Silkie thread!

[Debbi]

That's funny...the roo? Actually, I believe it. I am thinking these are usually pretty sweet birds, but I have heard that some little silkies can be stinkers. I hope mine are nice. I have a showgirl, that I posted on the other thread, someone thinks it looks like a boy.

All of my roos are much friendlier to chicks than the hens! My White roo "Mr. Boss" tends to his babies like a mama. When they were littler, and got scared or cold, they would all run to him and stand between his legs, and he would fan out his wings to cover them. So cute! I really love the roos, I feel they have much more personality than the hens. My hens, or at least some of them, can be quite the bullies when introducing new and younger birds to the flock; the roos could care less.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Okay, I have some pretty birds and I am a little torn. I would like to get some opinions here. When evaluating a bird, what is more important, a great crest with ok feet or great feet with a nice crest?

I first look at feet-- that is a must. Check that they have all 5 toes on each leg. No extra nails, etc. If that is okay they move on. If not-- they are gone. From there, I'm checking wings-- most of mine have nice big crests anyway. But I do think the crest is important. If it was on the smaller side for a crest, I'm not so sure I'd keep it. Look for split wing when they get older. That is a DQ, and don't breed with that. I agree with Peep-- type is also very important. My birds that don't look "quite right"... I just sell them off. My goal is not to have tons of birds, but the best birds. Even if that means I sell off over half of what I breed. I've already been selling chicks with obvious faults. But the rest, I'm ify on and I'm going to keep them at least until October to see how they turn out and then sell them off, too.

I had over 30 blue and black silkie eggs that I tried to hatch out in April. Only 2 hatched and they were pretty bad off that they needed to be culled. I was so heart broken. My Bonnie has been laying eggs but they have also been getting eaten! I need to build them their own coop because eggs don't stand a chance in there with all those pullets! When my girls go broody I do plan on ordering some for them but hatching myself I'm not ready to do again.

That is a shame! I've bought a batch of eggs and NOTHING hatched! Sometimes that is just what happens. I just jumped right back in and bought more eggs. You have some good hatches and bad off of shipped eggs. They are going thru a lot of bouncing around at the PO. If you were having fertility issues though-- no growth, find another breeder to buy eggs from.

 

[Adoravachick]

If you are sellecting for breeding, first make sure you don't have any DQ's. Then I would say type would be the desiding factor (S shape, chest out head back.) also depends on the male female cross. A small crest to a small crest will probably give you small crests.

I am still learning about DQ's. Is there anywhere that I would be able to find a quick reference of DQ's that may possibly show pics?
When choosing chicks, can you get an accurate idea of whether or not your chick will have nice tight wings or loose wings? I have one chick from my recent hatch that has VERY pretty feet, all 5 toes are beautifully feathered, but her crest isn't as large as some of the other chicks that I have.

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

The very pale blue ones will likely be splash or light blue. The white ones will be paint or splash. I have had quite a few splash that didn't spot for a few weeks and then feathered in very black so you may not know for sure for a while. Also some of your paint chicks may stay white and not spot. When you get a spot, a paint will be very black feather all the way to the root. Splash usually have varied colored spots from black to blue.

Thanks for the info. Of course it doesn't really matter what colors they are cause we love them all!! Silkies are just so darn cute!!!!!

 

[mama2my4]

Have to share with you 2 of my new babies. This is a new color for me (calico) and I am so excited about it!

This is Tara.



And this little one hasn't been named yet. I am told this is the color Tara was as a baby.



Can't wait to watch HER (hopefully) grow up!!

 

[TheChicknGarden]

Have to share with you 2 of my new babies. This is a new color for me (calico) and I am so excited about it!

This is Tara. 



And this little one hasn't been named yet. I am told this is the color Tara was as a baby.



Can't wait to watch HER (hopefully) grow up!!

Lovely! Just lovely now i want one in that color too... Ugh keep telling my husband that i want one in every color....

 

[bantamgirl]

Do you have a front shot of the comb head on? It is hard to tell at that age though.

it's comb is the little bump in between the feathers.it is the only one i have.

 

[bantamgirl]

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this is my little baby blackberry. i was wondering if any one could tell me if he is good show quality. and if any one could make a guess on if it is a boy or girl. his feathers are still coming in on his head a bit. he is almost 9 weeks old.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I am still learning about DQ's. Is there anywhere that I would be able to find a quick reference of DQ's that may possibly show pics?
When choosing chicks, can you get an accurate idea of whether or not your chick will have nice tight wings or loose wings? I have one chick from my recent hatch that has VERY pretty feet, all 5 toes are beautifully feathered, but her crest isn't as large as some of the other chicks that I have.

http://www.hattricksilkies.net/articles_truth.html Read this link very carefully! They have excellent photos and explain faults and DQ's. You will learn a lot by seeing these things on your own birds, as well. But these pictures give you a good idea of what you are looking for. I'm also keeping pictures of DQ's in my own birds for my own reference so I can see what has happened in my breedings.

Have to share with you 2 of my new babies. This is a new color for me (calico) and I am so excited about it!

This is Tara.



And this little one hasn't been named yet. I am told this is the color Tara was as a baby.



Can't wait to watch HER (hopefully) grow up!!

Stunning!!! I love that adult bird! The chick is adorable, but I sure like them better when they are all grown up!

Do you have a front shot of the comb head on? It is hard to tell at that age though.

it's comb is the little bump in between the feathers.it is the only one i have.

This picture is really all you needed. It shows the comb path very well and we can see there is no growth and what is there is pretty narrow. Still looks like a girl.

 

[peepblessed]

Quote:
My roo will immediately take over the care of and young chick and is extremely protective of them. He calls them over for choice little pieces of food that he has carefully chopped up and runs the older juveniles off if he feels they might be a threat.