Chicken lineage confirmation?

[Thogersen Farm]

Hello all, I’m semi new to the chicken show world, I’ve shown other animals (rabbits/dogs/sheeps/pigs) but never chickens and I’ve owned a mixed flock before for egg laying and fryers. Now I’m mixing my bag up a bit and showing chickens.

I desided on white silkies and purchased a small flock for a small fortune because I knew they were high quality and now I have this question.... I purchased what remained of Sheryl Butlers white silkie flock pullets and hens. But how do you prove or keep track of true lineage if I have no paper trail?

 

[Pyxis]

There aren't pedigrees or anything like that with chickens. If it looks like a silkie and it matches the silkie standard, then it's a silkie, regardless of what its ancestors were.

 

[Gray Farms]

Reputable breeders are taken at their word that their birds are from "so and so's line". Their reputation is everything and they won't do anything to jeopardize that. People talk "especially us chicken people" and if a person should check with a friend of a friend of a friend who knows the breeder and they don't know who your taking about....Your reputation is shot. If you got a bill of sale then you have proof that you bought them from this breeder. Now you need to decide if you are going to flock breed them or pair them. Either way you need some way to identify each bird. You can leg band or wing band, but each bird needs a way to identify that specific bird. And write it all down, every person I know started out saying "Oh I'll remember" and we never do. This also not only serves as a way to identify individual birds but it give you a record of how old they are as well. And trust me birds get old on you and you don't even realize it. For instance I got to thinking and checking the other day. And two of my Muscovy hens are turning 10 years old this year! Off topic but you see what I mean. From here you can track your offspring through the generations back to the original parents and grandparents and so on. If your going to breed just one breed I suggest paring your birds rather than flock breeding. This way you can mix and match birds that complement each other.