Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[thedragonlady]

That's impressive to think you did it mostly with Silkies. I'm glad your birds did not "disappear" after you stopped showing them. Perhaps I might even be lucky to have some of your birds' genes in my Silkies since I have some offspring out of Shorty's birds.

I just checked the 1996 ABA yearbook. I had a total of 22 srarred wins. 19 were on Silkies, black, white, partridge, grey, and buff. 2 wins on black Wyandottes, and one on a Columbian. I showed 8 birds, the most I ever showed, at the joint ABA-APA National in Columbus....... BV ,and RV on Black, White, Grey, and Buff. BB on the White, and RB on the Buff. That was FUN! If you have anything from Bill Phillips, Whyte Christmas, Terry Campbell, or Shorty, you probably have some of my bloodline.

 

[aoxa]

 I just checked the 1996 ABA yearbook. I had a total of 22 srarred wins. 19 were on Silkies, black, white, partridge, grey, and buff. 2 wins on black Wyandottes, and one on a Columbian. I showed 8 birds, the most I ever showed, at the joint ABA-APA National in Columbus....... BV ,and RV on Black, White, Grey, and Buff. BB on the White, and RB on the Buff. That was FUN! If you have anything from Bill Phillips, Whyte Christmas, Terry Campbell, or Shorty, you probably have some of my bloodline.

Off topic, but I LOVE your Orps.

 

[thedragonlady]

Off topic, but I LOVE your Orps.

Thank you! I am waiting on the arrival of a new English Buff. Orp cockerel tomorrow. Cross your fingers please for his safe arrival. I'll post photos on my page as soon as he settles in.

 

[aoxa]

 Thank you! I am waiting on the arrival of a new English Buff. Orp cockerel tomorrow. Cross your fingers please for his safe arrival. I'll post photos on my page as soon as he settles in.

I sure hope so! Good luck!

 

[Hawkeye95]

I posted a photo of this 8 mth old pullet a couple of days ago for a wing evaluation so I could represent her correctly to a potential buyer. I was pretty sure she was over the weight limit as she looked so big next to the other pullet her age but I thought it was fat and extra fluff mostly. Well I weighed her for shipping and she weighs 3 lb 2.6 oz! I am so embarassed that I didn't know that before offering her for sale.

Now I'm wondering what the rest of my flock weighs! I know Hawkeye recently encourage everyone to weigh their birds but I haven't been able to. I just thought there might be others out here in silkie land that haven't done it and wanted to suggest you do.

oh so sad! She is beautiful!!! What a bummer she is so large! Same problem I had with my boy. And of course, I was busy breeding him before I thought to check his weight. Sigh. So now I have a whole bunch of his offspring, and I'm going to cross my fingers they don't get too large. I think a couple of them are already getting too heavy, and they are getting close to 4-5 months. Not a good sign. Where do everyone else's birds weigh in at?? Are you under or are you over by a few ounces. Sonoran has said that you can be.. I think it was 20% over and under.

I have a question on the large crest issue. I hatched this 4 mth old pullet from my own pair. The mom has a medium crest and dad fairly large. But this pullets crest is huge and still full of pin feathers. I have trimmed all around her eyes and muff and she sees very well but she never stops shaking her head and I'm wondering if it's because that huge crest is annoying? I'm about ready to cut it off! Does anyone know if a very large crest causes head shaking? I'm thinking I don't want to pass this trait on....

Listen to her lungs too, I've noticed that with respiratory problems, they may shake their heads. Obviously it could be any number of things, I just don't know if I would attribute it to her crest yet. And WOW-- she is 4 months!?!? She is filling in!

many things can contribute to head shaking. two things above all else in my birds : 1. mites and 2. fluff from the crest or beard near the eyes if not touching the eyes irritating them. ear infection will illicit similar head shaking, also neurological issues can cause head shakes/twitches as well...but ear infection and mites typically they scratch alot at their face, neck, head as well.

I dislike the huge crests, while pretty to look at, its not functional/practical for the birds and you can run into the problem of sight obstruction that the bird wont eat or drink properly/enough. I do have a few that have huge crests (Titus my boy, and one of my young pullets has a huge crest) but I will try to breed for nice medium sized crests that are full but not huge.

I personally can't believe more judges don't get after breeders about the huge crests, the standard calls for a medium globular crest and the birds should be able to see clearly and from the front you should be able to see the face...I've heard of some judges heavily faulting birds for these things, but of course some breeders get around it by trimming/plucking and still keeping the huge crests.

The judges I've encountered have told me my crests are too small! And everyone has seen my birds-- I think they are pretty decent. But when compared to the ones that are absolutely enormous, then yeah, mine are going to look small by comparison. I don't think an overly large crest would be commented on around here. Which is too bad. Sigh. And honestly, it's not the crests that effect my bird's vision, but the beard and muffs. That is what gets in their eyes.

Have you weighed Titus?? He looks so well filled out, but I'd love to know how much he weighs in comparison. I wonder if a lot of us are dealing with heavier birds..? I used a mail scale to put my birds on. Mine goes up to 30lbs.... lets hope that will never be a problem! LOL

 

[peepblessed]

oh so sad! She is beautiful!!! What a bummer she is so large! Same problem I had with my boy. And of course, I was busy breeding him before I thought to check his weight. Sigh. So now I have a whole bunch of his offspring, and I'm going to cross my fingers they don't get too large. I think a couple of them are already getting too heavy, and they are getting close to 4-5 months. Not a good sign. Where do everyone else's birds weigh in at?? Are you under or are you over by a few ounces. Sonoran has said that you can be.. I think it was 20% over and under.


Listen to her lungs too, I've noticed that with respiratory problems, they may shake their heads. Obviously it could be any number of things, I just don't know if I would attribute it to her crest yet. And WOW-- she is 4 months!?!? She is filling in!


The judges I've encountered have told me my crests are too small! And everyone has seen my birds-- I think they are pretty decent. But when compared to the ones that are absolutely enormous, then yeah, mine are going to look small by comparison. I don't think an overly large crest would be commented on around here. Which is too bad. Sigh. And honestly, it's not the crests that effect my bird's vision, but the beard and muffs. That is what gets in their eyes.

Have you weighed Titus?? He looks so well filled out, but I'd love to know how much he weighs in comparison. I wonder if a lot of us are dealing with heavier birds..? I used a mail scale to put my birds on. Mine goes up to 30lbs.... lets hope that will never be a problem! LOL

I haven't weighed this 4 mth old pullet but she is very small. Photos are deceiving aren't they. I purchased that big hefty girl as a baby from Deb. Her sister is almost half her size.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I haven't weighed this 4 mth old pullet but she is very small. Photos are deceiving aren't they. I purchased that big hefty girl as a baby from Deb. Her sister is almost half her size.

that's amazing she is from Deb! All of mine from Deb have been teeny tiny! I've been VERY happy with how small they are, and most of them have great type. But a few even though they have great type, have smaller crests.... argh! LOL You really can't win--- producing a bird that has it all is obviously going to take years to accomplish. I'm frustrated about my own breeding with my own birds-- because they are getting heavy. Sigh.

 

[littlecritters]

Hi Hawkeye, I sent you a PM.

that's amazing she is from Deb!  All of mine from Deb have been teeny tiny!  I've been VERY happy with how small they are, and most of them have great type.  But a few even though they have great type, have smaller crests.... argh!  LOL  You really can't win--- producing a bird that has it all is obviously going to take years to accomplish.  I'm frustrated about my own breeding with my own birds-- because they are getting heavy.  Sigh.  

 

[dwegg]

Wow...ear infections, head shaking...I'll have to check on those next...too big? Who'd had thought? Now I have to weigh my birds...there is a lot to consider.

I just gave one of my girls a serious haircut around the eyes...it was a very tricky experience with small sharp scissors! Bit I am very happy she can see and I got hair out of her eyes...poor thing...now I am going to check all mine and cut everyone that is not going to the show...

 

[thedragonlady]

that's amazing she is from Deb! All of mine from Deb have been teeny tiny! I've been VERY happy with how small they are, and most of them have great type. But a few even though they have great type, have smaller crests.... argh! LOL You really can't win--- producing a bird that has it all is obviously going to take years to accomplish. I'm frustrated about my own breeding with my own birds-- because they are getting heavy. Sigh.

When are you hatching? If you want to keep bantams small, you must hatch them, and raise them when it's WARM. They will eat less, and stay smaller. Most really large fowl are raised in the North because they must eat a lot ton stay warm. Very small bantams do not survive well there.Ever seen a small Polar Bear?