Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[peepblessed]

You can search online for "Silkie ABA standard and compare your birds to the Standard Of Perfection.

A quick review of basic standards "not all inclusive, so read the standard yourself"

5 toes
Dark brown to black eyes.
Rose Comb
Color is pure or matches the standard
wings not drooping
Feet feathering extends to the middle toe
No red in the comb. It should be dark mulberry color

You mean "walnut comb" right.

I have a few silkies and was wondering if they are ok breeding birds for show

^ 8 month old partridge Roo (i think, I dont know the exact color)





^5 Month old Partridge Roo



^ 5 month old bearded silkie roo

I agree that the black is not partridge but black leaking gold. I like the one that appears to be blue partridge which is a project color but can be shown AOV (all other varieties).

 

[littlecritters]

I've no idea what I would to call the buff looking bird.  But it's not a Standard color.  Personally, because I'm showing and breeding for the SOP (standard of perfection) and I'm trying to be very ethical in my breedings (as is most everyone else on this thread), I am not interested in breeding birds with off colors, wrong colors or colors that are not standard.  I might be tempted to pick up an AOV-- I really love the Columbian color.  The most popular AOV's are paint, porcelain, blue partridge... those are the ones I see at shows the most.  There are many other project colors, but there is a specific goal in mind for the breeders working with those colors.  So if you are wanting an AOV, I'd work with something that is already in progress so you can learn the genetics behind it and get help when you go off track.

If I were you, I'd think about what your goals are for yourself and your birds.  What do you want to do with them?  Start with what colors interest you the most and research them before you dive in.  Some colors are just very difficult to work with, and if that is a deterrent, then decide if that is something you want to face-- with lots of potential culls from your breedings.  Some colors are just much easier to work with.  Some colors also show better than others.  I'm finding the BBS colors easy to work with color wise, because I never ever breed anything with leakage, and so far (knock on wood) have not had that pop up.  But then, past that, the rest of the stuff comes into play, we are working on type, as I think we have decent birds, but nothing that is "WOW" on the type so far.  At the same time, I've had to eliminate my two best grow-out birds that popped up with the BEST type I had all year this summer because the wings were so bad!  I was tempted to breed them anyway for the type, but just couldn't bring myself to continue on with a problem that is hard to get rid of (the wings).  I know the wings are going to crop up time and time again for me anyway because I had good birds resulting from that same breeding.  I'll be having to cull for that for a while is my guess even with my good birds because I figure that will still try to pass on anyway .  

So just knowing that your best looking birds can produce some really bad offspring is also something to keep in mind.  Just because you start with fantastic birds doesn't mean you'll get fantastic results... BUT your odds are sooooo much better!  By doing that, you should have eliminated a lot of faults by starting with better birds (like maybe wings, comb, color, etc), but things can still pop up.  It's just something to keep in mind.  I was talking to one of the top pigeon breeders this last weekend at a show-- he raises them and is a Judge and judges all over the world (he is judging in Norway next month) and can sell one pigeon for more than 1K!  I only tell you this, because I respect his opinion and think very highly of him and he has great advice.  He told me to cull until it hurts even if it leaves you with very few birds.  NEVER breed anything you don't want to see again and when you are finally at a spot you want to be, to breed birds that look related (but aren't) together to maintain your line and keep your type.  He out crosses to other colors to bring in new blood (out of his own birds) to bring back in his type and breed back for color.  So he has a pen working for nothing other than breeding back to color-- not for breeding to his top birds.  Then those birds that make the cut will then be used only when they meet his criteria back into color and they've maintained the type.  Then he takes them to breed in new blood and keep it fresh.  He said he does not buy birds anymore.  It's almost like a Spiral/Rotational breeding but without the relation.  He is against Line breeding.  He's very interesting to talk to.  I hope that makes sense.  It's like breeding out to white JUST to get the type you want.  It's not something you really want to do often-- if ever-- unless you just can't get the type any other way.  But with silkies, there are so many good birds out there, I don't know if it's going to be necessary unless you are working on a project color.  Or if you are really good with genetics, then it's something you could tackle and realize it will take a few generations to get color back.

Anyway... that's just my opinion!!  I hope some of that helped.  I am not a genetics guru like Sonoran!  

Good words of wisdom...

 

[ChicksNherps]

Got a new baby

Called my friend who is a breeder here in NH to see if she had any babies for sale. She made one for sale for me, she is SO nice! She gave me a gorgeous little blue (pullet?). I'm gonna take some pictures soon, just gave her a bath so she needs to re-fluff

.

okay pictures! what do you all think?

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

I've no idea what I would to call the buff looking bird. But it's not a Standard color. Personally, because I'm showing and breeding for the SOP (standard of perfection) and I'm trying to be very ethical in my breedings (as is most everyone else on this thread), I am not interested in breeding birds with off colors, wrong colors or colors that are not standard. I might be tempted to pick up an AOV-- I really love the Columbian color. The most popular AOV's are paint, porcelain, blue partridge... those are the ones I see at shows the most. There are many other project colors, but there is a specific goal in mind for the breeders working with those colors. So if you are wanting an AOV, I'd work with something that is already in progress so you can learn the genetics behind it and get help when you go off track.

If I were you, I'd think about what your goals are for yourself and your birds. What do you want to do with them? Start with what colors interest you the most and research them before you dive in. Some colors are just very difficult to work with, and if that is a deterrent, then decide if that is something you want to face-- with lots of potential culls from your breedings. Some colors are just much easier to work with. Some colors also show better than others. I'm finding the BBS colors easy to work with color wise, because I never ever breed anything with leakage, and so far (knock on wood) have not had that pop up. But then, past that, the rest of the stuff comes into play, we are working on type, as I think we have decent birds, but nothing that is "WOW" on the type so far. At the same time, I've had to eliminate my two best grow-out birds that popped up with the BEST type I had all year this summer because the wings were so bad! I was tempted to breed them anyway for the type, but just couldn't bring myself to continue on with a problem that is hard to get rid of (the wings). I know the wings are going to crop up time and time again for me anyway because I had good birds resulting from that same breeding. I'll be having to cull for that for a while is my guess even with my good birds because I figure that will still try to pass on anyway .

So just knowing that your best looking birds can produce some really bad offspring is also something to keep in mind. Just because you start with fantastic birds doesn't mean you'll get fantastic results... BUT your odds are sooooo much better! By doing that, you should have eliminated a lot of faults by starting with better birds (like maybe wings, comb, color, etc), but things can still pop up. It's just something to keep in mind. I was talking to one of the top pigeon breeders this last weekend at a show-- he raises them and is a Judge and judges all over the world (he is judging in Norway next month) and can sell one pigeon for more than 1K! I only tell you this, because I respect his opinion and think very highly of him and he has great advice. He told me to cull until it hurts even if it leaves you with very few birds. NEVER breed anything you don't want to see again and when you are finally at a spot you want to be, to breed birds that look related (but aren't) together to maintain your line and keep your type. He out crosses to other colors to bring in new blood (out of his own birds) to bring back in his type and breed back for color. So he has a pen working for nothing other than breeding back to color-- not for breeding to his top birds. Then those birds that make the cut will then be used only when they meet his criteria back into color and they've maintained the type. Then he takes them to breed in new blood and keep it fresh. He said he does not buy birds anymore. It's almost like a Spiral/Rotational breeding but without the relation. He is against Line breeding. He's very interesting to talk to. I hope that makes sense. It's like breeding out to white JUST to get the type you want. It's not something you really want to do often-- if ever-- unless you just can't get the type any other way. But with silkies, there are so many good birds out there, I don't know if it's going to be necessary unless you are working on a project color. Or if you are really good with genetics, then it's something you could tackle and realize it will take a few generations to get color back.

Anyway... that's just my opinion!! I hope some of that helped. I am not a genetics guru like Sonoran!

Always a pleasure reading you

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

Got a new baby

Called my friend who is a breeder here in NH to see if she had any babies for sale. She made one for sale for me, she is SO nice! She gave me a gorgeous little blue (pullet?). I'm gonna take some pictures soon, just gave her a bath so she needs to re-fluff

.

okay pictures! what do you all think?

Congratulation on your new girl! She is very cute and you can tell she is fluffly

.

 

[ChicksNherps]

Congratulation on your new girl! She is very cute and you can tell she is fluffly

.

yeah she's only 3 or 4 months old, can't exactly remember what Tammy said. She is SO mellow too! I had my chicken diaper on her and drove around with her to a few places on my lap and she just chilled, even took a nap on the way home because it was dark. She had her little head rested on my arm, it was adorable! She was perfect for her bath and blow dry too.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Got a new baby

Called my friend who is a breeder here in NH to see if she had any babies for sale. She made one for sale for me, she is SO nice! She gave me a gorgeous little blue (pullet?). I'm gonna take some pictures soon, just gave her a bath so she needs to re-fluff

.

okay pictures! what do you all think?

Adorable!! Cute, cute bird! I sure hope it's a girl. The hackels are dark... which usually indicates boy. But blues are supposed to have a darker head and neck anyway with a bit of a lighter body, so it's a good color so far. But I noticed that the crest is lighter and the neck is darker...... so that is a sign of a boy, but just wait and see before you get too worried. They change colors a bit in there-- or at least my blues sure do. Really good toes, but lacking on the middle toe feathering, but not to worry, that is something that is doable and can work out with good breeding to a bird with better feathering. And you might get chicks that pop up better anyway, it's hard to say. So far, looking like a nice bird! I really like the color on this one!

yeah she's only 3 or 4 months old, can't exactly remember what Tammy said. She is SO mellow too! I had my chicken diaper on her and drove around with her to a few places on my lap and she just chilled, even took a nap on the way home because it was dark. She had her little head rested on my arm, it was adorable! She was perfect for her bath and blow dry too.

awww, that is really sweet! Sounds like she's going to be really laid back! Do you have kids in 4-H or doing shows? If so, that would make a good Showmanship bird when it's matured! The judges really like calm birds that handle easily.

 

[moomoodiddy]

Got a new baby   Called my friend who is a breeder here in NH to see if she had any babies for sale. She made one for sale for me, she is SO nice! She gave me a gorgeous little blue (pullet?). I'm gonna take some pictures soon, just gave her a bath so she needs to re-fluff  .

okay pictures! what do you all think?

i sure wish i could find a silkie breeder around me x 20

 

[stoopid]

Moomoo... I have the ASBC member directory right here on my desk.
There are 20 listings for North Carolina.
PM me and I can find one close to you.
Please remember, just because they are listed, doesn't mean they will have chicks for sale right now, but it is a start.

Roberta

 

[BarnGoddess01]

This is the pesky Cooper's Hawk I was mentioning earlier in the week -- hiding under the bush (one of my chickens' favourite spots!) by my barn door, hoping to catch an unsuspecting bird. (He left immediately after I took his picture although he actually let me frame up to get this one. He's a bold little bugger!)