Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[CSolis]

WTF?
Why, just why???
View attachment 3269403

I would certainly rather have 10 toes than this.. Going to have to research and see if this can be passed to offspring.. Anyone know.. This boy is one of the 16 week olds from Poof Poof and Shadow Captain.. He's got the greatest poof and feathering of the 2 cockerels in the first hatch of 5.

 

[CSolis]

Second is a pullet, full sibling.

Third is also a pullet.

Fourth is a pullet.

I want to keep #3 and #4 for future breeding. And the fifth is a cockerel.

 

[LynnaePB]

Sounds exciting!
Ya got pics of the parents of the ones you are hatching? What's the silkie mix with?

As always....GAUgeous!!! I'd keep em a while too! I'm trying to do this more now so I can also learn their little personalities better since I want to focus on pet and not so much in breeding...but if I get that "match" and it's not too much for  me and the  girls then we'll see LOL!

@LynnaePB how's your babies doin!? We need some more pics of that new Mister!!! Are you changing anything with your flock since TN has the dreaded avian flu now?

They are doing good so far thanks! The little Nn's beak is starting to cross slightly unfortunately but the others look good at this point. I hatched another little partridge looking Nn from him and have 15 eggs in the incubator from him that are due by Friday as well.

I'll have to work at getting a few more pictures of dad for you soon then.

I haven't changed anything with the flock. They are all under cover and in pens right now anyhow so hopefully will be not at too great a risk. How about you with your flock?

I would certainly rather have 10 toes than this.. Going to have to research and see if this can be passed to offspring.. Anyone know.. This boy is one of the 16 week olds from Poof Poof and Shadow Captain.. He's got the greatest poof and feathering of the 2 cockerels in the first hatch of 5.View attachment 3270297
View attachment 3270298

I can relate, I'd much rather have the extra toes as well! I believe it often is genetic but fairly complex. In my experience it is pretty common in bearded silkies. It can happen in non bearded as well as bearded but it has been linked to homozygous bearded and seems to pop up a lot more in fully bearded breeds.

Even though I don't use birds with crooked or crossed beaks as breeders I sadly get probably 1 out of 10 or so with a beak issue out of my fully bearded pens no matter their background (ranging from just very slightly curved where you really have to look to see it to fully crossed). Thankfully so far all the ones with crossed beaks or curved beaks have it mild enough they still eat fine and function well. I don't breed non bearded or partially bearded as often but have yet to have any beak issues in the non bearded or partially bearded babies I've hatched.

There has been documentation and studies done on it and it definitely isn't just a simple recessive or dominant gene. If I'm remembering right when two cross beaks were bred together most of the offspring had normal beaks and the incidence of cross beak only went up a slight bit. I personally still avoid using cross beaked or crooked beaked birds as breeders.

Oh and it's not always genetic. Sometimes it can be from an issue during development in the egg or a malposition. I think in these cases it will usually show from hatch though.

 

[Hinotori]

She just needs a bit of filing every now and then. She's 21 weeks now. Didn't even notice a problem until about a week ago when I noticed the bottom beak needed a bit filed. She's actually bigger than her sisters so it hasn't affected her at all.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I haven't changed anything with the flock. They are all under cover and in pens right now anyhow so hopefully will be not at too great a risk. How about you with your flock?

Well I got complacent and lazy I guess and have let my guard down. I hope I won't be sorry bout that regarding biosecurity. I let Joey out to do chores with me round the yard and I stopped wearing just coop shoes and not yard shoes. Guess we'll see?

She just needs a bit of filing every now and then. She's 21 weeks now. Didn't even notice a problem until about a week ago when I noticed the bottom beak needed a bit filed. She's actually bigger than her sisters so it hasn't affected her at all.

View attachment 3270931

"Filing"...hum I need to look into this I guess cuz I'm afraid Lizzy has something going on with her beak. I've got this pic which shows woth her beak open a little better ...its like the upper part of her beak is wider than the lower part. But this pic actually shows a little off too...so naybe shes got couple beak probs going on.
Which isnt good cuz shes my fav and shes best quality IF i did try to do a breeding project!
If you have any advice and wisdom bout what and how to do I'd be most appropriative!

 

[LateBirdFarms]

Just thought I'd share a picture of my new girl, Sofa (named as such because she always looked like a ball of pet fur dragged out from under my couch as a chick), now that she isn't in a sorry state of chick feathering.


Disclaimer: That is not an outer security wall behind her but a movable inner separation fence to keep the flock off the green patch I'm trying to regrow for them in the run.

 

[Hinotori]

Well I got complacent and lazy I guess and have let my guard down. I hope I won't be sorry bout that regarding biosecurity. I let Joey out to do chores with me round the yard and I stopped wearing just coop shoes and not yard shoes. Guess we'll see?

"Filing"...hum I need to look into this I guess cuz I'm afraid Lizzy has something going on with her beak. I've got this pic which shows woth her beak open a little better ...its like the upper part of her beak is wider than the lower part. But this pic actually shows a little off too...so naybe shes got couple beak probs going on.
Which isnt good cuz shes my fav and shes best quality IF i did try to do a breeding project!
If you have any advice and wisdom bout what and how to do I'd be most appropriative! View attachment 3271243

I have one hen who doesn't work her top beak down enough so every 2-3 months I need to clip it. I use the big toenail clippers and 3 snips puts it right. Side, side, front. Silkies have that nice crest to grab and hold their head still for it but she's pretty used to it now and knows it makes her life easier so there is no fight.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

After the World’s longest integration (nearly 3 months), Himawari and her chick Kai are back with the flock full time. First night all together and Kai (far keft) chooses to sleep right in front of the rooster. Himawari is farthest right. Have a few broodies sleeping in the nest boxes (not pictured).

 

[kurby22]

I just had to share Betty White is just the boldest little white Silkie and I love her spunk. She was not done being broody last month, so she decided to go take over the eggs from the big girl nest boxes (she never goes in their coop). My big BCM hen and two of my Banty Cochin girls and my big momma hen Elinor the English Orpington were ALL broody and laying on eggs. Betty went in when they left the boxes and took the eggs and wouldnt give them back So they let her stay and sit on eggs haha. They are all molting now and quit being broody and I thought sure Betty would go back to her old coop to be with Fuzzy, but she has decided she is a big chicken now and sleeps with them instead She looks comfy in this picture but the other night she was crammed up against the wall and all you could see was a little white ball of fluff popping out from under one of the hens butts! So funny Smallest chicken in the coop, but youd never know it

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I just had to share Betty White is just the boldest little white Silkie and I love her spunk. She was not done being broody last month, so she decided to go take over the eggs from the big girl nest boxes (she never goes in their coop). My big BCM hen and two of my Banty Cochin girls and my big momma hen Elinor the English Orpington were ALL broody and laying on eggs. Betty went in when they left the boxes and took the eggs and wouldnt give them back So they let her stay and sit on eggs haha. They are all molting now and quit being broody and I thought sure Betty would go back to her old coop to be with Fuzzy, but she has decided she is a big chicken now and sleeps with them instead She looks comfy in this picture but the other night she was crammed up against the wall and all you could see was a little white ball of fluff popping out from under one of the hens butts! So funny Smallest chicken in the coop, but youd never know it

What a great story! I just love Betty!
Sounds like her personality is as big as her name sake! She seems quite happy with her new gang.