Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[Hennyhandler]

I have a bird I hatched out from eggs I bought. The eggs were Blue Partridge/Partridge I bought from someone. I hatched out a chick that was mainly white with greyish coloring and partridge markings on its back. She is now grown up. This is her as a pullet.






NOW, I hatched one of her eggs. I mated her to a white rooster. I was thinking the chick would be white. WELL, nope it isn't. It is whitish with a lot of grey and buff in it. It looks dirty or smudged I guess you could say. She also has white partridge markings on her back. Like her mama. I don't understand the genes of the chick or the mom. If the mom is supposed to be partridge why does she look like this and how does the chick look like this?



I put this on the partridge silkie thread and Chicknmamma agreed they thought the chick would have been white as well. I was just wondering if there is anyone that knows or has any opinions.

I wish I had pics of the mom as a chick. I may have some I will have to look because chicknmamma I would like to know if your odd greyish/white one looked like mine. Does she have any partridge markings?

 

[ChickNmamma]

I have a bird I hatched out from eggs I bought. The eggs were Blue Partridge/Partridge I bought from someone. I hatched out a chick that was mainly white with greyish coloring and partridge markings on its back. She is now grown up. This is her as a pullet.






NOW, I hatched one of her eggs. I mated her to a white rooster. I was thinking the chick would be white. WELL, nope it isn't. It is whitish with a lot of grey and buff in it. It looks dirty or smudged I guess you could say. She also has white partridge markings on her back. Like her mama. I don't understand the genes of the chick or the mom. If the mom is supposed to be partridge why does she look like this and how does the chick look like this?



I put this on the partridge silkie thread and Chicknmamma agreed they thought the chick would have been white as well. I was just wondering if there is anyone that knows or has any opinions.

I wish I had pics of the mom as a chick. I may have some I will have to look because chicknmamma I would like to know if your odd greyish/white one looked like mine. Does she have any partridge markings?

Well, now I have a name for it - Smudge. It doesn't appear to have Partridge markings - but they may be smudged. It also has almost no foot feathering, as well as 4 toes..
Here's Smudge:



I think I have wee folk coming in and stealing my chicks and leaving changelings instead....

 

[Sanna]

Very nice girls!

Thank you!

Those are 2 very nice girls. I hate to ask, but WHY are you using him on such nice birds? For the color ? Those girls deserve better.You need to put the girl's (in the last photo in with the chicks ) crest up in tape too if you want to show her.I'd love to see the chicks you get.

Because he is the only rooster I have at the moment. Not to worry! I have 4 chicks growing, two of them are blue, one splash....and they all look like they're boys. They're about 7 weeks old, but really look boyish. And they look much nicer than my splash rooster did at that age. So, I'm hoping to get a much nicer cockerel out of these little guys to use for breeding next year. For this year, for my first time breeding, this splash guy will have to do.

Does taping up the crest help keep it in better condition or just help the bird see better?

 

[thedragonlady]

Thank you!

Because he is the only rooster I have at the moment. Not to worry! I have 4 chicks growing, two of them are blue, one splash....and they all look like they're boys. They're about 7 weeks old, but really look boyish. And they look much nicer than my splash rooster did at that age. So, I'm hoping to get a much nicer cockerel out of these little guys to use for breeding next year. For this year, for my first time breeding, this splash guy will have to do.

Does taping up the crest help keep it in better condition or just help the bird see better?

BOTH !!!!

 

[PaintedFeathers]

I just taped Icelynn and Snowmiser's crests up

We'll see how long that lasts haha! Ice was alrey trying to pry it off, snow seemed pretty happy to see though! He immediately started crowing

 

[thedragonlady]

I just taped Icelynn and Snowmiser's crests up

We'll see how long that lasts haha! Ice was alrey trying to pry it off, snow seemed pretty happy to see though! He immediately started crowing

My experience has been if you have the tape at the base of the crest, and not too loose , or too tight , that they pretty much ignore it. They are just grateful.

 

[PaintedFeathers]

My experience has been if you have the tape at the base of the crest, and not too loose , or too tight , that they pretty much ignore it. They are just grateful.

Yeah, Snow is ignoring it... but ice is a brat

 

[chisNchickens]

I grab the crest between the base of my thumb and forefinger from the rear, making sure I have the whole crest with the feathers straight.I stick the tape starting in front at my thumb , and go around the whole crest to end up overlapping a 1/2" in front. This will help train a floppy bonnet crest UP, as it takes the strain off the skin.. The poor kids can see then too !. My girls lived in tape. They got pink bows in front to arrive at shows. I'd take them down just before judging, and blow them UP, and the beards under the eyes DOWN. You want the tape snug, but not pulling on the feathers. You've gone too far when the girls look surprised.

Great, thank you very much. I will see if I can locate some today and give it a try. Pink bows....awwww;-)

 

[Sanna]

I just taped Icelynn and Snowmiser's crests up

We'll see how long that lasts haha! Ice was alrey trying to pry it off, snow seemed pretty happy to see though! He immediately started crowing

What do you guys use for tape? Any regular clear tape? Or maybe painters tape that's not quite as sticky?

 

[peepblessed]

What do you guys use for tape? Any regular clear tape? Or maybe painters tape that's not quite as sticky?

Medical paper tape. 1/2 inch width works well.