Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[ChicksNherps]

Will this shampoo be okay to use on my Splash I will be showing? I picked it up today. Smells so good!
http://www.iodogs.com/p-415-keratin-volume-shampoo.aspx

Also bought this, will this be okay to try? I just want to make sure I don't use something that ruins the feathers.
http://www.organicrootstimulator.com/products/23

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Will this shampoo be okay to use on my Splash I will be showing? I picked it up today. Smells so good!
http://www.iodogs.com/p-415-keratin-volume-shampoo.aspx

Also bought this, will this be okay to try? I just want to make sure I don't use something that ruins the feathers.
http://www.organicrootstimulator.com/products/23

Shampoo should be fine. My experience with oily sheen products is that they are a bad idea on soft feathered (and definitely on silkie feathered) birds. They work great on hard feathered birds such as moderns or old english.

 

[ChicksNherps]

okay thanks!

 

[Lesalynn]

I just found this thread, in the process of reading each and every post. I don't have very good pics, sorry. And this hen is no longer here, wanted to share and see what y'all thought. She was the first and only Silkie I've had. Just got 17 eggs in from the Garry farm, however and would like to learn what to look for. About 10 months old in these pics.

 

[Me & Jack]

I just found this thread, in the process of reading each and every post. I don't have very good pics, sorry. And this hen is no longer here, wanted to share and see what y'all thought. She was the first and only Silkie I've had. Just got 17 eggs in from the Garry farm, however and would like to learn what to look for. About 10 months old in these pics.

She's not too bad, actually. Her type (shape) is pretty good, although she doesn't seem to hold her tail up rounded and tight, which just could be the photo. Her crest could be a little more upright, but otherwise it seems to be a good size. It does look slightly swept back, which makes me think of a cockerel, but I'll assume it's a girl for now. Her chest seems fairly broad, and her feet look nice, especially the feathering on the middle toe. Her wings are hard to evaluate with just the one photo. They look like they're carried too high and even slipped, but it could simply be the way she positioned them before you took the pick. So, more pics would make it easier to give opinions, but even then it's hard to tell from photos alone. If I had to guess I would say she is a very nice pet quality or acceptable breeder quality if paired with an excellent male. If I saw her in person I might have different thoughts, so please keep that in mind.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Friend of mine had one once, she laid tiny 'fart' type eggs her entire life and sporatically (like 2 eggs one week, 4 the next week, none for 3 weeks, etc) and talking to another breeder (after my friend's girl had passed, and I heard mention of another person's dwarf laying small eggs with only whites, no yolks) I found out about it seems to be a common issue with the silkie dwarfs. Dunno where it comes from or just how common it is.

I guess I'll have to see what this one does, but that sounds disappointing. I think the other one might be a boy-- I am still going to hang onto them for pets. The kids love them because they are so tiny.

I just found this thread, in the process of reading each and every post. I don't have very good pics, sorry. And this hen is no longer here, wanted to share and see what y'all thought. She was the first and only Silkie I've had. Just got 17 eggs in from the Garry farm, however and would like to learn what to look for. About 10 months old in these pics.

She has too long of a back on her. It's still a decent start, but not ultimately what you want to see in your flock. The birds should naturally stand with their chests out and tails up high with lots of tail and cushion. Hopefully your hatching eggs will look a lot nicer! See below-- this is from 'Birds and Eggs'-- but see the back?? Hardly any back and the tail and head are very close. So look for this shape below: My birds don't always look like this either. I have 3 or 4 that look this nice and that's about it... and that's out of lots of hatchings. So it's not like you just jump right into this. Seems like my boys hit this look every time, but having trouble getting my pullets to have the nice tail and cushion.

oh --- I like Janine's response! I didn't even know you responded! I must have been sitting on this post before I hit respond. But GOOD point-- a lot of birds just look differently in person, and pictures don't always capture what the bird really looks like.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Janine-- I have been selling off a lot of birds and am down to just 3 cockerels on my grow outs.. they aren't even crowing. Well, one did try to crow, but haven't heard him again. I've been looking at their wings, and I'm not sure whether to keep him or not, even though he is looking fantastic so far on type, and is also smaller than his daddy. Better comb, too. I need to go get a picture of his wings. I can't tell if they are immature at this point, or if they have the secondaries swept back. I will be really sad if he has "split" wing too. Sigh. I'll go get a picture.

 

[PNWGirl]

Loralee,

I like your comparison to a nice pullet, very educational (both responses were).

Sheila

 

[Lesalynn]

Thanks for such quick responses! Hawkeye, that picture sure helps a LOT. Looking at them side by side, I can see what you mean about the back length, and distance between head and tail. I have a lot to learn, but am not giving up. My kids want to show them in 4-H and FFA, so I think maybe that will give us a starting point. Who knows? I just think Silkies are beautiful, and wanted some, lol.

 

[dwegg]

These aren't paints....

This is Paint:

Paints are a dominant white (I believe based on silver), with BLACK spots. Just like a paint horse. (I loooove paint horses)

The last I read the white birds have "holes" in their pigment that allow the black spots to come through. The black colored feathers go all the way down the shaft of the feather. (they are not black tipped) There should be no gold or buff in paints. I'm drawing a blank on what I've heard your color called. I hope someone will know!

--ETA, but I did want to say-- AMAZING looking silkies you have there!! Definitely show those birds! Beautiful!

Hawkeye...just finished washing my girls for the the show this weekend and thought I would show you that she is indeed a paint...they both are paints...but for some reason you just can't see all the spots when she is fluffy...she also has the orange frosting...
here she is fluffy






and here she is all wet today having her bath...