Self Blue (Lavender) Silkie Thread

[flocknfoal]

Great to hear they finally arrived alive and well. So nice of your hubby to make that drive...I'm sure he knew if he was going to get any sleep last night he better go get them! I'm not sure about their confirmation...hard to see in the picture. Do you know if they're related? I'd breed them together if they aren't brother and sister and see how the chicks turn out.

They are half-siblings - same roo but unrelated hens. I also have two lavender chicks that are unrelated to these two. I'm hoping at least one is a hen, but until they are older I do plan to hatch eggs from these two, at least for this season. Next year I'll select the best and figure out breeding pairs.

If I understand some of what I've read, line breeding basically intensifies all traits - both good and bad. So that's where selecting the right breeding pairs gets complicated I guess? Figuring out which traits in a pair will produce the best offspring. That's where I'll really need help!! I'm open to ideas on how to proceed.

 

[suebee]

There's so much conflicting info out there. I read sibling to sibling - no, parent to offspring - yes. I just don't know what the real expert breeder's rules are. Maybe someone with known experience can chime in here.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Most folks don't really worry about it for two or three generations; breed the best to the best. But most also add in unrelated birds periodically. Adding a new rooster is easiest as he adds to blood to all teh hens he is with; adding in a hen only adds new blood to her own offspring.

 

[flocknfoal]

To further clarify, as of the evening of December 11th, 2010, bearded self-blue silkies were APA recognised. They received ABA recognition in March 2011 (don't have the exact date).

I didn't go back very far on this but you CAN SHOW lavender, recognized into both APA and ABA standards now. Beareded self blue are recoginized, not nonbearded but bearded. I hope that makes you feel better?

The qualifying judge, Jamie Matts, recommended that the self-blues be added to the standard, and after the regular APA meeting, the Standard Committee also recommended approval. The Board voted, and the bearded self-blue silkies were added to the standard. That designation starts as of the vote by the Board, so if you show a Brd. Self Blue Silkie next week at some show, it will be as an officially recognized breed/variety. You might have to furnish the Standard for the judge and let him or her know they passed the qualifying meet, but they have official standing now. The qualifying meet was held at the APA National show on 12/11/10.

It appears that the dates are after the most recently published APA SoP and ABA SoP, so where / how would one go about finding the description of the standard for Bearded Lavender Silkies?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Self-blue is already described in the standards for other breeds; other than that, the standard for silkies describes their type. In the Bantam Standard, plumage is described in a different section; the only things relating to variety that are described in the breed section are things that are specific to the breed.

However, the most recent Bantam Standard is the 2011 edition, published after self-blues were accepted. Also, the proposed standards were published in both APA and ABA newsletters months before the qualifying meets. Any judge worth hiring will KNOW that they have been recognized, and will know the standard.

 

[flocknfoal]

It's been 3 weeks now and my Lavender pair is settling in nicely, but my girl is not laying yet. They are only 8 months old, and after being shipped I figured it would take a while. He's trying to do his duty, but she's still a bit reluctant. Still, I hope she will start laying soon.

I went and took a few pictures today. He seems to be filling out nicely. I think her back is a bit long and flatter than I'd like. I'm hoping it will look less flat after her tail and backside fills out as she gets a bit older. What do you think? What things should I be working to correct?

 

[fancyfeathers38]

This girl popped up from our white line. Is she lavender? Thanks for the help!

 

[flocknfoal]

This girl popped up from our white line. Is she lavender? Thanks for the help!

Looks to be the same color as my lavenders based on the pictures. Very interesting. What do you know about the history of your white line?

 

[fancyfeathers38]

Not much sadly. All I really know is that they are dominant white and the breeder we got them off has lavenders. Her father has the tiniest bit of black coming through in one of his tail feathers. Could they be hiding some different genes?

 

[BuckNBark Farm]

Here are 3 chicks hatched last week, and one of the mothers,"Layla" (Black split chick is from another mother) Also have a black split sitting on eggs, due any time now -Pam Pittman