Silkies and Blue Ameraucanas Good show breeds? 4-H

[averytds]

I have managed to talk my DS out of BBs. We've been going through everything we can find on the diff breeds and we're looking at Blue Ameraucanas.

Any Pros/Cons as a choice for show breed?

My Pros so far include faster maturing, more readily available and pullets not suitable for show could be kept for pretty blue eggs.

My DD will be starting next year. She want's silkies and of course a "pink" showgirl.

We can't seem to convince her it wasn't born looking like that.

Everything I'm finding points to silkies being good as a show breed. Downside, she likes the splash and partridge the best. I haven't determined if those are the best colors to go with. I find more info for white,black and grey.

Any advice or alternative suggestions welcome.

 

[pips&peeps]

I think those are good show birds, but the color varieties would be different choices for me.

I think the standard colors like blue, black, white, etc in silkies would be a better bet as the other colors are not perfected and it is probably harder to get your hands on a good specimen.

On the blue ameraucanas, it is the same. There is alot of work to be done on the lacing on blues, but then again there is a good supply of breeders of them and how many 4-h kids are going to have real ameraucanas......

I guess it depends on what quality you want to start out with and if your kids want to truly work on the breed.

 

[averytds]

Availability was a big factor with the BBs. The fair here only had WRs, BRs, BAs and RIRs. I figure about any breed not from the local feed store would be exotic for around here.

I'm trying to talk DD into the white silkies. DS is holding firm on the Blue Ameraucanas, but I'm still working on him. (Buff lover here.) They're both still upset our "Ameraucanas" aren't real Ameraucanas. DS is interested in breeding.

I know we want to purchase from a breeder vs a hatchery. I've looked around, but am not ready to commit to a specific breeder. I haven't decided on eggs or chicks. Much as it worries me since I've never done it before, I'm leaning toward eggs.

One I've been looking at that has both http://myweb.ecomplanet.com/fuch5170/mycustompage0031.htm

And of course your site for the Blue A's and Hat Trick for the silkies.

I'm wanting to get things in motion, so we've got plenty of time to prepare for next year. Give us more leeway in having better stock. Also more time to find and work with a breeder. I don't want them entering a bird just because that's what they've got if the bird shouldn't be entered. KWIM?