Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[peepblessed]

Adora,
Sorry I haven't gotten pics of the blue boy. I've been focused on trying to nurse several silkies that were shipped to us and got lost in the transportation process for a few days.
Unfortunately, one stunning bird arrived dead and another bird suffered neurological damage due to the shipping delays (dehydration and possible stroke). Here is a pic of our poor little guy getting ready to be tube fed, all wrapped up in a sleeve from a sweatshirt.
Dr Peter Brown from First State Vet Supplies suggested this helpful technique. He also shared important info that chickens don't have diaphragms like humans, so they can't be wrapped tight or they will literally suffocate.

That is so terrible I'm so sorry.... That is a great restraint idea

 

[tiki244]

O thats so sad tears are coming to my eyes. I am sorry.

 

[Albanydog]

Purchased and hatched out blue and black silkie eggs from a SQ breeder in April. I am new to breeding to color and quality. It appears as though I do not have a male among the 5 chicks. I am raising silkies because I love the breed but would be interested in breeding them to sell to some of the local 4H kids because I know how expensive SQ birds are and as a hobbist I could provide them birds much cheaper. I am looking at reserving a few birds and a silkie rooster to pick up at the Fall Poultry Swap next weekend and was wondering what the norm is for breeding SQ, should I get a black or blue rooster to stay true to the color and add colorful females to the flock to get colors or should I have a colorful roo? I guess what I need to find out is if there is a dominate color that I would likely get all or most of the time or just some of the time or how does that work with Silkies and is it the same for all chickens?

Sorry for the complicated question (or at least it is for me) I just decided the Fall Poultry Swap was probably my best bet to get some nice birds and I haven't had time to do any research, so I came to the experts

 

[Adoravachick]

Adora,
Sorry I haven't gotten pics of the blue boy. I've been focused on trying to nurse several silkies that were shipped to us and got lost in the transportation process for a few days.
Unfortunately, one stunning bird arrived dead and another bird suffered neurological damage due to the shipping delays (dehydration and possible stroke). Here is a pic of our poor little guy getting ready to be tube fed, all wrapped up in a sleeve from a sweatshirt.
Dr Peter Brown from First State Vet Supplies suggested this helpful technique. He also shared important info that chickens don't have diaphragms like humans, so they can't be wrapped tight or they will literally suffocate.

I am so sorry to hear that! Shipping birds is always a worrisome process. It looks like this bird is well taken care of.

 

[littlecritters]

O thats so sad tears are coming to my eyes. I am sorry.

Thank you all for your thoughts... Dr. Brown has an Emergency Kit that I purchased for $25 and highly recommend to everyone for those unexpected problems that may pop up.

 

[aoxa]

my chickens dont either

Kinda intruding here, but mine don't care much for them, but they will eat them - and I go through a lot less feed when I use pellets. I started back on crumble on Friday, and already went through nearly 2 bags! They are pigs!

I'm going to start fermenting feed when I get back. I've been feeding wet food - as I get less waste and more mass than dry.

 

[peepblessed]

Purchased and hatched out blue and black silkie eggs from a SQ breeder in April. I am new to breeding to color and quality. It appears as though I do not have a male among the 5 chicks. I am raising silkies because I love the breed but would be interested in breeding them to sell to some of the local 4H kids because I know how expensive SQ birds are and as a hobbist I could provide them birds much cheaper. I am looking at reserving a few birds and a silkie rooster to pick up at the Fall Poultry Swap next weekend and was wondering what the norm is for breeding SQ, should I get a black or blue rooster to stay true to the color and add colorful females to the flock to get colors or should I have a colorful roo? I guess what I need to find out is if there is a dominate color that I would likely get all or most of the time or just some of the time or how does that work with Silkies and is it the same for all chickens?

Sorry for the complicated question (or at least it is for me) I just decided the Fall Poultry Swap was probably my best bet to get some nice birds and I haven't had time to do any research, so I came to the experts

I think a study of this chart may help you. Decide what color preferences you have. For resale I find that splash is the easiest to sell to the local population.

The way the Blue gene works in a breeding can be broken down as follows:

1) Blue x Blue: This will produce 25% black, 50% blue, 25% splash.
2) Black x Blue: Produces 50% black and 50% blue.
3) Black x Splash: You'll get 100% blue.
4) Blue x Splash: Produces 50% blue and 50% splash.
5) Splash x Splash: This will give you 100% Splash.
6) Black x black: 100% black

 

[littlecritters]

I think a study of this chart may help you. Decide what color preferences you have. For resale I find that splash is the easiest to sell to the local population.

The way the Blue gene works in a breeding can be broken down as follows:

1) Blue x Blue: This will produce 25% black, 50% blue, 25% splash.

2) Black x Blue: Produces 50% black and 50% blue.

3) Black x Splash: You'll get 100% blue.

4) Blue x Splash: Produces 50% blue and 50% splash.

5) Splash x Splash: This will give you 100% Splash.

6) Black x black: 100% black

Albanydog,
Based on this chart...
if you use a black rooster with your black and blue girls you may get ---> black and blue chicks. (Note: "pure" blacks from the blk x blk pairings)
if you use a blue rooster with your black and blue girls you may get ---> black, blue and splash chicks.
if you use a splash rooster with your black and blue girls you may get ---> blue and splash chicks.

There are some things you can tell from appearance, and others you cannot.  A browner bird is either sunburned, has older feathers or is e^b.  Not to say that an e^b can't be very black.  Add enough of the right melanizers  and you may be able to compete with the best.  But most of the blackest birds seem to be E or E^R based from what I have seen of chick photos, breeding information passed on by the breeders, etc.

Chick down indicates some of the genes carried, and the e-allele is one that shows.  Breeding records of offspring from the bird will also give clues, although you cannot discount that some of the genes may have come from the other parent (unless it is a sex-linked gene).

Sonoran,
Thank you.

 

[peepblessed]

On the subject of the splash color, has anyone seen a bird lose points because the back ground color was too light?

 

[chickendales]

On the subject of the splash color, has anyone seen a bird lose points because the back ground color was too light?

only if there where almost no spots