Reducing the Size of Silkies

[bacres]

I have heard a lot of judges saying how Silkies are getting too big in size. I feel we need to use the largest ones for the creation of standard silkies and keep the bantam ones small.

 

[Gordonhillfarm]

I prefer the small bantam size , it might take longer to get the lavender flock by breeding splits back to splits , but well worth the results I'm sure . I think that a lot of silkie lovers would say the same . I have cuckoo silkies I'm working with also , and they are very large . I've also noticed they have lost a lot of the docile temperment that the smaller silkies have . My whites and blacks are very easy to handle and be around . Cuckoos are more skiddish and don't really want to be handled . I don't know what the original cross was to get the barreing on my birds , I do have cuckoo marans and they are very sweet birds to be around my rooster is like a parrot he loves to fly up on my arm and just sit there getting treats . The reason I mention this is because I first thought maybe their behavior came from the cross breeding in the silkie to create the cuckoo silkie . I'm going to keep breeding them to my smallest blacks and see what happens . Bacres how is your lavender project going ? Oldtimegator what about you , what is your preference in size , and any projects ? I love to talk about silkies --- Tammy .B

 

[joe17]

I like the tiny little petite silkies! I think sonoran silkies worded it perfectly. The chicks I got from Amy Piehl were so tiny! I was so surprised to see them that small. You forget how small they really are compared to a standard. I hope mine continue to stay small and more bantam like. I will start weighing them to check the weight. Im sure all that fluff makes them look really big. I have seen some pictures of wet silkies and under all that fuzz they are tiny.

 

[jossanne]

What is the ABA/APA standard for silkie weight?

I've been watching my 2wk chicks grow, and the two silkies are quickly leaving the bantam cochin in the dust. I wonder if this will continue... Terrible picture, because all I have handy is my phone at the moment. Hate having to borrow a camera from my 12yo daughter!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Quote:
I MUCH prefer a true bantam and try to keep only birds that are within the APA/ABA standard for weight. This is the standard....
Weights:
Cock 36 oz. (2 lbs 4 oz)
Cockerel 32 oz. (2 lbs)
Hen 32 oz. (2 lbs)
Pullet 28 oz. (1 lb 12 oz)

If anything my birds might be somewhat lighter than the standard. It's time for me to weigh everyone again so I'll be making sure that the girls who were pullets when I last weighed them are staying within weight for a hen. That does mean I cut back their feed!!! I feed showbird feed and they have it free choice. I just would want to replace any girls or boys who are significantly over the weight standard. I'm fairly certain that all of them are, but I do like to keep an eye on it.

As I mentioned previously, I believe that some breeders tend to have a larger line of silkies and I personally avoid them for that very reason. Not saying that they aren't GORGEOUS birds...and sometimes it's hard to turn down a beautiful bird that is too big for my breeding program...but I do it to keep my line of birds true bantams.

As far as projects...I have a lavender pair and a few black and blue split lav's. However I haven't decided if I am going to include the splits in the lavender pen. I would love to have porcelain/isabel but I just don't have the room and don't want to have to add buffs. Not that I don't like them....I think they are lovely...just don't have the space.

 

[jossanne]

Quote:
So they are a bit heavier than a bantam cochin should be, but only 4-6 ounces. Thanks!