Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[aoxa]

Hawkeye,

I no longer have a good place to keep them, and being newly married, don't want to tempt myself with showing on a regular basis. I've always had LF too, and I've always wanted to breed Buff Orps. I had a chance to buy some really great Imported English Buff Orps, and I jumped at it. Hubby loves the eggs too!

Shorty still owes me two trios if I ever want back in! He's safe for now......

OOPS! My favorite colors were always the ones you could win with...White, Black, Grey, Buff, and Partridge. Too many people trying to show too many experimental colors, as novices now.Get the beginners to buy and READ a standard!

I would think partridge would be hard to win with. Especially going against a solid colour.

Your orps are gorgeous!

 

[chickendales]

I would think partridge would be hard to win with. Especially going against a solid colour.
Your orps are gorgeous!

partridge hens win

 

[aoxa]

partridge hens win

I know they can win, but isn't it harder to with a patterened bird?

 

[chickendales]

I know they can win, but isn't it harder to with a patterened bird?

yes

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: It really depends on the judge. There are some very good judges who dislike patterned silkies because you cannot see the quality of the pattern on the feathers to know that it is correct, and how good it is/isn't.

 

[peepblessed]

i just hatch the chicks knowing that some could carry it see how many pop up and if he related to the hen it already in your flock some where

Well, the roos were full brothers so I guess it's not a tragedy if I'm not positive which one it is.

 

[thedragonlady]

I would think partridge would be hard to win with. Especially going against a solid colour.
Your orps are gorgeous!

My Orps thank you!
If you have a correct Partridge hen or pullet, and you can see true partridge markings over the wings, most judges will use them if they have superior type.You can't just call a bird with a black crest, red,or wheaten chest, tan and grey back, etc,. a partridge.All those feathers, smoothed down, should show a partridge pattern, just like a gray should be a chinchilla grey, not another breed's grey. So many people don't read far enough in the ABA standard about grey, and miss the Silkie Grey. I bought 8 very good chinchilla grey silkies on traders' row one time from a very experienced breeder who had never finished reading the color on Grey in Silkies. He kept the incorrect ones described earlier in the standard!

 

[Adoravachick]

LOL -- I bought a hoof file so that I could try to keep my horse's feet looking shapely and smooth between trimmings. Darn it, but I could barely hold the thing let alone wield it to get a nicely filed down hoof. I gave up. Decided I would just rather pay the farrier to break his back than mine. LOL

That's how I feel too. lol

 

[Adoravachick]

remember the rooster is 1\2 your flock by useing roosters with things that you dont like remember all the hen you breed to him could throw that trait to there babies and if there related then the trait well come out for shure

DragonLady has told me this before and I am learning the importance of a VERY correct rooster. I probably have 5 or 6 cockerels that will be growing out over the winter, as of now, they are ALL looking good. I am happy to have a few options.

 

[jrosemoore]

Been reading up on the posts lately. I used to own a dairy goat. If you are ever considering owning one remember that you have to find someone to milk it if you go away, even for a day, and that isn't exactly the normal type of pet sitting most people like to sign up for.

I have heard that partridge colored silkies are harder to win with. I have three and am not even sure if I should enter them in my first poultry show. I'm worried I will be embarrassd. We'll see, I guess. I'm really trying to get back on the right path and stick to just white or black.

Oh and hay prices---that's the number one reason I don't own a horse. Who's to say our chicken feed won't break the bank soon enough though?