This is something I have been thinking about most the night for some reason. I love silkies. But I am not a fan of bantams at all. I have seen a few standard silkies for sale in my day but they are extremely rare here in the states. So I have been thinking. If I tried to start my on flock of standard silkies what would be the best method. Breeding Silkie to standard cochin? Then take those silkie chicks and breed back to standard cochin? then take those silkie chicks breed back to silkies? and keep going back and fourth unitl I get correct feathering, size, feet, skin color? What would be everyone opinions for this?
Wow that's gonna take forever! I hope you keep us updated. That sounds really interesting. I hope it works out for you and I am also interested in what the others say Good luck!
Yea I think it would take a long time as well. That is why I want everyone elses opinion to maybe see if I could cut that time some. Also anyone have any larger than normal bearded silkies?
A year or two ago someone posted photos on here of her extremely large silkies--10+ lb. Much larger than European largefowl silkies. And every once in a while someone mentions that they know someone working on largefowl silkies. Personally I would try to find out who already has a start and see what I could acquire rather than beginning from scratch. But, if I were to start from scratch, I would probably have at least a couple of breeding pens of 1) largefowl cochins and 2) polish, houdan or sultan. Both crossed to silkies--the largest silkies I could find. Then I would breed offspring from one pen to that of another.
