Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[LaPetiteFarmer]

Hi, I've posted this on another site but thought I might get some help here also. Received a shipped silkie that came with these toes. One is bent almost 90 degrees and wont straighten out. The toe next to it has 2 nails coming out of the webbing. Almost doesn't look like a seperate toe at all. Could this be a birth defect or a broken toe or something?




Oh and this batch of birds brought us the gift of mites....sigh

Definitely not SQ feet and looks like he has scally legs.

One thing I forgot to mention is that this particular group of birds, stinks to high heavens. I don't see any mucous or any other obvious problems but the smell troubles me a bit. We have been beefing up their immune system with mashed hard boiled eggs sprinkled with dry powder milk, ACV in the water weekly and Red Cell weekly. I'm off to spray them with Adams and then am heading to bed. Tomorrow they will get bathed and given a "once over".

What you are smelling might be coccidiosis. It causes loose poops with blood sometimes. I'd put those birds on a round of Corid, and keep them well seperated from your other birds until they have been de-bugged , and wormed too.

I agree, I will give them a good bath, spray them and put them in corid for 5 days.

 

[barrelchick]

I picked up this roo and now I am not sure if he is up to the standards and if I should keep him. What I am not sure of are his wings. From all the pictures I can find on what is correct his appear to be way off but I wanted to get another opinion. I am new and learning...should he stay or go?

 

[moomoodiddy]

yes his wings are too low but it may be because he was showing off to the other hens

 

[AppleJackAcres]

Very cute chick!

From my understanding of genetics, breeding Recessive White to any color will show you what the white is hiding. Recessive white can hide any colors but it needs two copies, take one away and you will see what is underneath (plus whatever you just added). It could be buff, red, black, blue, whatever.  If its a partridge - both parents have to be hiding it.  Partridge can hide under any dominant color, since it is not dominant.  It could be hiding under your blue or splash hens too - and probably is also hiding under the splash rooster. 

Blue and Splash "should" be based on E/E but they can also be based on E/anything.  The E is dominant and overpowers the other alile (sp).   It is only once you cross E/e^Wh x E/e^Wh that you can get e^Wh/e^Wh which is what partridge is based on.  Unfortunately there are a lot of other colors out there that look similar - e+ has chipmunk chicks too.  So there is Partridge, and there is partridge.. its why its hard to make it correct for genotype when so many other things can look similar.

I have no clue what sex it can be - unfortunately sometimes you don't know until it lays an egg (because hens can crow but roosters CAN'T lay an egg).

That's what I kinda thought but wasn't sure...genetics is a lot to take in...im always playing with the color calculator ...thanks for your help

Looks like silver partridge to me. Here is a picture of one of my silver partridge chicks:

It does look like it...guess I'm going to have to see what it turns out to be

 

[PaintedFeathers]

Eggs set! I couldn't wait haha! The temp is holding steady. I really hope they hatch! Now quick question, I put them in wider side up like they were in the egg carton, is this right? For anyone who doesn't know, if they hatch, these are Silver laced Polish X Porcelain silkie crosses

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Now when I candle on day 7, how should I do it? I will obviously have to take them out one at a time, but how long can I take them out for and do I have to do anything special when I do it? like be in a very warm room?

 

[PaintedFeathers]

I picked up this roo and now I am not sure if he is up to the standards and if I should keep him. What I am not sure of are his wings. From all the pictures I can find on what is correct his appear to be way off but I wanted to get another opinion. I am new and learning...should he stay or go?

Super cute! How are his feet? He looks very nice, his wings are low but roos will do that a lot. Try bringing him inside away from all girls and see if he lifts them up.

 

[ChickNmamma]

I picked up this roo and now I am not sure if he is up to the standards and if I should keep him. What I am not sure of are his wings. From all the pictures I can find on what is correct his appear to be way off but I wanted to get another opinion. I am new and learning...should he stay or go?

Uhhh... are his wings down by his ankles like a Old English Game bird? They aren't supposed to be down there.. they are supposed to be tucked up tight against their body under their tail - parallel to the ground.

Does he always stand like that?

 

[ChickNmamma]

Eggs set! I couldn't wait haha! The temp is holding steady. I really hope they hatch! Now quick question, I put them in wider side up like they were in the egg carton, is this right? For anyone who doesn't know, if they hatch, these are Silver laced Polish X Porcelain silkie crosses

.

Now when I candle on day 7, how should I do it? I will obviously have to take them out one at a time, but how long can I take them out for and do I have to do anything special when I do it? like be in a very warm room?

Pointy side down, yes. If you have a good flashlight I think you can candle them in the turner. Just turn off the room lights and the turner. Would be safer.. too much chance to drop them. Chickens get off the nest for 30 minutes when broody - so the cool down probably won't hurt a thing if you don't dawdle. I just wouldn't do it in a cold room... but you probably don't have the incubator in a cold room anyway.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote:
I LOVE the Chicken Calculator!

 

[PaintedFeathers]

Pointy side down, yes. If you have a good flashlight I think you can candle them in the turner. Just turn off the room lights and the turner. Would be safer.. too much chance to drop them. Chickens get off the nest for 30 minutes when broody - so the cool down probably won't hurt a thing if you don't dawdle. I just wouldn't do it in a cold room... but you probably don't have the incubator in a cold room anyway.

Thanks =) Yeah it's in my livingroom, it stays about 75F