Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[ChicksNherps]

When prepping for a show, what sort of feathers should I be plucking? Can someone show me pictures of what should be plucked? Also, HOW?!? I just tried plucking one that is straggly and it wouldn't budge!

She was very good about it, didn't fuss at all, but it was painful for me to try to do!

 

[littlecritters]

Quote: Thank you for the information....everyone has given me alot to think about as well...my decision may be more along the lines of "cull or not to cull". I can't risk losing my whole flock, especially my breeders.
Tina, I am so sorry for all of the heartbreak you have had with your birds this year. Hopefully your pullet doesn't have Mareks and recovers quickly.

How are your birds? I hope all is well.

 

[littlecritters]

Quote: Tina, I am so sorry for what you and your family are going through. I hope you and your husband get better very quickly, ear infections are so painful!!
I cross my fingers (and toes) the chickens don't have Marek, that would be just heart breaking, especially after all the efforts you guys devoted to them.
Keep us updated... and Merry Christmas

How is Sophie? I hope she is better. I wanted to let you know that I have started giving our little hen a homeopathic remedy called Hypericum. This remedy is used to treat nerve damage such as head injury, concussion, squashed fingers and toes, pinched nerves etc. In the past, i have successfully used homeopathic remedies on horses, cats, dogs and rabbits. I'm wondering if Sophie would benefit from some homeopathy?

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

How is Sophie? I hope she is better. I wanted to let you know that I have started giving our little hen a homeopathic remedy called Hypericum. This remedy is used to treat nerve damage such as head injury, concussion, squashed fingers and toes, pinched nerves etc. In the past, i have successfully used homeopathic remedies on horses, cats, dogs and rabbits. I'm wondering if Sophie would benefit from some homeopathy?

Thanks Tina for always being there

Sophie is doing better than last week. However, she still has a long way in front of her. I continue giving her your "recipe" with some vitamin B. I decide to put her back in the coop with the other one, but now she is the outcast. She constantly stays by herself, gets slightly peck, and she refuses to go to "bed". It's going to take her a while to readjust, but I guess it's quite normal when a chicken gets separated from the rest of the flock.
Thanks for the tip on the homepathy. I will go to the store and get it. In our house, we use homeopathy for a lot of stuff. Whenever I travel to Europe I always bring a bunch of it because for some reason the price is much more affordable than here lol. On a personal note, I actually used a lot of different ones after I gave birth of my second child, my body was very messed up from the circumstances I gave birth (but that is a different story) and I do believed the homeopathy helped me greatly.
Anyway, how much do you give recommend give her?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

When prepping for a show, what sort of feathers should I be plucking? Can someone show me pictures of what should be plucked? Also, HOW?!? I just tried plucking one that is straggly and it wouldn't budge!

She was very good about it, didn't fuss at all, but it was painful for me to try to do!

Ummm, what/why are you trying to pluck feathers? If you are trying to remove a broken feather so that it will regrow, hold at the base and yank. It takes about 6 weeks to regrow. I've never been successful with wing or foot feathers.

 

[ChicksNherps]

Ummm, what/why are you trying to pluck feathers? If you are trying to remove a broken feather so that it will regrow, hold at the base and yank. It takes about 6 weeks to regrow. I've never been successful with wing or foot feathers.

exactly. There was a really scraggly looking feather on her foot I was trying to pull so it would regrow, but it is on her foot and won't come out

is there a trick to this? it feels like it's in there pretty good.

 

[Adoravachick]

How are your birds? I hope all is well.
I had two (a blue and a white) that got really bad. Paralysis and were falling over and staying that way. They just layed there on their sides. It was very sad to watch. I was terrified that I this would spread, if it hasn't already to the rest of the flock. My father is here for the holidays and after much discussion with him, I made the decision to cull. Very sad and very difficult, I am trying to to think of the "what ifs". My main fear "What if" I waited and whatever it was spread and I lost ALL of the birds? So, now, vaccination is a must with my young chicks and they are in a completely separate building than the flock. We've had a rough few days.

 

[littlecritters]

Adora and Poulettes, I'm sending you PM's along with hugs!

 

[peepblessed]

For all of you who have, like me, been dealing with the controversy of what to call a "porcelain", I was looking at the top winners on the ASBC site and saw a winning "Porcelain" show by George Mihalik who is I believe the main, initial breeder of the color. So, what do you all think this means??

 

[ChicksNherps]

For all of you who have, like me, been dealing with the controversy of what to call a "porcelain", I was looking at the top winners on the ASBC site and saw a winning "Porcelain" show by George Mihalik who is I believe the main, initial breeder of the color. So, what do you all think this means??

The "grey" hen's also look blue

They look more like my powder blue??????

here's a link, but I didn't see a porcelain? http://www.americansilkiebantamclub.org/2004_nationals1.asp