Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[Me & Jack]

Posted this on a different silkie thread as well, but want to make sure everyone can give their opinions

. My friend is considering selling her cockerel because he has started crowing. Not loudly, but enough that she thinks he will disturb the neighbors.I would snatch him in a heartbeat because he is GORGEOUS but I don't have a house I can keep a roo at yet. So my question is, what would you all pay for him if she WAS to sell him? He is from local show stock, he is jet black with the emerald hues around his hackles, but he is from paint eggs so he is most likely het. for paint. He is super sweet and cuddly and is 5/6 months old.

He's not bad. I agree he looks a little long in the back, but he could be growing through a growth spurt and his cushion and posture haven't caught up with him. His feet look decent but a closer inspection is in order. Unless you're showing/breeding perfect birds already I wouldn't worry about his imperfections since he seems to have some nice qualities. Bottom line should always be: can you find something better? If so, then don't buy him if he doesn't have enough "junk in the trunk" so to speak. If he's got some awesome qualities you want then go for it $25-40 unless you know more about the lines he comes from and think he's worth it. Would you be breeding him back to black or to paint?

 

[tiki244]

About this AI:I have a very important question. (for me lol) I am ok at doing it but I have the roosters legs between my legs and he is upright. I sit on a stool and stroke his back, then do the process under the tail to get the sperm. My problem is that two hands aren't enough for me. When I grab the plastic spoon, and I have my other hand under the tail area ,, there is so much fluff in the way that I need a third hand to move the fluff. When I try moving the fluff with my hand that is under the tail area, the sperm is not there. I hope this makes sense but wasn't too explicit. Any ideas on how to guide me? Thanks :/

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Hmmm, all the bonnet crests I have seen are more moderate in size than are fully rounded crests.

 

[peepblessed]

I finally got some decent photos of this cockerel. Barely 6 mths old. Photos don't show his color which is very black with no leakage, though he does have some light under coat so I'm guessing he's blue. His wing fan is great and I couldn't ask for better feet, toes and foot feathering. He has great type which shows somewhat in the photos. Love his small black comb. Vivid blue ear lobs. So, the problem is that two of his siblings out of the more than a dozen I've raised or still have access to have wry tail. The father had a slightly off tail that I was positive was from an injury I saw occur but now I'm doubting that and he is retired! I would love to use this guy in my program with unrelated birds but wondering if that is a mistake. What do you all think?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Looking at the General Scale of Points table in the Bantam Standard, crest shape can ADD up to 8 points; no deduction in points is listed. In SHAPE DEFECTS, for Crests: divided, split or twisted feathers lists a deduction of 2 points, In the silkie shape standard, absence of crest is a DQ; poorly developed crest and split crest are listed as defects.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Posted this on a different silkie thread as well, but want to make sure everyone can give their opinions

. My friend is considering selling her cockerel because he has started crowing. Not loudly, but enough that she thinks he will disturb the neighbors.I would snatch him in a heartbeat because he is GORGEOUS but I don't have a house I can keep a roo at yet. So my question is, what would you all pay for him if she WAS to sell him? He is from local show stock, he is jet black with the emerald hues around his hackles, but he is from paint eggs so he is most likely het. for paint. He is super sweet and cuddly and is 5/6 months old.

Most genetics folks think that paint is likely dominant white, in which case being het. and hidden is not normally possible; it would show.

 

[stoopid]

About this AI:I have a very important question. (for me lol) I am ok at doing it but I have the roosters legs between my legs and he is upright. I sit on a stool and stroke his back, then do the process under the tail to get the sperm. My problem is that two hands aren't enough for me. When I grab the plastic spoon, and I have my other hand under the tail area ,, there is so much fluff in the way that I need a third hand to move the fluff. When I try moving the fluff with my hand that is under the tail area, the sperm is not there. I hope this makes sense but wasn't too explicit. Any ideas on how to guide me? Thanks

PM BethG, I met her here, but really don't know how much she is on BYC. She is the AI Queen. We all have the "plastic spoon jokes" whenever we are around her.
If she doesn't get back to you quick enough, bother me and I can text her.
Roberta

 

[Hawkeye95]

About this AI:I have a very important question. (for me lol) I am ok at doing it but I have the roosters legs between my legs and he is upright. I sit on a stool and stroke his back, then do the process under the tail to get the sperm. My problem is that two hands aren't enough for me. When I grab the plastic spoon, and I have my other hand under the tail area ,, there is so much fluff in the way that I need a third hand to move the fluff. When I try moving the fluff with my hand that is under the tail area, the sperm is not there. I hope this makes sense but wasn't too explicit. Any ideas on how to guide me? Thanks

The hand I'm using to hold the legs -- I also use that hand to pull back feathers. It's not really that easy, but I position the feathers away from the vent and then tuck them under my fingers as best I can. I do get it to work well. You may just need more practice doing it! LOL That, and if you're not going to show him, you can go ahead and trim around his vent . I also face them down, tail up. That may help with the fluff a bit better.

I finally got some decent photos of this cockerel. Barely 6 mths old. Photos don't show his color which is very black with no leakage, though he does have some light under coat so I'm guessing he's blue. His wing fan is great and I couldn't ask for better feet, toes and foot feathering. He has great type which shows somewhat in the photos. Love his small black comb. Vivid blue ear lobs. So, the problem is that two of his siblings out of the more than a dozen I've raised or still have access to have wry tail. The father had a slightly off tail that I was positive was from an injury I saw occur but now I'm doubting that and he is retired! I would love to use this guy in my program with unrelated birds but wondering if that is a mistake. What do you all think?

WOW! He's beautiful! He doesn't look wry, like you said. His type is incredible. But you said he likely came out of a father with wry. I have no idea how that works-- if that can skip and pass on...or? If he isn't showing it, maybe his offspring would be fine. I'd try him.

 

[peepblessed]

WOW! He's beautiful! He doesn't look wry, like you said. His type is incredible.

Thanks! He is very eye catching in a group and his tail is great. I'm not hatching anything right now so have a bunch of girls and boys together. Short on space!! Nothing is selling right now!

I have another question about wry tail. Is any off straightness wry tail? His two siblings that are showing problems are very slight. It wouldn't even be noticable if I plucked a couple of hard feathers and they are not always off. It comes and goes.....

 

[tiki244]

peepblessed your cockerel is beautiful! I am not qualified to give suggestions on breeding though. Just Beautiful.


Thanks for the AI tips guys/gals. That icecube tray had me going for a while too.