Silkie thread!

[SundownWaterfowl]

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Me too.

And that salmon silkie

 

[Brody's Broodello]

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Thanks! I like to name birds on themes, though I have to admit, most here don't have names until they go to a show or too. But decided that the Salmons will be on the McDonalds theme! Also he was such a McDreamie bird that I had to Silkiefy it!

ps All my Partridge hens get boy names starting with the letter A! Lond story on that one!

 

[chickendales]

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trim the crest and beared it well help they grow back

 

[Brody's Broodello]

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So..I have a couple questions. What colors did you originally breed together to get McSilkie? I have a cockerel that looks a fair bit like your McFlurrie, except that his red/mahogany coloring isn't as deep and his crest is a little bit grayer. What colors can you expect from a Black x Salmon breeding? Do you get Salmons and/or split Salmons? (Sorry, I'm still pretty new to genetics. Just want to make sure I understand it all, lol.)


I guess I should go find the Faverolle thread!

Ok I have been asked what was the recipe, how did I make the Salmon, and how does someone make their own. Here's the answer!
The "trick" secret ingrediant of the Salmon silkie is/was the father!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/20866_dscn1093.jpg
He was a true Mahagony Red bird who had the Lighter hackle feathers. I then bred him to a Silverpenciled hen that had a brownist cast and lighter hackles to her.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/20866_dscn1101.jpg
The results were McSilkie and siblings. The hens are a wheaten color. I took a pic of McSilkie & one of the hens last night. The lighting causes the color to not photograph well. In person you can really see the true wheaten color in these. But you'll get the gist of her coloring, since McSilkie is standing next to her. The hens are f1 like McSilkie. Though he is Silver wheaten (Salmon) the hens are more wheaten based.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/20866_dscn3123.jpg
Here is a pic of McSilkie as a baby.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/20866_dscn1117.jpg

As far as what to breed to if you don't have a Wheaten silkie, I would recommend Black. Since I have bred McSilkie to other colors for experiment. I have found that the color does reproduce, when not bred to just wheaten hens. So you could, and might , get this color in the F2 gen when crossed with black, or another color. The bird for sale "McFlurrie" is an example of what you can get from the Salmon to another color, in this case Splash. Hope this answers some of the questions everyone has. Since this is on the ground floor of breeding only time will tell. It sure is getting exciting!
The Salmon is in the pens with full sisters for mating this winter & the results will be posted on the Silkies Of A Different Color Thread as they happen!

Very interesting, thanks a bunch for sharing

. That first hen is really pretty.

Thanks, but I can't take credit for breeding that girl, I rarely add new birds to the flock, but I had a chance to make a deal with Gilda for one of her Pompadour Silkie Specials. So that is who her breeder was. I think it was a good trade!

 

[Debbi]

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Tracy, If you think she is having trouble seeing due to the crest, by all means trim it some. Make sure to use blunt tipped scissors and be slow and cautious! That said, most of mine here have very heavy crests, but they have no problem finding the feed or eating it, they are in fact furry little pigs!

Check her beak to see if maybe she has a crossed beak or any other deformity, like maybe it's too long? One of mine is noticeably smaller than the rest, but she eats like a fiend and is in all other ways healthy and active. Others with more experience will offer up more suggestions, I'm sure.

 

[Brody's Broodello]

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Try giving grit as well. I use huge pans for the silkies since I can't trim them, because of showing. They can walk into the pan & stand in it to eat. I also let my girls get dirty with dreads, so that they can see to eat. I know it sounds aweful, but when it comes time to show, they clean up really well, with a good bit of soap.

 

[UrbanFarmerGreg]

What kind of soap to you wash your silkies with? I gave my 3 a bath today because there leg and foot feathers get filthy... but it was more of a warm rinse off because I didn't use soap as I wasn't sure what to use... oh and am I supposed to dry them or just let them air dry?

 

[Brody's Broodello]

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You can was with any pet shampoo. A puupy/kitten one is VERY safe to use. Some peole use Tide with bleach for whites, I use a white shampoo for pets. If you have a warm day mid 70's let them airdry, I blowdry ours. They actually like the dryer and will turn & lift wings so the under feathers can get dry.

 

[tracysbantams]

Thank you everyone for your help and advice. I brought her in and gave her a good trim around the eyes. I also put out some grit for her and the others. I will watch her closely and see how things go. Her beak looks good maybe a little long though, but nice and straight.

Tracy

 

[chickendales]

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have u tryied higher protein feed i dont use any thing less then 20 %