Self Blue (Lavender) Silkie Thread

[sonew123]

Quote:
They are wearing on me-I dont have one and I'm scared to death to get them with how cold my winters get here-my heating coop bills were already over 200$ a month and that was just so things wouldnt freeze! Id have to knit scarfs and snow suits for those babies:-(

 

[bacres]

It sounds really exciting! Well I need to talk to my parents about getting more birds.

What are you opinions on Shagbark Silkies and their Lavenders?

Also how hard is it to breed out the 4 toe gene. Like if you have a breeder hen with 4 toes instead of 5 but the roos you are breeding her to have 5 toes are your babies going to have 5 or 4 toes?

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Shagbark Silkies has lovely birds of all colors.

A 4 toed chick should be sold as a PQ chick, IMO. If there are 4 toes on one foot and 5 on the other, I would decide if I liked everything else about that bird when they are older and then decide if I wanted to keep him/her. If it has 5 toes on at least one foot, then it carries the polydactyl gene and can throw 10 toed chicks.

 

[brenTx]

As far as the weather being any different for the showgirls...I had single digits this past winter and they were just fine. I have hanging heat lights over the water containers and if they need it they could huddle under it but they never do. I believe that we can over do keeping our birds warm in the winter. I realize I am in Texas and rarely have extreme cold but a good wind break and keeping them dry is my main concern. I know people who have worse problems with closing up buildings and humidity and dust is more harmful.

My first breeding birds included one hen with four toes on one foot. I never saw any chicks with four toes from that breeding. On occasion I still see a chick with four toes. I cull those now and would recommend it IF you have better. If not work through what you have and can afford. That is how I started out with the lavenders.

 

[bacres]

So 4 toes is not actually that bad for a breeding animal? If I have a chance to get a free Lav but she has 4 toes on each would you do that?

 

[brenTx]

So 4 toes is not actually that bad for a breeding animal? If I have a chance to get a free Lav but she has 5 and 4 toes would you do that?

No it doesn't have to be bad. Yes...I did that. LOL

I started with 5 excellent quality "mutt" lavenders. I knew they would throw a percentage of lavenders. Oh...and mine weren't free.

 

[bacres]

Quote:
No it doesn't have to be bad. Yes...I did that. LOL

I started with 5 excellent quality "mutt" lavenders. I knew they would throw a percentage of lavenders. Oh...and mine weren't free.

So that would be a good thing. I am emailing that person again to see what they have now. I need a Lav to go with my Splits.

 

[brenTx]

Remember you need to know what is behind this lavender breeding. Make sure it is pure lavender and not just looking lavender. It can really disappoint you if the lavender bird isn't carrying two lavender genes. They won't breed true.

I'd jump on the offer if you can.

 

[bacres]

Send you a PM asking a personal question.

 

[sonew123]

Ok Bren and Deb I have a big question for you....

-his feathering and comb color need work-. Now- I have a split lav roo-( 12 weeks old) he is so much prettier-with much better comb and feet feathering-So My thought it what would you do -off the lav roo and mate the splits back to eachother -because I can still get 100% pure lavs to hatch all though the % is only 25% compared to 75% by keeping the daddy. But with the splits, they are so much better looking and all around better-that even the babies that will be pure will be so much prettier Im sure. That just makes the waiting 4-6 months longer to get pures:-( I think it would be worth the wait and to mate the splits back to eachother...did I confuse you? LOL thanks for your help