silkies from Ideal

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
What state was the breeder in where you got the 4 toed one?

I'm not going to try to single out a reliable breeder because one bird had four toes. Some will try to make something out of it. just like accusations are made at Ideal. It is common with birds to throw out mutations or some to mutate where there is no sign of it. I saw this all the time with cockatiels. This IS how selective breeding works, by breeding consistent mutations together to get a standard. But as with mutations the original gene can come out. It happens with dogs, cats, even humans.

I have had pieds throw grays and grays throw pieds. Peach face love birds throw a pied or albino, and vice versa. It is called mother nature.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
What state was the breeder in where you got the 4 toed one?

I'm not going to try to single out a reliable breeder because one bird had four toes. Some will try to make something out of it. just like accusations are made at Ideal. It is common with birds to throw out mutations or some to mutate where there is no sign of it. I saw this all the time with cockatiels. This IS how selective breeding works, by breeding consistent mutations together to get a standard. But as with mutations the original gene can come out. It happens with dogs, cats, even humans.

I have had pieds throw grays and grays throw pieds. Peach face love birds throw a pied or albino, and vice versa. It is called mother nature.

I was just wondering if it was the breeder in florida.

 

[WalkingWolf]

No it was not Florida

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
Okay. I know that sometimes a 4 toed chick, or even a single combed chick will pop up, even in the best lines. Its just one of those things.

 

[THough1956]

I ordered 10 Partridge, 10 lavendars and 5 red silkies from Ideal and they all have 5 toes. Only 1 of the Lavendars had a single comb and it was bright red. overall very pleased with them. They will all be 1 year old in April. Probably not show quality, although I did get a blue ribbon on a Partridge roo at a show in November.

They arrived in great shape and were very healthy.

 

[birdsofparadise]

"For show quality not only do they have to cull ruthlessly so do you. I love my birds from Ideal, and with proper breeding and ruthless culling you might be able to get show quality. Nobody but nobody is going to get show quality on a regular basis without culling."

Thanks for making the point that I have been promoting in the Ameraucana/Easter Egger fight. Owners are meant to "breed to a standard" and cull the flock that doesnʻt improve on what they already have. But this takes time, patience, and a little knowledge of genetics. Plus, the thought of "ruthlessly culling" is abhorent to backyard farmers. Trust me, on a real farm, culling is readily embraced because it means either dinner or extra cash.

Love your flock, tend it carefully, but donʻt fall in love with individual birds. Hmmmm, sounds a lot like my brokerʻs advice about my 401-K!

 

[Byrdj]

I got three white Silkies from Ideal. They all had good leg feathering, full top knots, and five toes. But two of them have single combs. I wonder if hatcheries just hatch indescrimately without paying any attention to things like that. More eggs to hatch = more $ for them. Plus I think they realize most people just want a Silkie and don't know or care about breed standards.