Silkie thread!

[Beth G.]

Hi, I sent you a PM but, will say here too. I'm not as concerned with the shredding 1/2 way since she is young and her feathers are still filling in. Also, I've shown them with different lengths and since the APA standards on silkies wing shredded doesn't give and exact length in there that I've ever seen (which isn't saying much!!! haha) But, it's a vague bodily description instead which to me leads one to see it in different perspective based on individual taste etc... She'll do great and is a cutie pie!!

I just checked her wings and they look perfect except they are shredded nearly halfway.

 

[Beth G.]

On a side note. I'd like to throw out a conversation with a dear poultry friend of mine. Last Thursday while having a friend over helping with some A.I. on my non-natural breeders, we got on the topic of breeding show quailty. Of course its starts off with he and I critique my birds together and trying to match which boy to which girl. And after all was said and done and we decided who's going wtih who,he made a comment.

"you know Beth, I've been breeding birds a long time. I've had my family birds for three generations of family and if there is one thing you learn that is; You can breed the best show quaility cock to the best show quaility hen and still not get show quaility. It's the sad truth but, I feel it needs to be said and reminded to folks every once in a while."

With that being said I know he is very right and sometimes we get caught up with trying to perfect, perfect, perfect we forget that not always do you get a SQ from SQ stock. Well I've produced some really ugly chicks in the past with my best birds. Then I've changed those up and mixed one SQ with what I call my BQ and have gotten the greatest show prospects. But one thing I stand firm on is never take a bird with really messed up feet/toes/toe count with a great bird. Those toes will always come back to haunt you

Long story short, just because you have two of a great thing doesn't mean you always get great offspring. Sometimes you need to hold back those not so perfect birds that fit the APA standards in everyway except color. Remember always TYPE FIRST, then color.

Hope this helps!!

Terms for Newbies:
A.I. (Artificial Insemanation)
BQ (Breeder Quality)
SQ (Show Quality)
PQ (Pet Quality)

 

[stoopid]

Would like to see you again...hope all is well.

 

[peepblessed]

On a side note. I'd like to throw out a conversation with a dear poultry friend of mine. Last Thursday while having a friend over helping with some A.I. on my non-natural breeders, we got on the topic of breeding show quailty. Of course its starts off with he and I critique my birds together and trying to match which boy to which girl. And after all was said and done and we decided who's going wtih who,he made a comment.

"you know Beth, I've been breeding birds a long time. I've had my family birds for three generations of family and if there is one thing you learn that is; You can breed the best show quaility cock to the best show quaility hen and still not get show quaility. It's the sad truth but, I feel it needs to be said and reminded to folks every once in a while."

With that being said I know he is very right and sometimes we get caught up with trying to perfect, perfect, perfect we forget that not always do you get a SQ from SQ stock. Well I've produced some really ugly chicks in the past with my best birds. Then I've changed those up and mixed one SQ with what I call my BQ and have gotten the greatest show prospects. But one thing I stand firm on is never take a bird with really messed up feet/toes/toe count with a great bird. Those toes will always come back to haunt you

Long story short, just because you have two of a great thing doesn't mean you always get great offspring. Sometimes you need to hold back those not so perfect birds that fit the APA standards in everyway except color. Remember always TYPE FIRST, then color.

Hope this helps!!

Terms for Newbies:
A.I. (Artificial Insemanation)
BQ (Breeder Quality)
SQ (Show Quality)
PQ (Pet Quality)

Such a great reminder! Thanks again for the wing info!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

On a side note. I'd like to throw out a conversation with a dear poultry friend of mine. Last Thursday while having a friend over helping with some A.I. on my non-natural breeders, we got on the topic of breeding show quailty. Of course its starts off with he and I critique my birds together and trying to match which boy to which girl. And after all was said and done and we decided who's going wtih who,he made a comment.

"you know Beth, I've been breeding birds a long time. I've had my family birds for three generations of family and if there is one thing you learn that is; You can breed the best show quaility cock to the best show quaility hen and still not get show quaility. It's the sad truth but, I feel it needs to be said and reminded to folks every once in a while."

With that being said I know he is very right and sometimes we get caught up with trying to perfect, perfect, perfect we forget that not always do you get a SQ from SQ stock. Well I've produced some really ugly chicks in the past with my best birds. Then I've changed those up and mixed one SQ with what I call my BQ and have gotten the greatest show prospects. But one thing I stand firm on is never take a bird with really messed up feet/toes/toe count with a great bird. Those toes will always come back to haunt you

Long story short, just because you have two of a great thing doesn't mean you always get great offspring. Sometimes you need to hold back those not so perfect birds that fit the APA standards in everyway except color. Remember always TYPE FIRST, then color.

Hope this helps!!

Terms for Newbies:
A.I. (Artificial Insemanation)
BQ (Breeder Quality)
SQ (Show Quality)
PQ (Pet Quality)

I'm going to be saving this one to my "notes on breeding" file. Very well said!

 

[Country Chickens]

Wow, lots of great info and breeding help! Thanks, Beth G., for the excellent advice.

And thanks for the rooster help, to the rest you guys! This little boy pretended to be a pullet--and a very pretty pullet--for the first while. Then I was puzzled cause he started getting so much bigger, and finally now at five months he's starting to act just a little like a roo and trying to crow once in awhile. He still has no clue what the girls are for, so...guess we're in for the long haul. The good thing is, the daddy roo I've got in with my white hen may not be as big in the crest, and have a few stiff feathers in his tail, but his babies are looking good. So, guess he can carry on 'til the younger one has proven himself--if he ever gets there! The young gentleman may be too pretty to be a productive boy.

 

[Hawkeye95]

On a side note. I'd like to throw out a conversation with a dear poultry friend of mine. Last Thursday while having a friend over helping with some A.I. on my non-natural breeders, we got on the topic of breeding show quailty. Of course its starts off with he and I critique my birds together and trying to match which boy to which girl. And after all was said and done and we decided who's going wtih who,he made a comment.

"you know Beth, I've been breeding birds a long time. I've had my family birds for three generations of family and if there is one thing you learn that is; You can breed the best show quaility cock to the best show quaility hen and still not get show quaility. It's the sad truth but, I feel it needs to be said and reminded to folks every once in a while."

With that being said I know he is very right and sometimes we get caught up with trying to perfect, perfect, perfect we forget that not always do you get a SQ from SQ stock. Well I've produced some really ugly chicks in the past with my best birds. Then I've changed those up and mixed one SQ with what I call my BQ and have gotten the greatest show prospects. But one thing I stand firm on is never take a bird with really messed up feet/toes/toe count with a great bird. Those toes will always come back to haunt you

Long story short, just because you have two of a great thing doesn't mean you always get great offspring. Sometimes you need to hold back those not so perfect birds that fit the APA standards in everyway except color. Remember always TYPE FIRST, then color.

Hope this helps!!

Terms for Newbies:
A.I. (Artificial Insemanation)
BQ (Breeder Quality)
SQ (Show Quality)
PQ (Pet Quality)

This is GREAT!! What would you say about leakage?? Would you use that to breed with? I have a beautiful pullet, but she has a bit of gold coming out on the left side under her chin. It's not all the way around and doesn't show up anywhere else except for that crazy spot on her. She actually looks better than my "SQ" black hen. Better crest, feet, etc... I've been worried about using her, but figured I'm going to try anyway... Ideas on that???? Does that Type over Color work with that-- or is leakage out??

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

And then you have some like my black roo who insists on roosting between the pens! I finally fixed his wagon, I added 1X1 inch wire all the way up. He's NOT happy. I really should give him a roost. But like Stoopid said, silkies typically don't roost.

One of my early silkies was like this--always had to roost up high and on wire, and usually loose wire at that. Supposedly NO chicken will perch or roost on loose wire--no one ever told him that rule.

 

[Beth G.]

Leakage can be used in certain instances. If you have a great typey black pullet with just a touch of gold leakage I would pair her up with a very brassy partridge boy.
He's a very pretty boy and very typey but, he lacks the black in him. Therefore a black girl with gold leakage could help. But if the Black girl had Silver leakage I would say try her with a Grey Boy.

In other words I would never breed her to black b/c this leakage will only crop out later and worse in the boys. But, b/c you like her and feel she has type down I would use her in a way like I explained above.

Good Luck

This is GREAT!! What would you say about leakage?? Would you use that to breed with? I have a beautiful pullet, but she has a bit of gold coming out on the left side under her chin. It's not all the way around and doesn't show up anywhere else except for that crazy spot on her. She actually looks better than my "SQ" black hen. Better crest, feet, etc... I've been worried about using her, but figured I'm going to try anyway... Ideas on that???? Does that Type over Color work with that-- or is leakage out??

 

[TheRookie]

Where can I look for breeders in my area? A friend of mine caught the Silkie addiction and would love to get some chicks (partridge or black). She doesnt want to get them shipped so it would only be in central NC. Any advice on how to help her find a good breeder?