Partridge Silkies - Nothing else

[NuggetandPatty]

Thank you!!

 

[MuscovyMadness]

Hey guys.....


Was hoping to get some critiques on my 6 month old Partridge Roo. I understand he's not exhibition quality but I like his type......hoping to see a little improvement after first molt. Also pictured is my little pullet I'm hoping to pair with this boy.

I am also VERY interested in learning the color genetics behind blue and silver Partridge patterns.


Thanks!

Pullet 1st

Hey guys.....

 

[GitaBooks]

Hey guys.....


Was hoping to get some critiques on my 6 month old Partridge Roo. I understand he's not exhibition quality but I like his type......hoping to see a little improvement after first molt. Also pictured is my little pullet I'm hoping to pair with this boy.

I am also VERY interested in learning the color genetics behind blue and silver Partridge patterns.


Thanks!

Pullet 1st







Hey guys.....

I'm not poultry show expert and honestly I think your birds are gorgeous. However, if I were to be critical I would have to say that your roo doesn't seem "fluffy" enough if you know what I mean. His tail feathers and wing feathers seem unsilkied, as do some of his foot feathers. He doesn't have the round shape of a silkie. Now, I am basing off the silkie rooster I owned which was suppose to be of good quality. However, like I said, I'm not an expert on silkies in the least.

The pullet looks very pretty, though again, I think most silkie keeps prefer fluffier individuals with not so lean or long an appearance. I've found the lean, longer type silkies are healthier and better able to forage and care for their own chicks (my "show quality" hen actually has killed a few chicks because of how fluffy she is they get tangled up in her or she steps on them and can't feel it). My non-show quality individuals also don't need their eye and foot feathers trimmed and crooked toes and rotten nails aren't so much an issue.

In the end, its your personal preference what you want to breed. Just be honest to however you sell the chicks to about what you selected for.

Sorry for the long answer, I can ramble sometimes. : )

 

[jnr005]

I am going to assume that this will be a partridge silkie. I got eggs from a friend that has multiple seperate pens of partridge, black, white, blue, etc. this one is so cute!!!

 

[Sylvester017]

I am going to assume that this will be a partridge silkie. I got eggs from a friend that has multiple seperate pens of partridge, black, white, blue, etc. this one is so cute!!!

VERY cute!

 

[MuscovyMadness]

I'm not poultry show expert and honestly I think your birds are gorgeous. However, if I were to be critical I would have to say that your roo doesn't seem "fluffy" enough if you know what I mean. His tail feathers and wing feathers seem unsilkied, as do some of his foot feathers. He doesn't have the round shape of a silkie. Now, I am basing off the silkie rooster I owned which was suppose to be of good quality. However, like I said, I'm not an expert on silkies in the least.

The pullet looks very pretty, though again, I think most silkie keeps prefer fluffier individuals with not so lean or long an appearance. I've found the lean, longer type silkies are healthier and better able to forage and care for their own chicks (my "show quality" hen actually has killed a few chicks because of how fluffy she is they get tangled up in her or she steps on them and can't feel it). My non-show quality individuals also don't need their eye and foot feathers trimmed and crooked toes and rotten nails aren't so much an issue.

In the end, its your personal preference what you want to breed. Just be honest to however you sell the chicks to about what you selected for.

Sorry for the long answer, I can ramble sometimes.  : )

Sorry for the delay in responding.........I am a die hard rambler myself so I appreciate lengthy responses. LoL

I appreciate the critique. ....as mentioned, I know the Roo is not show quality and I highly doubt I will ever exhibit my birds ( raised/showed standard poodles for years...handled other breeds as well...I know all too well the role of politics and favoritism in organized animal "sports" lol ).
Anyhoo.......My husband & I have a small farm. We raise certain birds (chickens..ducks..geese) for meat and others for eggs. Our (pets) breeders free range on rotation and all get fed fermented feed. I was drawn to Silkies (and Showgirls!) not only for their adorably fluffiness, sweet temperament, and smaller size, but for the fact that most are excellent brooders and I'm hoping to put an end to endless tables lined with incubators inside my house! Being that we live on a farm and the birds are running about freeranging; I do want my Silkies to be able to see clearly, chase after insects, dodge any oncoming larger chickens who have no problem barreling over other chickens in order to catch the prized crickets, grasshoppers, and baby frogs on the property! LoL. I ferment a 5 grain scratch (along with layer pellets) and it can get quite messy at feeding time. Sooooo, a heavily fluffed feathered Silkie would have trouble keeping "pretty" here.

Color shouldn't matter much but I do want to produce pretty birds to look at for myself......and if/when we sell any chicks next season. People can look at our adults and get an idea of what their chicks will grow up to look like....to some degree. I know that with breeding dogs, 2 finished champions didnt necessarily mean a large percentage of the litter would be show potential.....and I have seen a pet quality produce outstanding offspring. All depends on lineage being the breeding.

Ok, MY ramble session needs to end. LoL. Hoping to improve some traits next year......currently have some BBS and Partridge Silkie chicks. My 1yr old Porcelain pair is my experiment "fun" project ......but will be working on that for several generations.


Thanks again.....and keep posting pics of your fluffy feathered friends!

Little Partridge chick after eating her morning porridge

 

[GitaBooks]

Sorry for the delay in responding.........I am a die hard rambler myself so I appreciate lengthy responses. LoL

I appreciate the critique. ....as mentioned, I know the Roo is not show quality and I highly doubt I will ever exhibit my birds ( raised/showed standard poodles for years...handled other breeds as well...I know all too well the role of politics and favoritism in organized animal "sports" lol ).
Anyhoo.......My husband & I have a small farm. We raise certain birds (chickens..ducks..geese) for meat and others for eggs. Our (pets) breeders free range on rotation and all get fed fermented feed. I was drawn to Silkies (and Showgirls!) not only for their adorably fluffiness, sweet temperament, and smaller size, but for the fact that most are excellent brooders and I'm hoping to put an end to endless tables lined with incubators inside my house! Being that we live on a farm and the birds are running about freeranging; I do want my Silkies to be able to see clearly, chase after insects, dodge any oncoming larger chickens who have no problem barreling over other chickens in order to catch the prized crickets, grasshoppers, and baby frogs on the property! LoL. I ferment a 5 grain scratch (along with layer pellets) and it can get quite messy at feeding time. Sooooo, a heavily fluffed feathered Silkie would have trouble keeping "pretty" here.

Color shouldn't matter much but I do want to produce pretty birds to look at for myself......and if/when we sell any chicks next season. People can look at our adults and get an idea of what their chicks will grow up to look like....to some degree. I know that with breeding dogs, 2 finished champions didnt necessarily mean a large percentage of the litter would be show potential.....and I have seen a pet quality produce outstanding offspring. All depends on lineage being the breeding.

Ok, MY ramble session needs to end. LoL. Hoping to improve some traits next year......currently have some BBS and Partridge Silkie chicks. My 1yr old Porcelain pair is my experiment "fun" project ......but will be working on that for several generations.


Thanks again.....and keep posting pics of your fluffy feathered friends!

Little Partridge chick after eating her morning porridge

So cute!!!

Yep, I like the fact that my silkie mixes can keep up with the rest of the flock. I lost so many of my other silkies to predators simply because they couldn't run, fight, or perch high enough to escape them.

 

[MuscovyMadness]

So cute!!!

Yep, I like the fact that my silkie mixes can keep up with the rest of the flock. I lost so many of my other silkies to predators simply because they couldn't run, fight, or perch high enough to escape them.

Exactly! One thing I was so surprised to learn is just how high my Silkies & Showgirls can fly/jump. In one growout pen I have roosting bars of different height (on opposing end of the pen) and darn if a Showgirl and 2 Silkie chicks were on the higher roosts.

 

[Sylvester017]

Sorry for the delay in responding.........I am a die hard rambler myself so I appreciate lengthy responses. LoL

I appreciate the critique. ....as mentioned, I know the Roo is not show quality and I highly doubt I will ever exhibit my birds ( raised/showed standard poodles for years...handled other breeds as well...I know all too well the role of politics and favoritism in organized animal "sports" lol ).
Anyhoo.......My husband & I have a small farm. We raise certain birds (chickens..ducks..geese) for meat and others for eggs. Our (pets) breeders free range on rotation and all get fed fermented feed. I was drawn to Silkies (and Showgirls!) not only for their adorably fluffiness, sweet temperament, and smaller size, but for the fact that most are excellent brooders and I'm hoping to put an end to endless tables lined with incubators inside my house! Being that we live on a farm and the birds are running about freeranging; I do want my Silkies to be able to see clearly, chase after insects, dodge any oncoming larger chickens who have no problem barreling over other chickens in order to catch the prized crickets, grasshoppers, and baby frogs on the property! LoL. I ferment a 5 grain scratch (along with layer pellets) and it can get quite messy at feeding time. Sooooo, a heavily fluffed feathered Silkie would have trouble keeping "pretty" here.

Color shouldn't matter much but I do want to produce pretty birds to look at for myself......and if/when we sell any chicks next season. People can look at our adults and get an idea of what their chicks will grow up to look like....to some degree. I know that with breeding dogs, 2 finished champions didnt necessarily mean a large percentage of the litter would be show potential.....and I have seen a pet quality produce outstanding offspring. All depends on lineage being the breeding.

Ok, MY ramble session needs to end. LoL. Hoping to improve some traits next year......currently have some BBS and Partridge Silkie chicks. My 1yr old Porcelain pair is my experiment "fun" project ......but will be working on that for several generations.


Thanks again.....and keep posting pics of your fluffy feathered friends!

Little Partridge chick after eating her morning porridge

I love Partridge for their ability to still look decent after free-ranging a few years. Other Silkie colors fade from the sun or stain from dust-baths but with a standard Partridge they always look good. As you say the feathers like crest and feet may wear down a bit but fading or stains are not as noticeable on Partridge featherings.

Partridge Silkie 5 yrs old - colors don't show fading or stains because of the variety of colors in her "coat" you don't know what is a stain or what is her actual colors




Black Silkie as a pullet had fairly even black feathering


but at 41/2 yrs the sun and dust-baths have turned some of her black feathers rusty

 

[MuscovyMadness]

I love Partridge for their ability to still look decent after free-ranging a few years. Other Silkie colors fade from the sun or stain from dust-baths but with a standard Partridge they always look good. As you say the feathers like crest and feet may wear down a bit but fading or stains are not as noticeable on Partridge featherings. Partridge Silkie 5 yrs old - colors don't show fading or stains because of the variety of colors in her "coat" you don't know what is a stain or what is her actual colors Black Silkie as a pullet had fairly even black feathering but at 4[SUP]1/2[/SUP] yrs the sun and dust-baths have turned some of her black feathers rusty

Makes total sense.....hmmmm, I could always come up with dirt colored Silkies. LoL. Actually. ....saw a chocolate/brown colored Silkie on one of the threads and I fell in LOVE. I used to raise/show brown standard poodles...we raise brown Muscovy & chocolate Runners.......seems I have a thing for animals that hide dirt! Your Silkie is adorable btw.