Houdans

[aoxa]

Personally, I think it is nonsense to make such a huge deal about it.  

Me making a big deal about it? I didn't think I was. I was just trying to advise not to call it lavender.

 

[aoxa]

I can think of 2 reasons, 1) bigger incubator (broody hen) :cd         2) access to exotic meat market (as in asian) 

I couldn't do #2. Bigger incubator is called a standard cochin. I find they are just as good at being mothers, though don't do it as frequently.

 

[Kassaundra]

I couldn't do #2. Bigger incubator is called a standard cochin. I find they are just as good at being mothers, though don't do it as frequently.

Yea, kinda like killing your teddy bear.

 

[fowlman01]

This sounds familiar for most species....

I always think its cheating to tweez feathers. I know its common but it shouldn't be. There are statements in the SOP that say if they notice feathers missing where a color would be a DQ or take points then they automatically take them. You'd think it would be common judging practice to look at the feet like that. Not that I am saying Gigi shouldn't win anything just that 'cheating' isn't a good way to win.

It is faking. If a judge sees that a feather has been pulled they can still DQ the bird. There are certain breeds where I look at the feet first and Houdans is one of those breeds.

Walt

 

[ashandvine]

A sizzle has all silkie traits except for feathering. Sizzle feathers are NOT silkied and ARE frizzled. Although some call the ones that have non-frizzled feathers a smooth sizzle. They would be desired to breed to rather than to silkie so as to breed out the silke feathering.

Wow, you and Dr Seuss... you got me.

I think I get it. I know frizzle is the curly feather. A slickie is a cross that didn't express the curl but carries it. So a Frizzled Silkie is called a.... Sizzle? Did I get it, did I get it?? What do you call other curly birds? Polish are... Pizzles? And Cochins are Chizzles? Is someone consulting Snoop for this?

I prefer LF Silkies because they have bigger butts.

You got it Kass, more area to incubate with When incubating ducks or geese that bigger butt helps.

On the Lav bit vs Self Blue... its a disagreement I've read before; gene name versus hx language. If it was me I'd call it grey or lilac just to be clear in its actual color expression, but then I like to call blue flowers blue and pink ones pink and purple ones purple... I'm a pain that way. Who called it the lav gene anyway? They messed everything up. Instead of Porcelain gene they got artsy. (Is it just me or am I punchy today?) Aoxa don't feel too offended by the hot topic talk. You are very nice and they don't know that. (hint, don't start on the definition of EE either.)

 

[fowlman01]

Not to get too far into this debate, but chickens were called self blue before the Lav gene was discovered.

The lavender gene was first discovered in the Porcelain variety of Belgian Bearded d'Uccle bantams in 1972, and verified in 1980 (Crawford 1990, p. 139-140). Porcelain colored d'Uccle bantams were around as early as early as 1909 (La Basse-Coeur du Nord 2008), though the Porcelain variety was not recognized by the APA until 1964 (belgianduccle.org). Whether from the Porcelain d'Uccle or other, unknown sources, the lavender color has been introduced to a number of new chicken breeds over the years, including the Polish and the Silkie.

 

[aoxa]

Wow, you and Dr Seuss... you got me.
I think I get it.  I know frizzle is the curly feather.  A slickie is a cross that didn't express the curl but carries it.  So a Frizzled Silkie is called a.... Sizzle?  Did I get it, did I get it??  What do you call other curly birds?  Polish are... Pizzles?  And Cochins are Chizzles?  Is someone consulting Snoop for this?

I prefer LF Silkies because they have bigger butts.   You got it Kass, more area to incubate with   When incubating ducks or geese that bigger butt helps.

On the Lav bit vs Self Blue... its a disagreement I've read before; gene name versus hx language.  If it was me I'd call it grey or lilac just to be clear in its actual color expression, but then I like to call blue flowers blue and pink ones pink and purple ones purple... I'm a pain that way.  Who called it the lav gene anyway?  They messed everything up.  Instead of Porcelain gene they got artsy.  (Is it just me or am I punchy today?)  Aoxa don't feel too offended by the hot topic talk.  You are very nice and they don't know that.  (hint, don't start on the definition of EE either.)

I'd agree on the colour expression. I think it looks silver or light grey.

You almost got it.

I want a frizzled houdan so I can say I have a hizzle fo' my sizzle

 

[aoxa]

Not to get too far into this debate, but chickens were called self blue before the Lav gene was discovered. The lavender gene was first discovered in the Porcelain variety of Belgian Bearded d'Uccle bantams in 1972, and verified in 1980 (Crawford 1990, p. 139-140). Porcelain colored d'Uccle bantams were around as early as early as 1909 (La Basse-Coeur du Nord 2008), though the Porcelain variety was not recognized by the APA until 1964 (belgianduccle.org). Whether from the Porcelain d'Uccle or other, unknown sources, the lavender color has been introduced to a number of new chicken breeds over the years, including the Polish and the Silkie.

Isn't lavender just a made up name for self blue to advertise or make it sound prettier?

 

[aoxa]

It is faking. If a judge sees that a feather has been pulled they can still DQ the bird. There are certain breeds where I look at the feet first and Houdans is one of those breeds.

Walt

Is there something in them that makes them more prone to get these little defects? The one that old me to do it, does it for her white crested black polish and has not been DQ in the five years she's been showing. Wouldn't it be frowned upon for a judge to specifically tell someone new to showing (me) to tweeze the feet when it is considered cheating/faking? Now I don't know where I stand. I don't want to cheat, but I don't want to not use Skittles either. I think her positives far outweigh the negatives. Maybe that's just me..

 

[ashandvine]

Aoxa, Skittles is beautiful. You missed it and so did other judges. If that little stub is her only flaw you are in seriously good standing. Maybe its like other things... if you keep pulling it it won't come back??

Yes, the SQ people who sold me Polish told me to do it too but I don't agree. I don't have to do it either. I have two birds who don't need me to so that puts me in a privileged position.