Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[chickengr]

I de

I definitely wasn't talking about non feathered/naked birds when I said "don't all chickens have the same amount of feathers" that would be ridiculous. What I meant was across a feathered chickens body, I bet if we counted the actual quiles on a silkie feathered silkie and a smooth feathered silkie that it would be the same. Silkies have the appearance of "more" simply because each individual feather isn't barbed together the way it is in a smooth feathered bird, not because they actually have more feathers. At least from my perspective. Now with that said- I absolutely believe you that they need more protein and highly value your actual experience over books smarts ANY DAY! Very much looking forward to the day I have 20+ yrs under my own belt

Anyways - I really wasn't trying to offend anyone. It was just a general observation and legitimate question.

I didn't get offended. if you butcher different breeds of chicken you will notice the difference. hot climate birds have less feathers while cold climate birds have more. at least that is my experience. here where it is hot heat hardy birds have mostly hard feathers with little down feathers. they are easier to clean. silkies even here have a lot of down feathers + they have feathered feet as well.

 

[RememberTheWay]

I didn't get offended. if you butcher different breeds of chicken you will notice the difference. hot climate birds have less feathers while cold climate birds have more. at least that is my experience. here where it is hot heat hardy birds have mostly hard feathers with little down feathers. they are easier to clean. silkies even here have a lot of down feathers + they have feathered feet as well.

That definitely makes sense with the different climate birds though that they would have more/less quills (don't know if I'm spelling that right?) depending on whether they were a hot/cold bird. I imagine leghorn/Minorca/Andalusians would have much further spread quills And something like an English Orpington or chanticleer (doesn't look right either lol) would have more densely packed quills.

In my head originally though what I was visually seeing was just the main feather quills I wasn't considering the smaller down quills too

 

[Hinotori]

Little white one is a boy. Him being satin isn't a problem in the pen he's from. It actually tells me exactly who his mother is. He's 1/8th ameraucana. The partridge chick looks female and would be 1st cousin to the white.

 

[chickengr]

I hatched some silkies: 2 black, 1 blue, 1 weird (light grey with partial partridge pattern) and the last one still in the bator (buff/blue parteidge).

 

[RememberTheWay]

Little white one is a boy. Him being satin isn't a problem in the pen he's from. It actually tells me exactly who his mother is. He's 1/8th ameraucana. The partridge chick looks female and would be 1st cousin to the white.

View attachment 3878293

How cute!

 

[RememberTheWay]

Just hatched this little one and was curious about the color/pattern. Not sure if you can really see it but she has a buff/red hue to her and has what looks like a faint chipmunk pattern on the back/head/face.

Can anyone tell me anything about the genetics of this chick and what any of it might mean for the mature coloring?

The mother is definitely white, and I think the people I got her from only had a white rooster (but it had a straight comb)(She laid a few eggs after purchase which I knew were fertilized so I tossed them in the incubator, this is the only one that hatched).

I'm guessing that they are probably recessive whites but was just curious if the color of him and the chipmunk pattern meant anything?

Thanks

 

[Hinotori]

Little pullet at 5 weeks. Can tell she's a moorhead now

 

[RememberTheWay]

Little pullet at 5 weeks. Can tell she's a moorhead now


View attachment 3889558

I'm new to silkies so go easy on me but can explain to me what moorehead means please

 

[Hinotori]

I'm new to silkies so go easy on me but can explain to me what moorehead means please

The black head feathering on a partridge silkie. Partridge by standard has a red head. Need to know that if taking birds to a show. Can't remember if it's a disqualification or fault at moment but it's one of those.

Girls are sunbleached in these pictures

Normal partridge

Moorhead partridge

 

[Hinotori]

Rushed outside then they all started falling over. 20 minutes later most of them were back in their pen where it's cooler.