Silkie thread!

[SadieSue]

Quote: Thank you! I'm pretty happy with them. I did think it was funny that I couldn't get them to sit still while I was taking photos. Did you notice they all had to sit in my hand to get their picture taken? That was the only way I could get them to cooperate.

I'm looking forward to seeing if mine turn out as pretty as your Catdance babies have!

 

[JoshU]

Hey, Josh, We'd love to see some photos of the cuties in your avatar!

I am not sure why, with 37 posts and a over a year on this site that I am not able to add pics to threads yet. I would love to post some pics.

 

[JoshU]

I have a question about combs. I know of a kid who has won numerous shows at county fair with a couple of roosters who have red combs. Everything I read on silkies says black to mawberry. Can anyone clear the comb coloration SOP up for me?

 

[Funky Feathers]

Sounds to me like that judge doesn't know anything about Silkies. The comb is supposed to be Mulberry, not red.

 

[lil mama]

Based on the research I have done on this, I would consider Show Quality a bird without DQ's that would likely win or place high in a show, while Breed Quality is a bird without DQ's or occasionally with a DQ which has some great features but may have something like a small crest or poor foot feathering or poor type that would keep it from winning in a show but might be worth breeding to see if it will pass on the great qualities but not the bad ones. I hope others will chime in on this as I believe it's an important discussion.

The reason I ask is because I bought some beautiful silkies the breeder called " BQ " for $75 a piece. I wanted to show them this fall but I have never even been to a show . I just dont want to make a fool of myself by showing BQ. (actually my son will be showing them in the youth show)

 

[lil mama]

Well hello there! ​

 

[GoldBarRanch]

Looks like a cockerel to me. Silkies don't get very big, a roo weighs, what 34 or 32 oz.?? As for the red comb, they are NOT supposed to have red combs! Black or dark mulberry

I have a cuckoo roo that has a red comb and yellow eyes , I was told is common for this color when I bought him. who knows maybe thats not even the right colorand now im wondering if he is pure ? I have another Roo from the same breeder with Red comb. Think I got the shaft ? now everybody is telling me they are no good to breed with but all the offspring have been beautiful. So now im selling both Roos. and want to post the correct info about them but I dont know so I guess its pet quality silkies would be correct wish I knew the right answer. to keep or not to keep

 

[GoldBarRanch]

I don't know about the eggs. I use DE (diatomaceous earth) in their dusting areas.

x2 here

 

[SilverSilkie]

I have a cuckoo roo that has a red comb and yellow eyes , I was told is common for this color when I bought him. who knows maybe thats not even the right colorand now im wondering if he is pure ? I have another Roo from the same breeder with Red comb. Think I got the shaft ? now everybody is telling me they are no good to breed with but all the offspring have been beautiful. So now im selling both Roos. and want to post the correct info about them but I dont know so I guess its pet quality silkies would be correct wish I knew the right answer. to keep or not to keep

Try to become Cuckoo Silkies with dark comb, skin, legs and eyes is the same as wanting a negro woman with blond hairs from herselve !

Cucula : here is a "genetic conflict" : the barring gene removes pigment from the skin, comb, eyes, legs etc ... while trying to produce the required dark pigment, typical for the Silkie, by the use of "Fm & id+"-genes. The barring gene always wins this genetic battle !

"Fm" : Fibromelanotic, expands the black pigment on fibres as skin, meat and bones
"id+" : dermal melanotic, causes pigment spots on the epidermis

Read more about the Silkie cuckoo coloration and inheritance on this my webpage :
http://sites.google.com/site/zijdehoenders/asa-newsletter-2-sparviero


I forgot to mention !
Concerning your Cuckoo rooster coloration :
You can see a (Silver) duckwing-mark in his wing-feathers so he have the Partridge ground-pattern (eb/eb) based on Silver (S/S) with the Barring gene (B/B)
About his qualities : he have to less crest, he is intermediar between bearded and non bearded, he have no blue earlobes, his tail feathers are to long ... there are better ones but also worse ones. Since you say he produced good quality chicks continue with these, that is what is selection all about ;-)

 

[stoopid]

The reason I ask is because I bought some beautiful silkies the breeder called " BQ " for $75 a piece. I wanted to show them this fall but I have never even been to a show . I just dont want to make a fool of myself by showing BQ. (actually my son will be showing them in the youth show)

You could also have a show quality bird become a breeder due to an injury.
I have a bird that got himself stuck in the compost bin, and injured his eye.
I have other roosters that have gotten frostbite on their combs, or even a broken, or cut off (by accident!) toe.
Still genetically good, but won't do well in the shows.