Silkie thread!

[Sonoran Silkies]

Can someone explain to me what you mean when you say "Breed to type"?

Focusing on SHAPE (type), as compared with focusing on things that are less important such as toes spacing or a comb that is too big/small/has horns. When it comes to judging a breed, TYPE is the most important thing.

 

[Suzierd]

Back to putting the Silkies to bed again. I thought they had it down but the last two nights they piled up outside the coop. I have never had chickens do this. Will they evenually learn? I've seen them go in and out during the day. I'm sure they know how.

 

[peepblessed]

Peep, aren't you the one who doctored a photo with circles explaining various parts of a silkie? Maybe that would be good to re-insert here? I know is was specific to one bird, but has pretty good points about silkies in general. (and if I am mis-remembering who posted it, the same comment would apply to you.

)

No that great exercise wasn't me. I believe it was Jessy (Scared of Shadows) and I think it had to do with partridge but maybe not! Ha!

 

[Sanna]

Peep, aren't you the one who doctored a photo with circles explaining various parts of a silkie? Maybe that would be good to re-insert here? I know is was specific to one bird, but has pretty good points about silkies in general. (and if I am mis-remembering who posted it, the same comment would apply to you.

)

Something like that would be pretty awesome! If someone that knows what they're talking about would take on a project like this.

Like "parts of the silkie", because some of these parts that I read about here, I have no idea what any of it is. lol I bet that would answer a lot of questions for a lot of people.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

No that great exercise wasn't me. I believe it was Jessy (Scared of Shadows) and I think it had to do with partridge but maybe not! Ha!

It was! It was a partridge and it was me who doctored around with the circles.

 

[mama2my4]

SOS... can you repost it? Or tell me where I can find it?

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

A young pullet but the best picture of my own I could find quick to do an example with...

this is MY personal way of evaluating and remembering what to look for with type...

Orange : top of neck below the crest, down across the curve of the back and up over the tail/cushion to the vent should be a nice S shape. The more defined the S the better

PINK: bird facing forward (which Truffles is not) beak to the curve of the depth of the chest down and below to the belly should be a S shape, again the more deep/defined (especially the bottom curve) that S the better.

YELLOW : Wings wings should be closed together and close the the body in a triangle, in this picture her wings are held a little loose, the yellow triangle shows where the wings should be - tucked under the cushion and as she finishes filling out her cushion will most likely hide the tips of her wings.

 

[sager:)silkies]

A young pullet but the best picture of my own I could find quick to do an example with...

this is MY personal way of evaluating and remembering what to look for with type...

Orange : top of neck below the crest, down across the curve of the back and up over the tail/cushion to the vent should be a nice S shape. The more defined the S the better

PINK: bird facing forward (which Truffles is not) beak to the curve of the depth of the chest down and below to the belly should be a S shape, again the more deep/defined (especially the bottom curve) that S the better.

YELLOW : Wings wings should be closed together and close the the body in a triangle, in this picture her wings are held a little loose, the yellow triangle shows where the wings should be - tucked under the cushion and as she finishes filling out her cushion will most likely hide the tips of her wings.

great example

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

For those looking for examples of good, decent, and bad traits/areas on silkies I HIGHLY suggest you join the ASBC (American Silkie Bantam Club)

http://www.americansilkiebantamclub.org

My friend Janine worked hard to compile pictures from different breeders in the club of birds of various traits (crest, feet, tail, wing, eye, earlobes, type) and there are atleast a dozen pictures in each album with most having various breeders comments on those pictures on how the traits rank. We are trying to build a learning and comparison tool for everyone new and old to use when breeding and showing.

 

[Debbi]

Back to putting the Silkies to bed again. I thought they had it down but the last two nights they piled up outside the coop.

I have never had chickens do this. Will they evenually learn? I've seen them go in and out during the day. I'm sure they know how.

Mine did this too for the longest time. I have some of those small, stake in the ground solar lights, that you can buy at Wal-Mart for $3.00 each. I took off the stake so only the head of the light was used. Put it in the back, far corner of the coop for them to see the light. It worked for me, I think they are afraid of the dark!

Take the light out and put in the sun the next morning so it re-charges. It also seems like there is a leader of the flock that will stand right in the middle of the doorway, and keep the others out. If you can find your leader, just move him to the back of the line, and the others may go in. Then let him/her go, and he will go in too. Hope this helps.