Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[Sonoran Silkies]

Ugh..half the info I find on it is balogna then? nice to know. LOL So wash and a blow dry does the trick? Or is that not done either?

Yes, bathe and either blow dry or dry under a heat lamp. I always treat with ivermectin after a bath Trim toenails and beak, put oil on comb.

 

[CluckyCharms]

Yes, bathe and either blow dry or dry under a heat lamp. I always treat with ivermectin after a bath Trim toenails and beak, put oil on comb.

Thank you for the info. I think I can handle the toenails - I do that to our dogs every 2 weeks. The only thing I don't think I could do is beaktrimming - doesn't that hurt them?

Why invermectin after a bath? (curiosity)

Last question (on this post anyway, haha) -- how old do they have to be to start being bathed?

 

[aoxa]

Thank you for the info.  I think I can handle the toenails - I do that to our dogs every 2 weeks.  The only thing I don't think I could do is beaktrimming  - doesn't that hurt them?

Why invermectin after a bath? (curiosity)

Last question (on this post anyway, haha) -- how old do they have to be to start being bathed?

The beak is just like toenails. Doesn't hurt them at all. Try to just get the tip and sand it down instead of getting too close. I've had them bleed, but it doesn't seem to hurt them like dogs.. My dog puts up a huge stink regarding clipping toenails.

 

[stoopid]

Beaks are just like toenails.
If they don't get worn down naturally, just a little snip to the tip to tidy it up.
Don't go too far, they also have a quick like toenails, and will bleed if you take off to much at once.

 

[aoxa]

Thank you for the info.  I think I can handle the toenails - I do that to our dogs every 2 weeks.  The only thing I don't think I could do is beaktrimming  - doesn't that hurt them?

Why invermectin after a bath? (curiosity)

Last question (on this post anyway, haha) -- how old do they have to be to start being bathed?

Also, I have bathed them as young as 12 weeks. If they are blown dry, no reason you can't do it earlier. I mean - I've seen chicks that are 6 weeks sopping wet with mom from wet grass or rain.

 

[chikincrazee]

Thank you for the info. I think I can handle the toenails - I do that to our dogs every 2 weeks. The only thing I don't think I could do is beaktrimming - doesn't that hurt them?

Why invermectin after a bath? (curiosity)

Last question (on this post anyway, haha) -- how old do they have to be to start being bathed?

We trim beaks and toes prior to the bath as if you quick one especially if its a light color the blood can stain your feathers...i sometimes just use an emery board on the beaks....the birds are bathed and then put in a warm room or under a heat source and i use a dog blow dryer to help the drying process.....we do use a small dog slicker at the show to help puff up the birds tails and cushion and also a quick shot with a blow dryer but sometimes they dont really need anything. The ivermectin is to keep the mites away.

 

[Hawkeye95]

How exciting!! What a great job with your beautiful birds - all of your hard work certainly paid off! Are you feeling better since your accident? Will you have some time to take it easy now?

YES! I am tired and sore and worn out. I did pretty well at the show, but I paid for it-- my neck and shoulders hurt and my lower back and hips -- not sure why. That accident messed me up. Hoping I feel better soon!! I just laid around yesterday. Wow, and so thoughtful of you to remember! I'm hoping I get my pay out this week so I can get a new vehicle. I borrowed my mother in law's minivan for the trip.

Can't imagine how excited I would be!! They are all so gorgeous!!

Thank you, Peep!! If you do this, you're going to have a BLAST!

Congratulations and it was great meeting you...i hope i helped you a bit in the breeding end of things for showing and anytime you need someone to bounce ideas off feel free to fire away,,,your son was adorable and Im so happy for him with his showmanship award!!!!

Yeah, I totally loved meeting up with you! You have great birds and it was so fun seeing our boys having such a great time together! I have a few things running through my mind that you said, and I will certainly be chatting with you as things come up. That was a fantastic day. I loved meeting Bren, too!

Can someone point me to the right link here on the site (or somewhere else is fine too) regarding how to properly groom Silkies? I've seen one site already, that many have linked in various areas, but it does not say on that site *how* to brush these birds. It says to use a fleacomb but doesn't say which direction to brush, how gently, in what manner, where, or how. Do you brush up down left right? Do you brush each individual feather area and brush away from the shaft in any direction or what? lol! Additionally, they say you're supposed to trim and file their beaks??? Doesn't that cause them pain?

I only wash before a show. Or unless they are just a huge mess or need their rear cleaned up. I use a wire dog brush to fluff a bit while I blow dry, but I don't brush them out. I use it to lift the feathers so the blow dryer can get them dried and fluffed. I DO use the wire dog brush right before judging and I brush out their rears and feet and try to fluff their tails. Right before judging-- brush out the feet feathers-- they get chips and poop in there that comes out best with a brush. (be very gentle so you don't break feathers) I use dog clippers to trim toe nails, but be careful with that. I have a styptic pen on hand to stop bleeding. So far, I haven't run into a super long beak-- a bit of a rubbing down with a metal nail file on the end will get them trimmed back up. You want it to look natural. I do all trimming at home-- it does upset them a bit.


Well, I now have a black pair! My FIRST blacks. I was going to try the dark blues together and figured it was just a bad idea. Birds of Paradise was there and selling a couple nice blacks of hers. I LOVED Touchwood's blacks, but she didn't bring any blacks for sale. Her girls are AMAZING and truly the deepest black I've ever seen.

Chris-- amazing birds!! loved all of yours!

 

[Me & Jack]

Silkies are a broody breed, but they go broody on their own schedule, not mine. I don't think wing issues are because of natural versus artificial incubation. I suppose it is possible: the 5th toe may not form if he temperatures are too low during the first few days of incubation. But if artificial incubation were the cause, I would expect that wing issues would have been going on for a very long time rather than being a relatively recent phenomena.

Yup, I'm pretty sure the vast majority of wing issues can be found to be genetic or developmental in the embryonic stage. But those factors affecting further development could possibly be attributed to environment and nutrition. Was just tossing out possible theories.

I would also suspect that we see many more wing issues these days due to the increased popularity of the breed and the fact that there are many more backyard breeders than there used to be.

 

[thedragonlady]

Hi my son Cody Granatier competed at the Silkie Nationals yesterday and won JR Grand Champion of the Show with his white silkie hen Buttons as well as Ch Bantam..Ch Featherleg and BB and his black hen Paparazzi won JR Res Champion of the show...he also won BV/RV splash...BV partridge..BV/RV black...BV/RV buff and Champion and Res Champion AOV with his self blue creams,,,this is a line up of his angels all BV and Show Champion and Res Champion.....it was a day for the silkies as they defeated all the other breeds of poultry and waterfowl theer in the jr show.in Sedalia Missouri...Congrats to Cody all your hardwork paid off .

Well done Cody !!

How nice to see all those birds in different colors, and all the SAME SHAPE !

 

[thedragonlady]

Silkies are a broody breed, but they go broody on their own schedule, not mine. I don't think wing issues are because of natural versus artificial incubation. I suppose it is possible: the 5th toe may not form if he temperatures are too low during the first few days of incubation. But if artificial incubation were the cause, I would expect that wing issues would have been going on for a very long time rather than being a relatively recent phenomena.

Bad wings have been common in Silkies for at least 35+ years, They are NOT a recent phenomena. Breeders always used to cull for slipped,or split wings. I think the problem has become more severe because many breeders put those bad winged birds on traders' row. Novices bought them, and bred them without being aware of the fault. What had been a recessive gene, became a dominant one.