I meant to ask you what a certified silkie breeder means?

 

[msiler]

Sorry not sure what happened.
But So far my chick cull list is
-any health issues or deformities
-single comb
-light eyes/skin (these may be something to watch for a few weeks depending on the color variety)
- > or < 5 toes
lack of leg feathering
As they grow out I am looking for wry tail, crooked back, breast, or tail, low breast, twisted feathers, legs to short or long, green soles, foreign color for variety, split or C wing.
This list is what I compiled so far from the ABA SOP.

Great information, thank you!

 

[aSoftsilkie]

@aSoftsilkie I meant to ask you what a certified silkie breeder means?

certified means that you are npip, asbc, aba, and apa approved member. it also means you are registered and not having mareks of any sort. also going to a show at least once or twice. they are also vaccinated, and healthy. are you a silkie breeder?

 

[NNYchick]

Thank you, I was wondering what it was never heard anyone use that term before.
I’m not a breeder. I’ve had silkies for a few years now. I’m still learning about genetics, breeding plans and sop. I’m hoping to breed a trio of grays I have this spring. I am a member of Asbc and have been studying a lot of the information on there.

 

[Fairview01]

-light eyes/skin (these may be something to watch for a few weeks depending on the color variety)

If eye color and skin color are not linked but rather independent of each other i would never cull based on eye color alone. Eye color can change and is not permanent until sexual maturity. From my observations imo it can even change significantly after that. Ive watched the eye color of my cornish fluctuate during the seasons and i sweat it can be affected by the ration.

 

[NNYchick]

If eye color and skin color are not linked but rather independent of each other i would never cull based on eye color alone. Eye color can change and is not permanent until sexual maturity. From my observations imo it can even change significantly after that. Ive watched the eye color of my cornish fluctuate during the seasons and i sweat it can be affected by the ration.

ABA specifically has gold eyes as a defect that is why it is on my list. I have seen darker brown eyes darken slightly to black but not gold eyes to the dark eye the standard calls for.

 

[Fairview01]

ABA specifically has gold eyes as a defect that is why it is on my list. I have seen darker brown eyes darken slightly to black but not gold eyes to the dark eye the standard calls for.

Last year my cornish had red orange eyes. Not a DQ but not desirable. A pearl eye is the preferred color. This spring all my breeding stock obviously had those red orange eyes. I started feeding a customized ration that contained several plant extracts that contained high concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin. The offspring of all those red orange eye breeders have a golden near pearl eye. There is no genetic reason for that. They can't all be homozygous recessive for that lighter color. The diet has to be an influence for eye color, at least in my cornish.