Re: the silkie that doesn't look like one. Feed stores get their birds from hatcheries.
Generally their silkies do not come close to the standard. They may not be mixed silkies but, their parents were not of good quality. Even in the best of silkie breedings you get some that would be sold just a pets not good enough to breed or show.
If anyone tells you their new hatchlings are show quality - don't buy them. Show breeders
make several cuts - if they have the wrong skin color, if they don't have 5 toes and feathering on feet, thing you can see early. As they develop others are sent packing. They make not make their final cut till they are several months old.
Also don't believe someone who says his birds are pullets at a few weeks old. Silkies are very difficult to sex early - sometimes it takes 4-5 mos. or when one lays eggs or crows.
Everyone with young chicks is not a true breeder.
It's like with dogs, they have a female and want to make the purchase price back selling pups by any neighbor dog regardless of temperament and lack of breed type.
If you read through the new member introductions you will see how often people are sold "pullets," that morph into cockerels & their ordeal of trying to rehome males when the
market is flooded with them.
