Silkie thread!

[silkiecuddles]

I'm assuming you meant ' those without ' feathering to middle toe.

http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Standard.html

Can you post a pic of what you mean by that? I assumed that all silkies had completely feathered feet

 

[Ravynscroft]

I'm assuming you meant ' those without ' feathering to middle toe.

http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Standard.html

I thought she was saying feathering only reaching halfway down the toe...

 

[destiny_56085]

Yup... I assumed most people knew that. If I see bare middle toes at hatch, they are goners. On older birds that are running outside, you will sometimes see them worn off. Sometimes it just isn't there to begin with.

 

[chicken hawk 33]

Y there gonners

 

[Ravynscroft]

Yup...  I assumed most people knew that.  If I see bare middle toes at hatch, they are goners.  On older birds that are running outside, you will sometimes see them worn off.  Sometimes it just isn't there to begin with.

So it's ok if the inside toes aren't fully feathered though, right? Like mine...

 

[destiny_56085]

I'm pulling these pics from google just to show you the difference in toe feathering. Some of the really bad ones have very little feathering up the leg shank too.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I cull for no feathers on the middle toes as well, and I prefer for them all to be feathered. Even the extras. But, folks are always happy to give them good homes and most of them are still really nice examples of their breed (they just don't live up to my high standards).

 

[destiny_56085]

You want feathering to at least that middle toe. I personally like it on the 4/5th (the inside toes) too but just a perk. When you are breeding for showing, it doesn't pay to raise those up if you already know they don't have much promise. For someone that just wants pretty pets, its not a big deal.

 

[Fancychooklady]

So it's ok if the inside toes aren't fully feathered though, right? Like mine...

They are correct, the standard states , ' feathering on the outside of the middle toe '.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Yup...  I assumed most people knew that.  If I see bare middle toes at hatch, they are goners.  On older birds that are running outside, you will sometimes see them worn off.  Sometimes it just isn't there to begin with.

After having bred many silkies myself , I am aware of the standard . But for the benefit of the newbies I find it best to be concise, otherwise it gets too confusing
It should also be noted that the word ' cull ' doesn't always relate to the killing of the birds . Some people are quite happy to sell the birds to homes as ' pretty layers ' or garden ornaments. In which case they would be simply 'culling ' them from their flock.