Silkie thread!

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Problems with vaulted skull birds are exaggerated, IMO.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Chicknmamma You say you have low grade hatchery chickens - those usually have poor crests and are not bearded. I mention this because if they are this way, that is why they are able to roost up higher, etc. Big crests and beards obscure vision - . If feathers are cut away from the eyes - silkies can see much better and are more athletic.

I have SQ silkies with large crests and beards that roost up high.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

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[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: Wood chips are just fine as long as they aren't "mitey".

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Um.. forget to collect the eggs a couple of days.. they get the idea fast

Actually Mikie was the last to join the "Broody Gang" First it was one I had moved to break her - once she moved back she went back - then it was her mom - and now Minkie thinks it looks like fun too! Its really funny to see all three of them squished in the milk carton I use for a nest - but they all do it!

Oh - I meant to ask - did you ever have any black chicks from Jaz/Minkie? I am confused here because I didn't think Black could hide under Partridge - but I have two Partridge chicks and 3 Black chicks from Minkie's eggs. I only had one other girl in with her - and those eggs were brown and I ate them. So these are Minkie's eggs and Jaz is the father.

The chicks:



Unless. I have a gremlin who likes to switch eggs around - I did get that one white chick from the Partridge eggs

I guess I am supposed to have more colors than just Partridge - now I have white, buff, partridge, blue and black...
You can get black chicks from ANY e-allele, including e^b (partridge base).

 

[jessegaw]

Hey All!!! I just ordered my very first Silkie's!
Pick up on saturday and very excited!
I picked a white hen, a red rooster, a red hen and two grey splash-ish not sure which they ares because they are younger.

Any tips for a novice??
We have just built a wonderful coop, which used to be essentially a truck crate repurposed coop, which now has a 60+ meter square run.
Our chooks get all of our vegy scraps along with chook food from our local farmers shop.
I also hang things like cabbage and pumpkins about 1 to 2 feet above the ground to keep them entertained. (this is for the 4 layer hens we already have)

Thanks for any tips you may have for me!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: It is an entirely different gene. The gene referenced in the diagram is blue.

Zero copies is not-blue (undiluted black pigment)
One copy is blue (single dilution of black pigment)
Two copies is splash (double dilution of black pigment).

To put it another way:
black is not-blue/not-blue (Bl+/Bl+)
blue is not-blue/blue (Bl+/bl)
splash is blue/blue (bl/bl)

The genetic symbol for lavender is lav. It is located on a different chromosome from blue, and it dilutes both black and red pigment equally. It is completely recessive, and has NO effect if only a single copy is present.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Lavender is a completely different gene - it is recessive and only shows up with two copies. Not the same as Blue, and a chicken can carry both. I am not sure which one is dominant over the other..

Its like the difference between a Paint bird and a White bird.

This confusion is why I don't like the term "Self-Blue" - but it has been used with the OEG for years so we got stuck with it.
One gene cannot be dominant over an entirely separate gene; only over different alleles of the SAME gene As in blue is dominant over not blue, not-white is dominant over (recessive) white, not-lavender is dominant over lavender.

"Self" means a solid colour with no variations in tint/shade or patterns. A buff orpington is self buff; a buff brahma is buff columbian. A white rock is self white; a black australorp is self black. An andalusian is blue laced; a lavender silkie is self-blue.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote: At 11 weeks it is probably a LONG time before they will lay. I never expect silkie eggs before 8 months.