Silkie thread!

[peepblessed]

that doesn't look like a split to me--- but I've been reading that splits are usually where the primaries and secondaries grow in different directions...right??? Wrong?? LOL!!

All answers I want too!!

 

[4hchickmama]

I posted links to the album and thread; the wings thread was buried in a general care and nutrition section; I moved it to the genetics and breeding section, so it should be easier to find.

Looking at the above photos, I think the "split" is because the axial feather is still growing in. I had a bird at a show once and the judge pointed it out that the axial was still growing in; you could see other feathers still growing in on other parts of its body, too. It is relatively easy when spreading the wing to pull far enough that they appear to split, but they do not.

Thank you to all of you! I went and looked and I am relieved. I thought I might have been jumping the gun a bit and not giving her time to grow her feathers back in from moulting. She started laying again (finally) last week.

Hawkeye- thank you for posting the pic! I'm obsessing and worrying too!

 

[littlecritters]

Somehow I am missing some section in the club. I thought I had seen everything. Obviously not!!

Re: ASBC website...I don't think the info is clearly identified on the site. I believe you have to go to Galleries, then select Albums and then look through those individual albums. For example, there is an album with toe/foot pics posted by a variety of members with corresponding comments. The albums I have seen so far, appear to be critiques of photos rather than illustrated lessons. I am a visual person and relying on the written Standard of Perfection (SOP) is just not enough for me. When I saw the pics in the toe album, it was an "aha" moment and it was vey helpful. So, I am slowly working my way through the albums to develop an educated eye.

I'd like to comment (but not start a conflict) ....that I have found it very difficult to find good quality silkie chicks or adults for sale. If I find a roo, there are no hens of the right color....if I find a roo, then there are no corresponding hens... if I find chicks, then they have the wrong number of toes. And of the 7 lovely little chicks we did purchase, it looks like 5 are little roos. I am very understanding of the time, expense and energy involved in breeding and certainly don't expect breeders to part with their best birds. But, it's amazing how much work goes into trying to find chicks or pullets that don't have DQ's. It can get very discouraging.

Re: the discussion of PQ, BQ and SQ, lt would be really nice if someone could come up with a common set of terms to use. Sometimes, I wish we used pedigrees in chicken breeding and gave breeders an option to "register" chickens with the ABSC that meet the SOP. Each registered bird could be toe punched by a special evaluator and receive ASBC registration papers. That way, when seeking stock...a buyer could choose between unregistered stock, registered stock and registered show stock. Buyers could review registration papers and see exactly what relatives in the pedigree were show winners, points champions etc.  I know some may consider this more work for breeders, but it gives a framework for breeders to work within. That's just my thought...as a potential breeder myself.... I hope it doesn't offend any of the breeders on here. 

 

[CALI CHICK]

Actually the original starter of this thread was very general.

That's the way I've always viewed this thread -A thread relating to the Silkie "breed" specifically and covering genetics and showing. I'm really thankful for this thread and wouldn't want it any other way. It's one of the few threads where people can ask "basic" and or challenging questions about their silkies and get an educated response (or at least an opinion) from an "expert". I guess I feel like everyone is always learning and we never know it all. When I was a school teacher, although I taught the same subjects year after year, I researched and discovered new things right along with my students. How many times do we read a post and realize we had been wrong in our way of judging our silkies or mixing the genetics or something.

Anyway, I hope all of you more experienced silkie breeders won't abandon us newer silkie owners who are working from the bottom to someday have those "Drop Dead Gorgeous Show Silkies"!

And, a few ribbons to go with them!


Also, I have a question about "streamers" for splash silkies. Do the streamers always come in, in a greyish/black feather? I'm trying to determine if these 2 splash are cockerels.


This is Cleo Patra, but if those are streamers than I guess it's Leo Pierre? He's very small and sweet so should make a great rooster in the BBS breeding pen.

 

[chisNchickens]

Actually the original starter of this thread was very general.

It is in the breeds,genetics, and showing section. That is pretty specific.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Maybe; Without actual hands on, it can be really difficult to tell. And I like to look at the bottom of the wing, too, not just the top.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Look under the wing and see if an axial feather is growing in--to me, at that age, I don;t see anything definitively wrong. Now maybe if I saw the bird in natural stance, I might start thinking differently.

 

[peepblessed]

That's the way I've always viewed this thread -A thread relating to the Silkie "breed" specifically and covering genetics and showing. I'm really thankful for this thread and wouldn't want it any other way. It's one of the few threads where people can ask "basic" and or challenging questions about their silkies and get an educated response (or at least an opinion) from an "expert". I guess I feel like everyone is always learning and we never know it all. When I was a school teacher, although I taught the same subjects year after year, I researched and discovered new things right along with my students. How many times do we read a post and realize we had been wrong in our way of judging our silkies or mixing the genetics or something.

Anyway, I hope all of you more experienced silkie breeders won't abandon us newer silkie owners who are working from the bottom to someday have those "Drop Dead Gorgeous Show Silkies"!

And, a few ribbons to go with them!


Also, I have a question about "streamers" for splash silkies. Do the streamers always come in, in a greyish/black feather? I'm trying to determine if these 2 splash are cockerels.


This is Cleo Patra, but if those are streamers than I guess it's Leo Pierre? He's very small and sweet so should make a great rooster in the BBS breeding pen.

Here is a photo of one of my splash at 5 mths. I thought I could see some streamers coming in on the right hand bird. A couple of months later she laid an egg. I would give your splash a little more time. It's stance does look girly to me.

 

[chisNchickens]

Look under the wing and see if an axial feather is growing in--to me, at that age, I don;t see anything definitively wrong. Now maybe if I saw the bird in natural stance, I might start thinking differently.

So would you say that you can always see (or usually?) a split wing when the bird is carrying naturally?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Originally Posted by littlecritters

Quote:
Originally Posted by peepblessed


Somehow I am missing some section in the club. I thought I had seen everything. Obviously not!!

Re: ASBC website...I don't think the info is clearly identified on the site. I believe you have to go to Galleries, then select Albums and then look through those individual albums. For example, there is an album with toe/foot pics posted by a variety of members with corresponding comments. The albums I have seen so far, appear to be critiques of photos rather than illustrated lessons. I am a visual person and relying on the written Standard of Perfection (SOP) is just not enough for me. When I saw the pics in the toe album, it was an "aha" moment and it was vey helpful. So, I am slowly working my way through the albums to develop an educated eye.

I'd like to comment (but not start a conflict) ....that I have found it very difficult to find good quality silkie chicks or adults for sale. If I find a roo, there are no hens of the right color....if I find a roo, then there are no corresponding hens... if I find chicks, then they have the wrong number of toes. And of the 7 lovely little chicks we did purchase, it looks like 5 are little roos. I am very understanding of the time, expense and energy involved in breeding and certainly don't expect breeders to part with their best birds. But, it's amazing how much work goes into trying to find chicks or pullets that don't have DQ's. It can get very discouraging.

Re: the discussion of PQ, BQ and SQ, lt would be really nice if someone could come up with a common set of terms to use. Sometimes, I wish we used pedigrees in chicken breeding and gave breeders an option to "register" chickens with the ABSC that meet the SOP. Each registered bird could be toe punched by a special evaluator and receive ASBC registration papers. That way, when seeking stock...a buyer could choose between unregistered stock, registered stock and registered show stock. Buyers could review registration papers and see exactly what relatives in the pedigree were show winners, points champions etc. I know some may consider this more work for breeders, but it gives a framework for breeders to work within. That's just my thought...as a potential breeder myself.... I hope it doesn't offend any of the breeders on here.
I have on more than one occasion had a bird receive excellent ratings under one judge and be DQed under a different one at a later date. I don't think that is all that unique...just part of showing. At one show I had one bird who is "ok" judged as far better than birds that ARE far better. So how would that fare into your system? I just don't see it as practical; it would create a huge amount of effort for both the breeder and the club officers, who are all volunteers.

If you look at the number of chicks raised per year, that adds in a HUGE amount of work, and I for one am not willing to do it. If I did, I would have to double or triple my prices, and mine are not all that extravagant, but if doubled or tripled, they sure would be.

A few pages ago I stated that most exhibitors do not sell chicks or eggs, and that Fall through winter is when they tend to have birds available. This has been my experience for quite a few years, and across all breeds. Yes, there are some exhibitors and breeders who sell chicks or eggs, but most do not.

Read Poultry Press and look through the ads. Join the club and look at who is winning larger shows and has well-known names (same for Poultry Press; there are a number of really excellent silkie breeders who do not want to deal with the political nonsense occurs in the club all too often). If you have a variety for which you have a passion, ask here who are some of the best breeders, and then contact them and ask when they will have birds available; be very specific on what you are looking for, but don't be so overeager that you turn them off from wanting to sell to you.

Sometimes proven older birds are a better deal than this years potential show stoppers. A two or three or even 4 year old silkie is usually far from being past production. Birds with excellent type and colouring, but easily bred out faults or DQs (toes, for example) are often easy to find, and while that bird may not be showable, if you breed to a bird without the fault, you might well get some really nice offspring.