Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[thedragonlady]

I use Palmolive dish soap and it works really well cutting the smell. But my birds really aren't that dirty to begin with, anyway. So maybe you have more of an odor problem than I do. I like the suggestion above in theory for smelling good-- I've never used softener on a bird. Question-- wouldn't that coat and weigh down the silkie feathers? I have cloth diapered for years now and I just know I can NEVER use softener in the rinse or it will make the diapers repel liquid-- not a great thing to do when you want that diaper to be absorbent and soak up "water". Same with bath towels-- if you use softener on them, makes it harder for them to be absorbent--they will repel. I don't know if I'd want to risk it on my birds?? Would they be just as fluffy??

Sevin dust!

Try it on a bird or two. You won't believe the difference.

 

[Brookiesbrooder]

Try it on a bird or two. You won't believe the differe

sound perfect to me...they use dawn dish soap to clean birds for oil spills

 

[thedragonlady]

sound perfect to me...they use dawn dish soap to clean birds for oil spills

I sent them pictures of my winning birds years ago, and they sent me cases of Dawn! GREAT STUFF!

 

[dwegg]

Can anyone tell me what you think of my buff girl...she is 5 months old...has only a little smutt on the tail...but I think her crest is a little small...critique? any welcome...sorry i couldn't get her to pose...she was walking around everywhere...




here you can see the smutt in her tail














I upped the color here so you can see how much smutt there is...

 

[Me & Jack]

I sent them pictures of my winning birds years ago, and they sent me cases of Dawn! GREAT STUFF!

Just curious to know if you bred any other bantams besides Silkies in order to attain your Master Exhibitor status with the ABA.

 

[Me & Jack]

Can anyone tell me what you think of my buff girl...she is 5 months old...has only a little smutt on the tail...but I think her crest is a little small...critique? any welcome...sorry i couldn't get her to pose...she was walking around everywhere...




here you can see the smutt in her tail














I upped the color here so you can see how much smutt there is...

I don't know what to tell you about the smut in the tail because I'm not a buff breeder, but I can say that her crest is a reasonable size -- some might prefer bigger, and a little more size might give her better proportion with the fullness of the rest of her body/shape--but I prefer this personally to the crests that are so large as to obstruct vision. Otherwise, her crest is globular and upright as I would want it to be and not flopping down or forward as larger crests tend to. Her wings are carried really well in most of these pics, and aside from appearing a little long in the neck she has nice type overall. Could be a little more compact, but that might just be the way she is strutting around, looking curiously at things. For five months of age I think she is worth hanging on to for now, the smut in the tail aside -- especially considering she is a 'she' and the smut seems to me to be more common in males. Would very much like to know what buff breeders have to say about that.

 

[Hawkeye95]

It's just a normal chicken smell. They smell like farm lol not gross or anything just not a clean smell you know? Just a birdie smell. I'm only concerned about it for showing, but they never smell bad unless they just stepped in poop

I love the normal chicken smell, honestly. But I'm your typical farm girl! Dirt smells like heaven to me. I can sit in the barn and sniff horses all day, too. I love the way they smell. I even like the way the cows smell! LOL I often pick up my silkies and hold them to my face and inhale. They stay pretty clean for me, but I have a nice clean run, too. I'm probably crazy, though.

Try it on a bird or two. You won't believe the difference.

Did you notice a coating with the Downy? I have been using the Pink Oil at the shows lately and I noticed that even that seems to weigh their feathers down a bit more than I had hoped and it's supposed to have a hold to it to keep them fluffed. I'd love to see a picture of a bird that was rinsed with Downy--- I just am a bit terrified to mess up a bird right before a show! LOL

Can anyone tell me what you think of my buff girl...she is 5 months old...has only a little smutt on the tail...but I think her crest is a little small...critique? any welcome...sorry i couldn't get her to pose...she was walking around everywhere...




here you can see the smutt in her tail














I upped the color here so you can see how much smutt there is...

That first picture threw me at first-- the wings looked horrible. And then, you post the rest of the pictures and they look fantastic! LOL But she holds them nice and tight for most of the pictures. I think her crest is fine, yeah, it could be larger, but she would make a great breeder and you could certainly have fun showing her too, but keep in mind it'll be up to the judge on what he prefers. I'm not a Buff breeder either, but I think the smut is very little, so she might be fine with it. I like that she is nice and short and round. Her tail/cushion is starting to come up, and maybe it'll come in bigger which would be really nice--BUT it's pretty darned nice the way it is now. Definitely not picking on her tail. I agree with Janine, definitely a keeper for now and continue to see how she grows out. Does Sonoran raise Buff? I would love to know how much smut (if any) is acceptable.

 

[dwegg]

Great thanks guys...that sounds good news...I have a really lovely buff roo that I am hoping to breed them to each other...maybe I will put him on here and you can tell me how he is...the smutt in her tail is very small amount...she is short and round...I would like her crest to be a little larger but what can you do? she is also really sweet...thanks

oh and the first pic she was preening herself and running her beak through her wing...thats why it was open like that...

 

[Hawkeye95]

Great thanks guys...that sounds good news...I have a really lovely buff roo that I am hoping to breed them to each other...maybe I will put him on here and you can tell me how he is...the smutt in her tail is very small amount...she is short and round...I would like her crest to be a little larger but what can you do? she is also really sweet...thanks

oh and the first pic she was preening herself and running her beak through her wing...thats why it was open like that...

this is where your rooster comes into play-- he needs to have a nice big crest to help even her out. I have a hen that has a medium to small crest-- it's not bad, but it isn't great either. My rooster has a HUGE crest and so far all of their offspring have much bigger crests than their mama! Which is what I was hoping, so you never know until you try them out how it will turn out. Just be sure your rooster is equally as nice, and you should be set.

This is my hen with the small crest:

But paired with the right rooster, it may not matter. The rooster is VERY important. So far, I'm pleased with their particular offspring-- and the crests they are bringing in. Much bigger than their mom.

 

[Me & Jack]

this is where your rooster comes into play-- he needs to have a nice big crest to help even her out. I have a hen that has a medium to small crest-- it's not bad, but it isn't great either. My rooster has a HUGE crest and so far all of their offspring have much bigger crests than their mama! Which is what I was hoping, so you never know until you try them out how it will turn out. Just be sure your rooster is equally as nice, and you should be set.

This is my hen with the small crest:

But paired with the right rooster, it may not matter. The rooster is VERY important. So far, I'm pleased with their particular offspring-- and the crests they are bringing in. Much bigger than their mom.

Loralee!! That is not a small crest! LOL To me, in this pic, that crest looks just about perfect. It's in proportion to the rest of her, and it isn't a giant bonnet falling over her face. Sometimes I think the tendency in this country to breed a larger, saucer-like crest is going too far. The poor birds need to be able to see. (Okay, having said that, those big crests can sure look pretty--I'll admit it.)