Self Blue (Lavender) Silkie Thread

[rilly10]

Interesting! I am not sure but I was just discussing it with a breeder last night and it does seem that they have lack of vigor. Not only are they harder to hatch but the chicks don't seem to thrive as well as other colors. I was given the hint to try spraying the eggs for the last few days with warm h20 a few times a day to soften everything up to help them pip. Very interesting about the inbreeding though?

 

[rilly10]

With the chipmunk stripes...has anyone noticed the striped chicks being clear or steeley when they get older? I noticed some lavs are very clear, while others are steeley. Do the chipmunk stripes indicate adult color at all? Is the lav standard allowing steeley colored birds or should we be working on the really light clear lav color?

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:
well mine have not been inbreed at all as I started with some from Bren, 2 hatchery lavs, and 2 from george I also then bred in some SG from Angie and buffs from Sundown so even though I am in f3 generation there has been little to no line breeding. I dont know why they are so hard to hatch probably just Murphy's law lol

how are yours doing?

 

[robin416]

So, I put one of the lavender males I bought on BidBird. Fair warning, his comb is bad but its an opportunity for someone wanting lavender but can't afford the high dollar amount for nearly perfect birds.

http://bidbirdauctions.com/listings/details/index.cfm?itemnum=970363257

 

[brenTx]

Yes we have thought from the beginning that lavender chicks are harder to hatch. They do often died after I have moved them to the hatcher and never attempt to pip out. I have times when chicks die within days of hatching BUT if they make a week then they are good to go! Lavenders do seem to develop slower, take longer to feather and fill out. I have looked into lots about the lavender gene it's self. This doesn't appear to be a silkie problem but a" the lavender gene " problem. I have also felt that the retarded feather gene goes with this too. Again, a lavender gene problem. As far as inbreeding, each time I sell birds and breeders cross with their blacks or other lavender you are mixing things up those gene pools a lot. I have introduced black twice into my lines, as has Deb and Lynette. We all use different black lines then may trade out outcrosses from those....again this is mixing up our blood lines. Point to this is I don't feel they are too inbred. I feel like I have been on this trip with them for years but in the big picture lavender is still a new variety and we have lots yet to docuement and learn. I am always open to possibilites.

This is all my personal opinion.

 

[BetsyOK]

No babes are hatching from my nb lav/lav pen, though at least half a dozen had developed quite a ways.

I originally had only the one lav roo from Bren/Deb, so he was put with whatever hens I had; most notably a buff showgirl from you, Bren (all my silkies at that time were from you). The second lav roo was originally in with blacks from you, as I again had only one lav roo. I did add a couple of blacks from other lines, which probably accounts for some of the blues I'm getting from the lavs--also nice birds.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Hey, I can outdo you on ugly comb, but he's chocolate

 

[bacres]

Quote:
Hey, I can outdo you on ugly comb, but he's chocolate

Picture!!

 

[brenTx]

While I am here I want to ask anyone who has shared that they can come to Columbus to help us get the lavenders qualified into standards, to please email Deb or I and let us know how many you will be showing. We need to have an idea on numbers and how many we are needing to bring.

[email protected]

[email protected]

 

[CheshieChick13]

My babies are lav/lav. There is a deffinite decrease in hatch rate I have noticed. My first two clutches have been 45%-55% fertile. Out of the 5 eggs that were fertile 3 hatched. One died right after hatching. So I only have two out of that clutch.... Better than none though!