Silkie breeding, genetics & showing

[Adoravachick]

Thanks so much for all the help! I got the spot on permethrin and the premise one. The barn is still empty, so I'll hit it up with the permethrin tonight when DH comes home. I'll get the crests tomorrow. I feel better already, on the road to irradication. It's so cold today....a whopping 25 degrees on the mountain.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: I disagree. Polydactyly, like blue, has varying degrees of expression. Now if the bird has the extreme allele where virtually an entire extra foot is present, I would say not to use for breeding, but not with an extra toe. However, like everything, it really depends on the rest of your flock, and the bird's other traits. If you have plenty of other equally good options, sure, pass on the bird, but if that bird is otherwise the better choice, use it.

I'm curious .... would you be more inclined to use one that has 6 toes over one that has only 4 toes - all other things being equal?
Well, are we looking at a total of 12 toes versus 8? Or 11 versus 9? or some other combination? I guess if everything else was completely equal, I'd probably look at toe spacing and consider whether the siblings or parents had toe issues or not.

Totally hypothetical in my case. I had one (split for lavender) with just 8 toes but he was a cull for other reasons as well so it didn't come up. But for future reference, just wondering if you felt more toes v. less suggested anything about genes. Nothing about your response that I find unreasonable. (I've got one with an extra toenail - correct number of toes - that even placed at a show. But since I know you have experience breeding, was just wondering what you might do with toes. And you've answered my question.

)
Too few toes can be a result of low incubation temperatures during the first few days, so knowing the number of toes the parents and siblings have, as well as your incubator settings (or weather if you have a broody hen who stays off her nest for sizable amounts of time in cooler weather could mean the difference in assuming that it is genetic versus incubation. Six toes says that the bird is polydactyl.

 

[sager:)silkies]

I agree wholeheartedly with you Sonoran.
So many people just want the pets. I'd say more want pets than show birds.
At least here.

thats exactly why i said i would sell my pq birds if u read my first post then u would know that im against killing birds

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
I must say, I'm just a wee bit surprised by your response here, sager. "Pet" quality Silkies often don't go to good homes or homes at all as you well know. I'd much rather do them in myself than send them to such an unknown fate ....

My eyes have been opened ....

 

[moomoodiddy]

That's great! I am learning that a good black rooster is valuable to any Flock, they can give you so many breeding options.

i heard that with white ones too hey where is the paint thread i cant find it

 

[sager:)silkies]

I must say, I'm just a wee bit surprised by your response here, sager. "Pet" quality Silkies often don't go to good homes or homes at all as you well know. I'd much rather do them in myself than send them to such an unknown fate ....

My eyes have been opened ....

so far most of my birds i have sold have gone to good homes and i still keep contact with those people sometimes the roosters dont but i cant bring myself to kill them myself

i would love to keep all the silkies i raise but with the amount i breed to get Show birds i can only keep a few Pet quaility birds so the ones i dont keep i sell as it is not my place to decide if a bird should live or not just because its not Show Quaility
sorry if i offended anyone

 

[Me & Jack]

I have to say that I disagree, or at least partially disagree. Saying that the birds ARE such-and-so's lines should indicate that they were actually bred by such-an-so. Not just have such-and-so ancestry. Saying that the birds lineage came from such-and-so is a subtle but important difference. I have birds from George Mihalik, Fawkes Feather, Judy Lee. I would say those birds ARE their lines; their offspring I might say carry that lineage, but 1) they are crossed to birds from other lines and 2) I made the breeding choices that resulted in the offspring, for good or for bad. Even if I crossed two birds from the same breeder, I would still not say they ARE their line; once again, they did not make the breeding choice. I might say that both parents were that line, but not more than that.

I would say I agree with you--semantically speaking. Saying a bird IS someone's line is definitely different that saying the birds in question carry so-and-so's lineage or breeding expertise. I would, however, not feel comfortable claiming a "line" as my own merely because I chose the mating. If I bred a George Mihalik boy to a Deb Steinberg (sure miss her) girl, for example, I would not then call the offspring my line. It doesn't seem fair to the breeders of the parent birds to suggest so. But I would state the origin of the two lines. And I might even refer to those same breeders two generations later, just because I still wouldn't feel right about laying claim to the work involved in creating those genetics. Eventually I would feel more comfortable stating that a particular generation was my own line, but I disagree with those who think that happens merely because they choose to breed two acquired birds together. Just my opinion.

 

[aoxa]

thats exactly why i said i would sell my pq birds if u read my first post then u would know that im against killing birds 

I wasn't referring to you at all Zach

And Barngoddess: I haven't met one person yet that bought silkies for anything other than pets. Everyone was looking for birds to be pretty and be good broodies. I am a very good judge of character. If they do end up using them for meat, it's out of my hands. Not sure why it's wrong to sell pet quality birds.

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

Too few toes can be a result of low incubation temperatures during the first few days, so knowing the number of toes the parents and siblings have, as well as your incubator settings (or weather if you have a broody hen who stays off her nest for sizable amounts of time in cooler weather could mean the difference in assuming that it is genetic versus incubation. Six toes says that the bird is polydactyl.

Thank you for your explanation.... I really enjoy reading all of your comments... I learn so much from you, so thanks again for being so patient and thorough.

 

[KMHunter]

Quote: There are plenty of people who want silkies to be broodies that hatch or raise chicks and even ducklings. Just about any chicken is good at pest patrol, and virtually all hens will lay eggs for breakfast and baking; even broody breeds such as silkies. And people who want a few backyard pets are happy to get birds that are not usable for exhibition. I have no problem with the idea of passing on a living creature to someone for whom the fit is right. I do not eat chicken, but I can understand those who cull to the stew pot. Personally I DO see a moral issue in killing and trashing a creature just because it does not meet what is at best an arbitrary standard created by humans for human aesthetics.

I would never "proccess" my chickens just because of DQ's or faults. I don't have a problem with someone else choosing to do so after they have purchased them. But I like it when they go to a home that wants them as pets and egg layers, or to kids for 4-H.