Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[Brookiesbrooder]

The head looks white...is it maybe sprayed with a color..I know they do this with food coloring sometimes with chicks at Easter. Yeah...it would be nice to get a real color like that!

lol.... not sprayed at all.....this is a porcelain from Catdance she was 4 months in the last picture......the crest is a beautiful silver.....her body shimmers pinkish.....I named her pearl because that is exactly what she looks like....everytime she walks you see different colors........I LOVE Karen Larsen's porcelains,she is doing amazing things with the color. This pullet took best AOV at just 4 months....picture same pullet 2 months old

 

[TNBarnQueen]

lol.... not sprayed at all.....this is a porcelain from Catdance she was 4 months in the last picture......the crest is a beautiful silver.....her body shippers pinkish.....I named her pearl because that is exactly what she looks like....everytime she walks you see different colors........I LOVE Karen Larsen's porcelains,she is doing amazing things with the color. This pullet took best AOV at just 4 months....picture same pullet 2 months old

Wow! It looked cotton candy pink on my screen Very, very nice! I love the variances in colors. Don't get me wrong i still love the original colors...but the unusual ones are so interesting!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
These are not easy questions to answer and I am not the most experienced breeder but this is what I know. The fact is, you probably can't tell if a "black" bird comes from an exclusively black line or out of a BBS pen. You can get good blacks out of a blue pen and bad blacks out of a black pen. The truth is often only revealed later in life (after a moult), more so from males (leakage), as the feathers age (and fade), and from breeding.

You could test mate a "black" with splash birds. If it is truly black, all the offspring will be blue. If you end up with some splash birds, you know the bird is carrying Bl (blue).

The focus in a B/B/S pen is usually blue so the black is allowed to slide. Typically, they aren't as "black" as they should be. Often most noticeable in the bum fluff (a faded, smutty sort of colour.)

As for coming up with good blacks, all you can do is try. Breed them together and watch how the black develops and maintains. I've shown Silkies out of a Blue/Splash breeding as blacks and done well with them. For me, just be honest with anyone that might be buying stock from you about the origin of your blacks.

 

[dwegg]

I showed my silkie as well! She came out 4th. Those splash ones were BEAUTIFUL!

Hey jacqui...I must had missed you? I did meet two other people there...was yours one of the blacks? I wish I had said hi...was it your first show?

 

[dogsgofish]

I'm in sw va near Abingdon Nc is a long state where are you?

 

[littlecritters]

These are not easy questions to answer and I am not the most experienced breeder but this is what I know. The fact is, you probably can't tell if a "black" bird comes from an exclusively black line or out of a BBS pen. You can get good blacks out of a blue pen and bad blacks out of a black pen. The truth is often only revealed later in life (after a moult), more so from males (leakage), as the feathers age (and fade), and from breeding.

You could test mate a "black" with splash birds. If it is truly black, all the offspring will be blue. If you end up with some splash birds, you know the bird is carrying Bl (blue).

The focus in a B/B/S pen is usually blue so the black is allowed to slide. Typically, they aren't as "black" as they should be. Often most noticeable in the bum fluff (a faded, smutty sort of colour.)

As for coming up with good blacks, all you can do is try. Breed them together and watch how the black develops and maintains. I've shown Silkies out of a Blue/Splash breeding as blacks and done well with them. For me, just be honest with anyone that might be buying stock from you about the origin of your blacks.

Thanks very much for sharing. I appreciate your response.

 

[thedragonlady]

I can't remember who was wanting good quality white silkies but do remember they live in GA. There is going to be a woman at the Newnan, GA show Feb.16th who has beautiful ones. She has been breeding, I believe, 14 years now. I am getting a pair from her when I meet her at the show. Her name is Kathy Barba of Fancy Dancin Chickens. She was at a show I attended last Nov and I am still kicking myself for not buying the pair she had there.

My problem with my true blacks is I cannot get a male!! Any other time I would have 5 but not the blacks. I want an all black pen in order to continue the true blacks. I do need to post more pics of mine to know absolutely for certain they all are true black. I have 2 hens and a black SG. I guess that is what I will be looking for at the Newnan show if I can't find reliable eggs. Actually for my breeding I would rather see what I am getting unless someone her suggest a breeder I can trust.

I have 3 Blue SG roos...they are pet quality. Their wattles and combs are a dark red. This is not acceptable right? They are nice but too many flaws for anything other than to make pretty yard ornaments.

When I was cleaning feet last week I noticed something. A lot of my silkies don't have a toenail on the outside toes....and a lot of these are unrelated. Is this common...maybe from scratching?

Contact Marty McGuire about a good black K. I'm sure he will be at Newnan. Marty is a judge, and a very nice guy.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: I have to disagree with DargonLady. I see a darker head and hackle, just not a SIGNIFICANTLY darker head and hackle. There should be NO difference in shade on a self blue; the head and hackle of a blue girl should be exactly the same shade as her back, her wings, her tail, etc.

The check marks can mean different things to different judges. Basically something he was checking on. Could be good points or negative ones or whatever. Best thing to do after judging is complete and ask him to go over your birds with you. Ask him what his checks mean, and ask why he wrote colour. I've seen it written when the bird was brassy (I've also seen "brassy" written, I've seen it used when there was some undercolour that is incorrect and I've seen it used when the bird was a completely different variety,) Be respectful and polite. Ask him to show you why the birds that fared bitter did so. Could well be something that you did not even consider. Don;t feel that you MUST agree with him or that his viewpoint is correct, but also don't say any of that to him. Be polite and respectful; thank him for helping you understand. Not every judge does a good job, and not having been there or seen the other birds, we really cannot evaluate. He may have done fantastic job, or it may not be what it should Talk to the other silkie exhibitors, too and try to see what they think of his judging. Don;t get stressed out by the placement; sit back and enjoy the show and talking to fellow exhibitors. Learn as much as you can. Look at all the birds that made it to BB and on to Championship Row.

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

DragonLady and all,
Several of us on this thread are trying hard to find true blacks...which has turned out to be quite a challenge. Here are some of the obstacles we face. If you can share any feedback, it would be appreciated.

1) How can we identify whether a black bird comes from a BBS pen or is a pure black pen?

2) How can we tell whether a dark bird is a blue rather than black?

3) What is "wrong" with breeding a black from a BBS pen to a black from a pure black pen?

4) If black birds coming from BBS pens were bred together, would their offspring be considered pure black? Can a pure black line eventually be created out of BBS blacks?

5) Lastly, there are black birds from pure black pens that have a browner underfluff and tone. I have heard that these turn into the best blacks after their first molt. This seems confusing...?

For those of us striving to create pure black pens, do you all have any suggestions?

Thanks Tina for taking the time. Its like you read my mind lol

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

I have to disagree with DargonLady. I see a darker head and hackle, just not a SIGNIFICANTLY darker head and hackle. There should be NO difference in shade on a self blue; the head and hackle of a blue girl should be exactly the same shade as her back, her wings, her tail, etc.

The check marks can mean different things to different judges. Basically something he was checking on. Could be good points or negative ones or whatever. Best thing to do after judging is complete and ask him to go over your birds with you. Ask him what his checks mean, and ask why he wrote colour. I've seen it written when the bird was brassy (I've also seen "brassy" written, I've seen it used when there was some undercolour that is incorrect and I've seen it used when the bird was a completely different variety,) Be respectful and polite. Ask him to show you why the birds that fared bitter did so. Could well be something that you did not even consider. Don;t feel that you MUST agree with him or that his viewpoint is correct, but also don't say any of that to him. Be polite and respectful; thank him for helping you understand. Not every judge does a good job, and not having been there or seen the other birds, we really cannot evaluate. He may have done fantastic job, or it may not be what it should Talk to the other silkie exhibitors, too and try to see what they think of his judging. Don;t get stressed out by the placement; sit back and enjoy the show and talking to fellow exhibitors. Learn as much as you can. Look at all the birds that made it to BB and on to Championship Row.

Thank you.