Silkie thread!

[tiki244]

Truffles and Orange Sherbet and Jack are all so beautiful silkies. I was going to answer the toe question but SacredofShadows you did a much better job of it than I would have.

 

[peepblessed]

just poor 4th and 5th toe seperation?

What I am doing (since I've hatched a gaggle of chicks already)

First cut - within the first week
What I look for :
Comb - is it a flat comb or a single (I've never had a problem telling single combs on day old chicks)
Toes - does it have 5 toes? 4 and 6 toes are PQ....does it have a bald middle toe?(not sparse, but bald) - PQ Any extra toe nubs, lobster toe/fused toes, extra toenails?? - all go to PQ (extra toenails I might hold onto if I will be short changed for only a few chicks left with that cut)

I don't worry about poor toe seperation and placement (as long as they ARE completely separate toes and not fused) - I never worry about that until they get mature. You can show a bird without any point issues, etc with poor seperation, just as long as they aren't fused.

Super helpful!! Only I don't have anything for the PQ box which is what most people want but thats a good problem!!

Thanks a bunch!!

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Did you design that blue parti yourself or purchase her. I am wanting to breed some and wondering what the best cross. I have blue, partridge and lavender I can use. Can you help me on the toe question?

I got her in shipped eggs. Blue Partridge X blue partridge, Blue X regular partridge (though I think you will get quite a few cull blues (just leaky blues), Partridge X lavender (no idea on that one how they'll come out but George Mihalik swore by the fact you can get the best blue partridge out of crossing lavender in there)

 

[tiki244]

Thats interesting. I have never had problems telling single combs either. But havent gotten any in the last couple years. I usually do cut for toes, but I am not keeping a lot of them, just a few. And I have never shown.

 

[tiki244]

Beautiful birds by the way!

 

[peepblessed]

I got her in shipped eggs. Blue Partridge X blue partridge, Blue X regular partridge (though I think you will get quite a few cull blues (just leaky blues), Partridge X lavender (no idea on that one how they'll come out but George Mihalik swore by the fact you can get the best blue partridge out of crossing lavender in there)

Thanks! I believe you can breed those leaky ones back to partridge and get some nice partridge but I'm not sure. I read it.

 

[spatulagirl]

We just had a bummer of a hatch... 2 Silkies from an original 24 eggs. Five developed and three died in the egg, the never hatched. We did get an adorable black and a super cute white with a big old pouf on her head.

So we must start again! This was our first hatch and I learned a lot. I want to try again. I am trying to get a good stock of high quality Silkies (just decided to learn as I go). I am just looking for blue, black, splash and white eggs. Can anyone recommend a breeder to try to get eggs from? This last batch was from CJ's Silkies. Ugh.. It worked out that I paid $35 for each chick! LOL

 

[peepblessed]

We just had a bummer of a hatch... 2 Silkies from an original 24 eggs. Five developed and three died in the egg, the never hatched. We did get an adorable black and a super cute white with a big old pouf on her head.

So we must start again! This was our first hatch and I learned a lot. I want to try again. I am trying to get a good stock of high quality Silkies (just decided to learn as I go). I am just looking for blue, black, splash and white eggs. Can anyone recommend a breeder to try to get eggs from? This last batch was from CJ's Silkies. Ugh.. It worked out that I paid $35 for each chick! LOL

So sorry! I know how disappointing that is! Hope you can find a seller close enough to buy eggs that aren't shipped. Shipping is so hard on the eggs.

 

[spatulagirl]

SO I have learned. I live in the WVa/Va/MD tri-state area.

 

[Country Chickens]

I am glad you guys have no trouble with single combs, cause I just wanted to run this one past another set of eyes. I'm pretty positive that's what it is, but since I haven't seen it before I figured I'd better check. This is the little black I hatched yesterday from a paint egg. Good news is three other eggs had actual paint chicks in them, but it looks like this one is a cull. What do you think? I really appreciate all of your help and patience with this!



ETA...Okay, I can see the pic when I'm typing, but not on the forum. Anybody know why that is?
ETA Fixed! Just had to shrink it smaller. lol

Thats interesting. I have never had problems telling single combs either. But havent gotten any in the last couple years. I usually do cut for toes, but I am not keeping a lot of them, just a few. And I have never shown.