Silkie thread!

[aoxa]

Ok, I'm really wanting to show silkies down the road. So was wondering if you all could tell me what you thought about my up and coming group. I know I need some better stock, but would like some input on what could be better, what I should be looking for, etc. I did a little photo shoot today, not all were cooperative but I did my best. And it doesn't help that it was yet another hot day! Oh, and they are all around 5 months old. #1 Pullet (Black NonBearded) I really like how she looks, but I know she needs more foot feathering. #2 Cockeral (Frizzled Partridge) I think he might have the best type, but he has red in his comb. #3 Pullet (Frizzled Blue) I just love this pullet, I think she is my best. But she has a crooked toe, got it caught in the fencing. #4 Pullet (Splash Partridge?) Definately lacking in foot feathering #5 Pullet (Gray) She did not want to cooperate, kept flying off. She has good foot feathering, but some hard feathers on her feet. #6 Pullet (Splash) Probably the scragliest of the group.

I would agree with you on your best, she is the first I would chose as well Poor toe! ETA: I was like.. Is that a frilkie? She is, isn't she? So cute! I currently have one blue frilkie as well

Not sure on the gender though.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Hope I don't sound stupid, but what is Zack's user name?
It would have to be someone on the East Coast if they could do it at all. Would they have done it dishonestly? I don't think you can ship eggs or live birds over the border without a quarantine period and proper documentation.
Yes, I will be there

I am going to another show August 3rd, and volunteered to stay with the birds until dark. Actually the coordinator kind of conned me into it

What do you think I am required to do? Do I have to stick my hand in with unknown roosters?

- I hope I don't have to change food and water with strange birds!! I get bit enough by my broodies. You want to feel a painful broody bite? Try sticking your hand under a broody muscovy duck! I had Hickey looking bites for a week after lol.

sager silkies-- looks like Sonoran beat me to it! Ask him, I KNOW he had eggs shipped to him. I was a barn monitor at our poultry show a couple weeks ago. Every hour (especially ducks!!) fill up their water. I don't lift doors, I simply pour water from the outside. A watering can works best, but you can get about anything to work for that. Same with food-- I don't lift doors. The only time I will lift a door is when there is an egg in the middle of the cage, and I will quickly move it to the rear corner so it won't get broke. IN fact, it should be in the rules that you are not allowed to touch the poultry anyway. Owners get VERY snippy if you touch their birds. Especially if you have been touching other birds. I caught someone in our barn-- they saw a bird that needed water and they had grabbed my water can and were trying to water the bird. I stopped them and took the can away from them. Visitors can be really crazy. That is why you need monitors-- keep the aisles clean and clear and swept up and to keep visitors from sticking in their fingers or banging on a cage, or other stupid stuff. And I'm not just talking about the KIDS. I even saw someone eye balling an egg too closely... I really thought they had it in their mind to take the egg. So I just walked over there with the broom and worked in that area next to them until they moved on. No need to get all weird with the visitors... but it's good to keep an eye on everyone.

They remind me of Chewbacca

LOL!! They ARE really well feathered!

 

[sager:)silkies]

I might find some in the national show in September. Breeders come from all over (even the US) to show their birds in our national show. There is always a big sale outside the show barn, but usually the show birds or breeder birds for sale are sold prior to the show.. Not sure if you know of Jamie Carson? He shows in the States as well as here, and is the only good breeder of silkies I know of.
As for the comb, it looks more like a polish comb with the little horns. Not single. I have never had a single comb come up at all. I only know as far back as the grandparents and they are all dark skinned and walnut combed. The father of this one's mother is a sizzle, so obviously he is the likely culprit for the light skin.. seeing as frizzled cochins were bred to silkies and the product bred back to silkies to get sizzles. There is cochin in the blood somewhere..
I live in Canada, so shipping eggs is a lot more difficult. No one will do it, and if they will, our weather is so unpredictable. I'll have to wait until fall or spring.. Summer is too hot and humid, and winter is too cold for shipping eggs. My eggs freeze in a couple of hours in the winter. Can't imagine shipping eggs across the country!

are u talking about the national poultry show in woodstock?

 

[sager:)silkies]

yes i have had someone ship me eggs from the states the truth is ur not allowed to ship eggs but if u do it right they make it right threw with no problems

 

[littlecritters]

This bird is looking awfully girlie!  ...............
For comparison-- ..........  Here is a bird of mine at 2.5 months

Hawkeye, thanks for the comparison photos! They are very helpful.

 

[aoxa]

yes i have had someone ship me eggs from the states the truth is ur not allowed to ship eggs but if u do it right they make it right threw with no problems 

Where are you at? Maybe I can get some from you? lol

Is it not the national this year? Wait.. The national in Petitcodiac was 2010. I guess I spoke too soon. This is my first year involved in a poultry club, so everything is lumping together! They were talking about how proud they were about it.. Anyway.. No I will not be going to Woodstock this year. Or maybe..

But seriously.. Do you ship eggs? I'm not sure where you are located in Canada, but it's worth a shot..

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: The exact rules vary from show to show, but most of the shows I have been at claim ownership of the eggs and remove them from the cages. Saves a bird deciding to eat its eggs, or go broody on it. The eggs are usually displayed in a large basket or in boxes at the superintendant/secretary table, and then taken home and trashed (or made into a big omelet, lol).

Show staff is usually allowed to handle the birds--if one has an issue that needs attention, then someone needs to be able to attend to the bird. I've seen birds get sick, fight through the cages and one get hurt, etc., and it needs to be taken care of right away. Only owners or those authorized by the show staff should feed or water the birds. Many exhibitors do not want their birds fed and/or watered before judging. I know I always take away my birds' water, and many breeders of tight, hard feathered birds do not want them to eat before judging: a bulging crop kind of destroys their type. That isn't an issue with loose, soft feathered birds like silkies, but dripping wet crests and breasts are certainly an issue.

 

[aoxa]

The exact rules vary from show to show, but most of the shows I have been at claim ownership of the eggs and remove them from the cages.  Saves a bird deciding to eat its eggs, or go broody on it.  The eggs are usually displayed in a large basket or in boxes at the superintendant/secretary table, and then taken home and trashed (or made into a big omelet, lol).


Show staff is usually allowed to handle the birds--if one has an issue that needs attention, then someone needs to be able to attend to the bird.  I've seen birds get sick, fight through the cages and one get hurt, etc., and it needs to be taken care of right away.  Only owners or those authorized by the show staff should feed or water the birds.  Many exhibitors do not want their birds fed and/or watered before judging.   I know I always take away my birds' water, and many breeders of tight, hard feathered birds do not want them to eat before judging: a bulging crop kind of destroys their type.  That isn't an issue with loose, soft feathered birds like silkies, but dripping wet crests and breasts are certainly an issue.

That's really helpful thanks! I didn't even think to water them from the outside. That saves a lot of grief!

My fiance is helping me, and it is a fair so there will be plenty of children. I hope they don't cause me too many issues! I am doing a Friday afternoon/evening so it will be plenty busy.. I'm excited to be any part of it. It's a first for me, so I'm really looking forward to it

 

[tilosi]

I have a chance to get a trio of white Silkies. The guy said he has shown them in the past--they have a huge flock, but I wanted to see what you all think of the pics he was able to quickly snap yesterday. He said they have not been groomed in a few months. It was very hot yesterday, so I can't tell anything about their wings...I wish he could have gotten me some better pics, but he's not too far away to go look at them in person.









thanks in advance for any help

 

[aoxa]

I have a chance to get a trio of white Silkies. The guy said he has shown them in the past--they have a huge flock, but I wanted to see what you all think of the pics he was able to quickly snap yesterday. He said they have not been groomed in a few months. It was very hot yesterday, so I can't tell anything about their wings...I wish he could have gotten me some better pics, but he's not too far away to go look at them in person.

thanks in advance for any help

 

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