Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[ChicksNherps]

Just surfing craigslist, how does this guy size up to everyone? They say he is a blue splash, but he has a lot of gold leakage. Just browsing for now, but I like to see what's out there =D May pst more if I find any.

http://nh.craigslist.org/grd/3250218193.html

Also, what color is this? it is NOT buff like posted
http://nh.craigslist.org/grq/3191881055.html

 

[tiki244]

They are pretty. They look like they were someones beloved pet who doesn't want them anymore. For whatever reason. I can't really speak for color or quality. I bet they are both very friendly which is a good thing. It is always risky to buy birds that are older because they could be a possible disease carrier. Hope this helps.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Just surfing craigslist, how does this guy size up to everyone? They say he is a blue splash, but he has a lot of gold leakage. Just browsing for now, but I like to see what's out there =D May pst more if I find any.

http://nh.craigslist.org/grd/3250218193.html

Also, what color is this? it is NOT buff like posted
http://nh.craigslist.org/grq/3191881055.html

she might have been bought from a hatchery as a buff. i've seen similar 'buff' silkies from hatcheries...

its a bad buff....buff + pattern (partridge popped up) no 'real' color name for it

 

[cmitchell]

I really doubt the crest has changed shape because of the water fount. I've never had that happen. A crest just won't grow into it's full potential-- or show what it will look like until the bird is much older-- around 4-5 months you should have a very good idea of what it might look like. But even at that age, there will be a lot of pinfeathers and they can continue to change in shape and size. If you have lobes in your crest, there is something else going on-- usually because the bird has a vault. Although... the majority of my birds have a vault as well, and do not have lobes within the crest. What kind of water fount are you using? I'm using a typical 2 gallon metal fount for my birds right now. It doesn't seem to interfere with their crests. Can you take a picture of the crest you are talking about? Sometimes it's just going to be obvious that genetics are at play rather than a water fount. That would be the case when the lobe looks really pronounced and well defined. I don't have any birds with this problem, or I'd show you a picture. I remember having this discussion with someone else a while back and they were having problems with lobes within the crest. They had great pictures.

As a kid, my dad raised WCB Polish. This is a breed that has larger crests than silkies. They also have vaulted skulls. I showed them when I was a kid, but you will get some bad genetics where the crest just falls or separates. It's not anything to do with feeding/watering, etc... It's just a bad crest. A Polish with a crest that falls or separates-- well, you just don't breed them. So they have their own problems, too. But it reminds me a lot of silkies because you are working with similar crests and vaults. They either have a good crest, or they don't. You'd be amazed-- a bird with a good crest/good genetics-- it just won't matter if they get it wet, or what they do with it-- it will always bounce back. I have Polish right now that it's been raining and miserable out-- their crests are perfect. Then I have the birds that I would never in a million breed and they won't stay together and flop down. So I relate that a lot to silkies. And speaking of the rain and drizzle lately-- my silkies have gotten drenched a few times in the last couple of weeks. Their crests were flat against their heads when I brought them in. I didn't do anything with them, but put them up. The next morning-- they were all fluffed up like nothing had happened without me having to do anything for them.


She looks very nice. Are you wanting to show or breed her? Is she a Black or a Blue? The majority of my blues I got this year are all this dark. Makes it very tough not to call them black when I know very well they are blue. LOL!

HAWKEYE95,
THE PICTURES DO MAKE HER LOOK A BIT LIKE A DARK BLUE BUT SHE IS ACTUALLY BLACK. I WAS THINKING OF SHOWING HER BUT I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE SHOWING CHICKENS.

 

[chisNchickens]

Just surfing craigslist, how does this guy size up to everyone? They say he is a blue splash, but he has a lot of gold leakage. Just browsing for now, but I like to see what's out there =D May pst more if I find any.

http://nh.craigslist.org/grd/3250218193.html

Also, what color is this? it is NOT buff like posted
http://nh.craigslist.org/grq/3191881055.html

I would definitely pass on the roo. Not much to offer there. They both look hatchery to me.

 

[Hawkeye95]

HAWKEYE95,
THE PICTURES DO MAKE HER LOOK A BIT LIKE A DARK BLUE BUT SHE IS ACTUALLY BLACK. I WAS THINKING OF SHOWING HER BUT I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE SHOWING CHICKENS.

Either way on her color, she's beautiful! You could certainly show her-- she is not showing any signs of leakage. It's very easy to show. Just figure out where/when your shows are. If you don't know, google your area and look for poultry shows. You'll need them to send you registration papers. The only other thing you'll need to do is test your birds if your state and shows ask for 90 day certificates or NPIP numbers. Around here, most shows ask for 90 day certs because they are more up to date than an NPIP number. That just means that the birds you taking to show-- they must be banded and tested. Don't let that put you off. A lot of the shows will even test right before hand, or they will give you a name/number to call for a person that will do it. Around here, it costs next to nothing to do. I am charged a $5 trip fee and $1 a bird for the 90 day cert. But I did testing back in July on my birds that cost me nothing! Our State held it and it was free to all of those that were going to register to show. So we did have to turn in our registration forms at the same time/place as the testing. Once you do it, you'll see none of this is really a big deal. After that, just washing, fluffing and getting them cleaned up is the only other worry you'll have. I think you should do it! Heck, I think everyone should show, it's just a lot of fun and you learn so much more about your birds and breeding.

 

[jsp28504]

I have a few questions for the more serious breeders:

What do your barns/breeding pens look like/ how are you set up?

Do you AI or let nature take it's course?

Do you track your breedings, if so, how?

And any helpful tips/ideas to improve on a design you have had luck with?

The reason I am wondering is I am looking into building a new facility when I move, I have 25 +/- acres and I was hoping to do a run-in for my horse on one side and have some 6x6 pens on the other for the chickens. I'm only working with white silkies and SG's right now, but hope to expand to BBS later on once I have the barn/coop built. I know I'm a little ways out seeing as I don't even have a house built on the land yet! But hey, never hurts to plan in advanced, right?

 

[ChicksNherps]

another question. Can I use a shampoo that has enzymes in it? It says whitens coats using the power of enzymes. The directions also say not to leave on colored spots for longer than 2 minutes or it may remove color. I only have light colored girls so that doesn't bother me, just want to make sure their feathers won't turn into mush or anything!

http://www.petedge.com/product/Groo...ening-Shampoo/pc/190/c/1102/sc/1112/59084.uts

 

[tiki244]

Do you have to pluck the crest a certain way when showing? I would have absolutely no idea how to do that. But then I don't have anything to show anyway. :/

 

[Hawkeye95]

I have a few questions for the more serious breeders:

What do your barns/breeding pens look like/ how are you set up?

Do you AI or let nature take it's course?

Do you track your breedings, if so, how?

And any helpful tips/ideas to improve on a design you have had luck with?

The reason I am wondering is I am looking into building a new facility when I move, I have 25 +/- acres and I was hoping to do a run-in for my horse on one side and have some 6x6 pens on the other for the chickens. I'm only working with white silkies and SG's right now, but hope to expand to BBS later on once I have the barn/coop built. I know I'm a little ways out seeing as I don't even have a house built on the land yet! But hey, never hurts to plan in advanced, right?

Right now I have pens and cages. Large cages-- mine can hold several birds in them. But I use those for bachelor pads right now. Girls are outside in pens. That is just for the silkies-- I have my layers completely separate (big birds). Right now, my set up works, but I'm not loving it. Next Spring we are building a large barn, so I'll be dividing up the front half of my horse barn and will use the front 30 X 25ft for pens. Look at George's set up here-- this is similar to what I'm going to do. http://photos.silkiesbygeorge.com/GalleryThumbnails.aspx?gallery=110613 But right now, I'll have to over winter everyone in empty horse stalls in the back part of my barn which I also have set up for the silkies! (which is "fun" when the horses are curious and try to come in with me when I go to feed and water.) LOL I'm not really well organized on my set up right now. I hope next year will get that nailed down.

I track my breedings with a sheet I made up on Corel Draw. I keep track of who is who at first with multi colored zip ties. Once I've used up all the colors, then I start double banding them with the ties and doing combinations of zipties. I track that on my sheet and when they are ready for banding (or an ABA band) then I just switch it out to the number they are then in. Right now, I've been using the plastic numbered bandettes. Next year, I'm going to put all of my new kids in the ABA bands. Anyway, the sheets track if they were hatched with a vault, toes, etc.. and then later there are spots for wings, etc.. And then another spot for shows they are entered in, how well they did, etc. I keep them in plastic sheet covers and stick them in a binder. (that way they don't tear out)

another question. Can I use a shampoo that has enzymes in it? It says whitens coats using the power of enzymes. The directions also say not to leave on colored spots for longer than 2 minutes or it may remove color. I only have light colored girls so that doesn't bother me, just want to make sure their feathers won't turn into mush or anything!

http://www.petedge.com/product/Groo...ening-Shampoo/pc/190/c/1102/sc/1112/59084.uts

I have no idea. I just didn't want to ignore you! Is this meant for dogs?

Do you have to pluck the crest a certain way when showing? I would have absolutely no idea how to do that. But then I don't have anything to show anyway.

NO, you're not allowed to pluck in prep for show. It would be falsifying your bird. I know we've talked about this before-- but the only time you can pluck or trim is when you are not showing, and don't have any intention of doing so-- it's just for helping the bird be able to see. Plucking out feathers can get you DQ'd. Some people will do it if they see a feather or two with leakage-- like on a black bird, they'll pluck out a white feather. That's not right, and you're then misrepresenting your bird.