Is trimming around a silkies eyes an automatic DQ in showing?

[vpeterson]

This summer I trimmed around some of my silkies eyes so that they could see. I also trimmed around a rooster and hen's vent to increase fertility. This was done several months ago. Can I still show these birds in Oct. or will they be automatically Disqualified? No point in bringing them if this will happen. I can't tell by looking at them that they were trimmed but I am sure that an eagle eyed judge could find it.

 

[Silkie-Feet]

i just trimmed mine but idk about showing. i hope u dont get disqualafied. im new to silkies but hopefully someone else can help

 

[MustLoveHens]

Generally speaking yes, you would get DQ'd for trimming feathers. However, once your bird is bathed and fluffed you might either see the trim job or not. So you could bathe and fluff one that you have trimmed and see what you get. Also, there maybe a possiblity that your birds have moulted and that the trimmed feathers are gone and you have no need to worry. Hope this helps!!

 

[aveca]

You are not supposed to cut,, you can pluck, never cut...I did same thing once long time ago...and got told by the judge he was letting it go this time but it is a DQ they have to see the bird as he or she is naturally...They can tell if you cut too..I told him there is actually a vidio out on trimming eyebrows , he said its an absolute no no..So just dont say anything and mention there is a -Vidio that tells you to do that... I think it looks neater but he had the last word on that and I sure wouldnt argue with them. Use a little manipulation with your fingers to make it look like what you want best you can without cutting..try to disguise what youve cut, hopefully you have a little tiem befor the show and it will look more natural..

 

[drumstick diva]

some people pull the crest back with a little hair band,(like a tiny pony tail) so silkies can see. I would guess if you used this and then bathed and blew dry before a show, a judge wouldn't notice any indention from the band. And you wouldn't have to trim there.

 

[Silkie-Feet]

i think my silkies actually look nicer with cut crest. i felt Soooooo bad for them when i knew they couldnt see, so i trimmed the crest. now they can see as good as any other chicken.

 

[Silkie-Feet]

plucking would hurt and leave them bald. i've accidentally pulled feathers while catching chickens and they bleed. nothing shows better than on a white silkie
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[ThePolishPrincess]

Vision is usually managed, correctly, I think, by gently 'plucking' the muff feathering just below the eyes. Judges will usually look to make sure that the bird is question can see. But they don't want to see a bird's mangled, awkwardly cut crest. Plucking hurts for a second, like eyebrows for humans. The correct way one should do this is by 'tweezing' (with the index finger and thumb) the feathers just below the eyes (be very careful not to go to low) and quickly, (gently but firmly) pluck. If done the right way, the bird might twitch for a second, then it would be done. I know my judge likes to see feathers managed like this. Many will usually look for it in a Silkie, considering so many have trouble seeing. I hear that not plucking is an easy way to lose points, if the bird is so obviously unable to see.

Feathers in this case shouldn't bleed. I've done it several times and have seen it done and none of the times has any bird drawn blood. I've heard this is a popular practice.