Buff Silkie Thread!

[peepblessed]

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I love all the colors in that second picture. What a cute shot! Sorry, can't answer your question.

 

[shelleyb1969]

Thank you for the welcome!

All of my buffs are either just right, or a tad on the lighter side. I've narrowed my roos down to 3, but I like ALL 3 of them and can't seem to make my last cut. I'm limited on pullets, so I have to get down to 2 roosters.

Decisions, decisions.

Okay...I have my first novice question.

Which is easier to breed out/correct? Eye color or black in the tail and hackles? If you have a bird that is perfect in every way (type, comb, feet, etc), but has black in the tail and hackles...do you keep it or cull it? Is the black issue something that's a no-no right from the get go and not worth the time/effort of breeding out? And what about eye color? I'm thinking that eye color has to be very difficult to work out. I'm not new to Silkies, but am new to buffs...and from what I've seen so far, the buffs have a lot more to worry about than the other colors...at least they do for me.

 

[kfchickenlady]

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I would like to know the answer to this as well as what about missing toes? If a pullet is super in every other way, is she worth breeding with only 4 toes on each foot?

 

[shelleyb1969]

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I've found that the toe thing is one of the easiest faults to work out/correct in future offspring. Okay everyone...pull out the cannons and get ready to blast me for admitting/saying this publicly

...but....I will not immediately cull a potential breeder due to toe issues.

A wise old breeder who has long since forgotten more than I can ever remember told me a long time ago not to remove an overall nice bird from the breeding pen due to toe faults. If your breeding program is managed correctly, that issue will take care of itself...meaning that, in a good breeding program, future offspring will be better than the parent stock. That ideology has served me well...but may not be suitable for others.

 

[kfchickenlady]

sounds good to me, esp. since she is already named..

thanks for your input.

 

[Muzzie]

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very nice looking bird aren't the buffs beautiful

 

[Muzzie]

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If you've named her you have to keep her

naming elevates their status to pet.

 

[Muzzie]

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thanks! I will hold on to him at least until the spring. The blacks are so hard to photograph They are the tiniest of all my colors and the pullet is one I helped hatch she was one of those they call lizard skin with little down so they become stuck to the membrane and often die pipped but unable to complete the hatch.

 

[chickendales]

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he so cute did u see the boy i got from u he looking great

 

[peepblessed]

Anyone willing to guess the sex on this 8 1/2 week chick. Muff feathers were trimmed a few days ago as they were irritating eyes. It is small in size like a couple of blacks I have that are pretty obviously pullets.